Saturday, June 13, 2026

Question: Who is Pritchard’s Hill named after?

Answer: Pritchard’s Hill is named after the Pritchard family, who owned the strategic farmstead south of Winchester. Their property, including the dominating hill on the approaches to Kernstown, became a key battlefield site in the 1862 and 1864 Battles of Kernstown, as well as encampments and hospitals during the Civil War.

The original 1857 Pritchard House still stands on the preserved battlefield today. It was built by Steven C. Pritchard, Jr., and his son Samuel R. Pritchard. During the Civil War, Samuel, his wife Helen, and their two small children occupied the house.