Is Shenandoah Not a River? Understanding the Song "Shenandoah"

In this week's video we look into the background and history of the North American folk song "Shenandoah". Most may be familiar with Shenandoah as the river and river valley system located in Virginia, but maybe the lyrics aren't all what they seem. What is the meaning behind the lyrics? What, or who is Shenandoah? And is this song connected to more than just a river?

Music Used
Pale Rider Blues - Mini Vandals
Black Terrier Blues - Mini Vandals
Old Blue - Chris Haugen
Chromatic Rag - Mini Vandals
Oh By Jingo! - All Star Trio

Attributions
Missouri River Basin/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 4.0
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Missouri_River_basin_map.png
Shenandoah Watershed/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 2.5