Central to the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, the town of New Market lies at the western base of the Massanutten range. Its crossroads go back to two Native American hunting trails that crossed here throughout the ages. By the 1740s, Swiss-German settlers began moving southward from the Lancaster, Pennsylvania, region and settled in New Market, followed by Scotch-Irish immigrants. According to folklore, when it was incorporated in 1796, the community was named New Market after the famous race course in England. The area still shines with its agrarian roots, while over the years, it has fostered many educational institutions and maintained historically heavy commerce.