Knights of the Golden Horseshoe

Lt. Gov. Alexander Spotswood and a company of explorers, heading westward from Germanna, camped about four miles northeast of here on 31 Aug. 1716. The party, composed of gentry, soldiers, servants, and four Meherrin Indian guides, crossed the Blue Ridge Mountains and reached the Shenandoah River during its 13-day journey, claiming the land for King George I. According to legend, Spotswood later gave small golden horseshoes to the gentry in the group. These men became known as the Knights of the Golden Horseshoe, and the expedition was later mythologized in literature.