Dr. Alan James Shotwell
My grandmother used to tell me stories of the very small community I grew up in. My memory isn't as good as it shouold be so I wrote it all down. When I wanted to find our more about my home town, there was nothing written. so I set out to see if what she told me was true. The 50 year investigation (part time of course) and interviews with residents was intriguing. My family loves to tell stories. The stories I heard growing up brought to life several generations of residents of the community of Rapidan going all the way back to my great grandfather’s time. There were tales of the Civil War, the railroad, milling, flooding of the Rapidan River at twenty year intervals, and other Rapidan themes. In organizing this diversity of information, I have primarily attempted to give a history of the “community” of Rapidan, Virginia over time. I’ve also included information about another community by the same name, Rapidan, in Minnesota and stories told me by the crew of the USS Rapidan, a Navy oiler that served in World War II. Bear with me as I attempt to describe a kaleidoscope of folklore and stories presented as a narrative over time, with side trips expanding on communities related by the name Rapidan.
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