According to historians who have studied records of the route, Governor Alexander Spotswood’s 1716 expedition to open up and establish claims for the Virginia colony sought to find pathways to expected riches and future trade routes in the mountains to the west.
His group served as the first to pierce the Blue Ridge Mountains, finding a gap in the forbidding ridges through which they could pass. Once he cleared them, Spotswood and his men saw the broad and dramatic expanse of the Shenandoah Valley and river before them. The classical name that he affixed to both, Euphrates, indicated the importance with which he ascribed both.
Experts seeking to trace his route generally agree that the most westward point that the group reached was somewhere in Pendleton County.
There, he handed out small emblems which served as the name of his expedition from then on – the Knights of the Golden Horseshoe.
This makes those who earn their way into the modern knighthood from Pendleton County a little more special. It was in this place that the tradition started, and since the 1930s has been carried on by those eighth graders who demonstrate excellence in knowledge of West Virginia history.
In their first meeting of the month of June, the Pendleton County Board of Education and superintendent recognized two students who received the honor.
Isabella Jamison and Abigail Judy, both students at Pendleton County Middle/High School, made their own history by overcoming obstacles and tests to earn their way into the honor.
The first recipient of the award from Pendleton County was Mary Boggs in 1931.
For the students, their expedition commences sometime between Dec. 1 and Feb. 1. All interested students, regardless of educational environment – including homeschool – register between Dec 1. and Feb. 1 to take the online multiple choice test.
The written essay test, given statewide, comes due at the end of February. In March, students can do their online multiple choice test. Those who perform best on both will receive the honor of acceptance into the Knights of the Golden Horseshoe.
