New Market has a rich history in a small-town setting
The Town of New Market is a historic community in the Shenandoah Valley located just off Interstate 81. European settlers happened upon this area in the early 18th century, but it wasn’t until 1796 that the town was officially established. “New Market had a big role during the Civil War,” says Greg Pfaff, a local Realtor with Kline May Realty. “When Interstate 81 was built in the 1960s, it actually split the Battle of New Market battlefield . It’s often called the ‘field of lost shoes’ because soldiers’ boots would get stuck in the mud during the battle, so they would just leave their boots behind and keep going.”
Aside from historic landmarks and museums, New Market has several local stores, dining options and small businesses near the center of town and along U.S. Route 11, which parallels the interstate. “You can pick up a gallon of milk in New Market, but for big-box shopping, people go to Harrisonburg, which is like the metropolis of this area,” Pfaff says. Located 20 miles south on I-81, Harrisonburg is a mid-sized urban hub centered around the 700-acre James Madison University campus. New Market has an overall CAP Index Crime Score of 2 out of 10, which is lower than the national average score of 4. In 2020, the U.S. Census Bureau reported a population of just over 2,150 residents.
Historic homes and new construction meet in the Shenandoah Valley
The housing stock in New Market includes mostly single-family homes and a handful of multifamily properties. Lots tend to gradually increase in size the farther they’re located from the Old Cross Road and Route 11 intersection at the center of town. Investment properties and smaller turnkey bungalows typically cost between $150,000 and $300,000, while larger Craftsman-style builds, colonial-styles and homes with traditional architecture can range from approximately $300,000 to $650,000; newer construction often sells at the higher end of that range. Many of New Market’s older homes from the 19th and early 20th centuries have had recent renovations or been listed as low-cost investment properties. Townhouses here don’t come on the market as frequently as single-family homes, but when they do, they usually sell between $200,000 and $400,000. The median sale price of homes in New Market is about $320,000, about $50,000 less than Harrisonburg’s median price and significantly lower than the national median.
Museums and monuments reflect New Market’s Civil War history
At New Market's museums and protected landmarks, people can learn about the town’s history and Civil War significance. The New Market Battlefield State Historical Park sits atop the field where the Battle of New Market occurred in May 1864. This battle is the only instance in United States history where members of a school’s student body – the Virginia Military Institute Corp of Cadets – were ordered to serve in combat. 275 cadets took part in the battle, 10 of whom died as a result of wounds they sustained. People can visit the Virginia Museum of the Civil War and the New Market Battlefield Visitor Center & Museum to view Civil War-era artifacts and explore exhibits on the town’s history.
Outdoor activities around town and at Massanutten Mountain
New Market sits in the middle of the Shenandoah Valley, a region characterized by unique and varied topography that lends itself to natural attractions. To the west of town is sprawling farmland and the North Fork Shenandoah River, while to the east is the synclinal Massanutten Mountain ridge. “The Massanutten ridge splits the valley in half and separates New Market from the town of Luray and its caverns,” Pfaff says. Luray Caverns is one of the most popular and accessible cave systems on the East Coast, but it’s not the only one close to New Market. “Everyone’s heard of Luray, but there’s also Endless Caverns just south of town,” Pfaff says, adding that the Endless Caverns Resort was recently acquired by Blue Water, a large hospitality group with resources to update and further develop the resort’s amenities and its cave system. Only a few miles down the road, Shenvalee Golf Resort is a luxury establishment that partners with Endless Caverns and features three golf courses, each with a nine-hole layout; all three courses are open to the public, though advance tee-time reservations are required.
There are a few spaces within the town dedicated to outdoor recreation, including New Market Community Park and Rebel Park; residents can find athletic facilities for tennis, basketball and baseball between the two parks. People can also spend warm summer days at the New Market Community Pool or use the indoor gymnasium in the New Market Community Center. Hiking enthusiasts can access nearby trails on the Massanutten Mountain ridge and along the North Fork of the Shenandoah River.
Shenandoah County Public Schools serve New Market students
New Market is zoned for Shenandoah County Public Schools, a district with an overall B-minus rating from Niche. Ashby-Lee Elementary School, rated B-minus, serves prekindergarten through fourth-grade students, while grades five through seven can attend North Fork Middle School, a C-plus-rated institution. Secondary students can continue their education at the B-rated Stonewall Jackson High School. In 2020, the Shenandoah County School Board voted to change the names of Ashby-Lee Elementary and Stonewall Jackson High School, and the schools were renamed Honey Run Elementary and Mountain View High School. However, in May 2024, the board voted to reverse the renaming efforts, and the schools reverted to their original names.
Convenience stores and cafes along Route 11
Commercial business in New Market includes various chain and local establishments concentrated around the Old Cross Road and Route 11 intersection. “The town has a Main Street-like area that’s kept pretty clean and has some nice sidewalks. The stores there are enough for locals to live off of, but not enough to make the town a destination for shopping,” Pfaff says. Jon Henry General Store sells fresh produce, trinkets and vintage items sourced from local vendors. Other basic food items and household goods are available at convenience stores across town and Dollar General. Dining options include several fast-food chains near the I-81 ramp and a few locally owned cafes and diners that line Route 11. The town’s most well-known restaurant is Southern Kitchen, a retro-style diner that draws patrons from all over the region for its Southern comfort food. “People will drive well over 20 minutes to Southern Kitchen just for the fried chicken alone. I myself live 30 minutes away, but I still drive up all the time for that chicken. That’s how good it is,” Pfaff says. Only 6 miles from New Market is Timberville, a small town with a Food Lion grocery store and Walmart Supercenter. For a larger selection of big-box stores and national retailers, Harrisonburg shopping destinations like Valley Mall and Harrisonburg Crossing are roughly 20 miles away.
Car-dependent town with nearby access to Interstate 81
No public transit services are available in New Market, but the town caters to car owners by offering nearby access to Interstate 81. The interstate is Shenandoah Valley’s arterial thoroughfare, traveling through western Virginia near the Blue Ridge Mountains. Running parallel to I-81 through the state is the historic U.S. Route 11, which was the region’s first arterial road. This thoroughfare was initially known as the Valley Turnpike following its establishment in the 1830s, but was designated U.S. Route 11 in 1926. The closest major airport is Dulles International Airport outside Washington, D.C., just under 100 miles from town. Page Memorial Hospital in Luray is a 20-minute drive away and is the nearest medical center with 24-hour emergency services.
