Stephens City

Why People Love Stephens City

Stephens City is a small town in the lower Shenandoah Valley. Stephens City was founded October 12, 1758 as the second oldest town in the Shenandoah Valley and was originally settled by individuals of Scottish, Irish, and German ancestry. In the late eighteenth century and early nineteenth centuries, Stephens City, then known as Newtown, became prosperous as a crossroads village with a variety of small scale crafts and industries, featuring production of the renowned Newtown wagon. This prosperity peaked in the 1840s. With ravages and disruptions brought on by the town’s location in the midst of conflict during the Civil War, and with subsequent nationally-scaled changes in transportation, industry, and agriculture, Stephens City suffered. Old industries declined and disappeared. By the late nineteenth century, however, regional prosperity reemerged, and Stephens City found its place serving the local industrial base.

Stephens City is remarkable because it has retained its small-town character over two centuries of development and change. Change in Stephens City has been small scaled and accumulative. As a result, the town has a very high degree of historical integrity that will continue to be featured through renewal and revitalization. 

(Excerpt from stephenscity.org)

 Outdoor Entertainment

Sherando Park

Endless activities are available at Sherando Park. For the sports guru, they have lighted ball fields, multiple soccer fields, volleyball, basketball and tennis courts. For the outdoorsmen, they have a 4.5 acre fishing pond, hiking trails and picnic tables. They also have an 18 hole disc golf course, an outdoor pool and a bike park. 

Dining & Nightlife

 Paladin Bar & Grill

Their name came from an 1,100lb Texas longhorn that stands in front of their restaurant.  He was welded and sculpted by Bettye Hamblen Turner.  He is made out of recycled auto parts, stainless steel and carbon steel.  You may be asking yourself, what is a Paladin?  The term derived from ancient Rome for the emperor's palace guards.  In literature, it means defender of a good cause. Not only do they have a unique and great name, they make everything in-house and use only the freshest ingredients.   

Roma Casual

Roma Casual is a restaurant who has been serving Stephens City for over 20 years. They have a delicious twist on Greek and Italian cuisine. Their brick oven pizzas are hand stretched, meats are all slow cooked and sauces and dressings are home-made. They use locally sourced seasoned oak for their brick oven.