A Separate Place: The Formation of Clarke County, Virginia

The origins of Clarke County - how it came to be, and why - are examined here for the first time. Historian Warren R. Hofstra not only tells the story of the people who made Clarke County a separate place but also puts the movement for its formation in the context of Virginia and U.S. politics. It is a story fascinating in detail and rich in implication, for the issues that strained old Frederick to the breaking point - local control vs. an expanded federal government, conformity vs. pluralism, agrarian values vs. commercial pursuits - are still featured in the political debates today both regionally and nationally.