Diehard bluegrass fans first started filing into Madison County’s Syria community in mid May. The visitors - in Syria to enjoy Graves Mountain Lodge’s 17th annual Festival of Music, which starts Thursday, May 28 - set up camp in an open field on the resort’s property, since some arrived as much as a week before the campground was set to open.

In some areas of the country, the pink blossom of a lady’s slipper orchid is a rare sight. “If you’re a local and just saw one on [Old Rag] Mountain, you would think they’re like dandelions,” said hiker Bob Look, 54. “In other parts of the country, people would go ‘gaga’ just to see one.” The unusual orchid is one of many flowers and other plant species unique to the billion-year old granite mountain, located in the Madison County portion of Shenandoah National Park.

Much of Africa provides endless miles of sand, little water, severe sunlight and unrelenting winds. But despite the harsh conditions the continent’s Arabian horses are subjected to, Madison County resident Sara Loken has always found the animals to be the most pleasant companions.

Rock Hall Baptist Church’s Men’s and Women’s Day event is set for 11 a.m. Sunday, May 3 and will feature guest minister Cleo Frye of Calvary Haywood Church. The 3 p.m. guest minister is the Rev. Danny Johnson and his combined choirs. For information, call (540) 948-4129.

Rock Hall Baptist Church’s Men’s and Women’s Day event is set for 11 a.m. Sunday, May 3 and will feature guest minister Cleo Frye of Calvary Haywood Church.  Lunch will follow the morning service. The 3 p.m. guest minister is the Rev. Danny Johnson and his combined choirs. For information, call (540) 948-4129.

If you’ve eaten beef at the Equinox restaurant in Washington, D.C., tasted the asparagus in the risotto at the Palladio Restaurant in Barboursville or munched on a variety of vegetables at Fardowners Restaurant in Crozet – you were enjoying your Madison County neighbors’ food.

National travel magazines are making it a point to let tourists know about Madison County. Multiple local hotels, restaurants and shops are spotlighted in two separate publications this month. National Geographic Traveler’s 2009 list of “hotels we love” highlights just three hotels in Virginia – two of which are located in Madison County. The April issue includes “shout outs” to Graves Mountain Lodge in Syria and Big Meadows Lodge in the Madison County portion of Shenandoah National Park.

“It’s an event,” Madison County High School senior Alexis Johnson said of the school’s annual prom. From picking out the perfect dress to asking out the perfect date, the end-of-year occasion – set for 8 p.m. Saturday, May 16 at the Daniel Technology Center at Germanna Community College in Culpeper – is something many high school students look forward to for years

In today’s stunted economy, community and home gardens are flourishing across the country. But even those Madison County residents who lack the land to grow their own fruits and vegetables can take part in the “recession garden” trend. A new local organization – Madison Farm to Table – is offering free garden plots for local residents and groups interested in growing their own food or donating the produce to those in need.

Concord, N.C. will soon be filled with the swiftest, most agile dogs in the nation: vying for the top spot at the prestigious American Kennel Club (AKC) National Agility Championship. Madison County resident Danielle Scott and her border collie, Cloud 9, and her cocker spaniel, Silk, will be among the contenders. Danielle, a junior, will compete against the top dog and handler teams in the country March 27-29.

Since it had been promoted as a punk and alternative music concert, Madison County High School junior Adam Stergis was unsure of how his group’s music would be received. The 17 year old provides vocals for Stitched Together, a four-person “shock rock/industrial” band made up of members from Madison, Culpeper and Orange schools.

It wasn’t until she was standing in front of Caesar’s Palace casino in Las Vegas that reality hit. Last October, Madison County native Kelly Falk, now 20, stepped off a charter bus onto Las Vegas Boulevard with 33 other aspiring models. A wall of sturdy-looking, muscular men dressed as Roman knights greeted the girls. Once the men parted, they revealed a sight that resulted in fits of high-pitched squeals and dropped jaws.

‘Tremendous Fall in Prices of Stocks Checked by Buying by Bankers,” read a headline in The Eagle’s Nov. 8, 1929 issue. The news of the Wall Street stock market crash had slowly trickled down the East Coast and made its way to Madison County readers. Eighty years later, as the country heads back into what many say is another economic depression, some Madison County residents are reminded of the “hard times” they experienced in their early years.

The sweet scent of incense tickles your nostrils as it drifts down the halls of the Perl building in downtown Madison. Although the aroma may seem to flow from the massage studios located on the western side of the building, the scent originates elsewhere. Rather, the invisible fragrance stems from the opposite side of the Schoolhouse Road structure – the home of Windrose Trading Company.

Army National Guard Maj. Alfred A. “Cotton” Puryear, a resident of Malvern, participated in the 56th presidential inauguration Jan. 20 as part of the largest ever contingent of National Guard members to serve in Washington, D.C.

It makes sense that a woodworking company would have close ties to its local fire department. The E.A. Clore Sons Inc. property is filled with ceiling-high stacks of wooden chairs and footstools as well as various dressers, desks and other handcrafted furniture. “In [1927 and 1930], before we had a fire company here, this place burnt twice,” E.A. Clore Sons Inc. Vice President Troy Coppage said of his family’s business, which has been in operation since 1830. 

The local animal shelter has had its share of teary-eyed visitors recently. In the past year, a growing number of local pet owners have decided to “surrender” their dogs and cats to the county animal shelter, according to Madison County Animal Control Officer/Shelter Manager Greg Cave. Many of these residents can no longer afford to care for their animals due to job loss or being forced from their homes because of eviction or foreclosure, Cave said.

Older, analog televisions that lack a “digital tuner” will no longer work following the upcoming transition to digital broadcasting set for Feb. 17 for both Madison County and the nation..

Imagine a car that comes with a built-in fuel card that covers 30 percent of the bill every time you stop to fill up at a gas station. Sound too good to be true? It is. But there’s a similar type of product out on the market these days, according to Locust Dale resident and area homebuilder Anthony Clatterbuck. It’s called an “Earth Craft”-certified home, and Clatterbuck is just one of the many homebuilders in the state that is trained in this type of construction.

With New Year’s resolutions at the front of everyone’s minds, health-conscious residents are flooding area fitness centers. “I’ve had quite a few people come in and sign up in the last two weeks,” Madison-based Body Expressions owner Dave Jenkins told The Eagle this past week.

It’s unlucky to bring more than one suit to a forensics competition, according to Madison County High School senior Rory Squire.Repeating the exact same speech at every single tournament is another fortune killer for 18-year-old Rory. And if she doesn’t have every single one of her lucky charms – which include a button, a circular metal coin engraved with the word “Win,” a Las Vegas casino token, an earring and a hair pin – in her suit pockets during a competition, she might as well not even go out on stage.

Friday evening. A time for most full-time workers to sit back and relax. But not for Tina Weaver. As soon as the Madison County resident returned home from work, she slapped on a winter jacket and eagerly headed outside. As the Madison County High School business teacher carefully stepped over a cattle-grate in her driveway, she spoke of her next big idea. “These are my shiitake mushrooms,” Weaver said as she peered underneath a pile of logs. “That’s my next business.”

About 60 people paid special tribute to the veterans of World War II during the 2008 Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day program at the Madison American Legion Post 157 meeting hall this month.

Julie Heffron isn’t obsessed with small, furry mammals known for burrowing. Really. But you might think otherwise upon entering her Madison County High School chemistry class. First, there’s the human-size cardboard mole near the doorway. Then comes the numerous cakes, posters, games and other mole-inspired items covering the classroom. All merely signal that it’s National Mole Day.

Steam enveloped a shelter at the Madison County Young Farmers site. Only the sounds of laughter and chitchat offered clues that people were working within the cloud. Every once in awhile a strong breeze would clear out the white haze, revealing the volunteers and area residents taking shelter from the heavy rains. Although it wasn’t the ideal weather, those who attended the Madison Farmers Market end-of-season event last month, got a glimpse into Madison County’s past.

Rain droplets sprinkled on Scott Elliff’s windshield throughout his 42-minute drive north to Madison County. But by the time he set foot on his Etlan vineyard, the sun was shining on his grapes. Wearing blue carpenter’s shorts and a white long sleeve T-shirt with “DuCard Vineyards” printed on the left side pocket, Elliff describes his 7-year-old vineyard as “kind of a hobby gone wild

As Madison resident Lawrence Beasley was packing up his things for his first-ever trip to New York City, he made sure to bring along some Madison County High School Mountaineers memorabilia. “I just grabbed it last minute,” Beasley said of the blue-and-white “MADISON MOUNTAINEERS” bumper sticker he brought along to the Big Apple.

She’s not afraid to call herself a nerd. Or admit that she has a weakness for pop music and Web comics. “I make a small fool of myself daily,” 17-year-old Claire Jackson told The Eagle. “But I don’t get embarrassed really easily, I laugh about it myself.” The Madison County High School senior seems to have gracefully breezed through the typically awkward teenager years. She speaks of herself confidently, although she points out her faults with ease.

For half a century, the Woman’s Club of Madison County has supported a variety of local, national and international causes. The local group – which celebrates its 50th anniversary this month – is a part of the international General Federation of Women’s Clubs, one of the largest all-female organizations in the world, according to local charter member Joyce Gentry.

Susan Hull – known to most in the community as Sue Anne Haney – grew up attending services at Graves Chapel in Graves Mill. Back then, Hull lived with her family in a large, white house on Graves Mill Road, known as the “Estes home.” The post office, a general store and a blacksmith’s shop were among the buildings that used to sit along the roadway, which led to the chapel where services were offered on a regular basis. Much has changed since those days – but Hull, who now lives in Earlysville, is hoping to bring some life back into Graves Mill’s spiritual community.