Berkeley County was formed in 1772 from the northern third of Frederick County, Virginia. Although it remained a part of both Virginia and the Confederacy throughout the Civil War, Berkeley County joined the newly-formed state of West Virginia in 1866, during Reconstruction. Now it is the fastest-growing county in the state, and ranked within the top three percent of fastest-growing counties in the nation.

It’s easy to see why Berkeley County real estate is in demand. Much the county’s appeal stems from its location at the northern terminus of the 200-mile long Shenandoah Valley, one of the top ten travel destinations in the U.S. The county, appropriately known as the “Northernmost Gateway to the Shenandoah Valley,” is within easy driving distance of such popular attractions as Skyline and Luray Caverns, Bryce Mountain Resort, and Natural Bridge.

Berkeley County’s natural beauty forms a scenic backdrop to its meticulously preserved historic buildings. The county is home to 106 of the eastern panhandle’s 245 properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places. One of the most famous is the Belle Boyd House, former home of Confederate spy Belle Boyd. Nearly demolished in 1992 to make room for a parking lot, the house was rescued by the Berkeley County Historical Society and added to the Civil War Discovery Trail in 1996. Today, ten of its rooms—as well as its herb and rose gardens—are open to tourists. The annual Berkeley County Historical Society Fall House Tour also provides entrée to some of the county’s private historic locales.