Sperryville in Rappahannock County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Sperryville
Photographed By J. J. Prats, June 8, 2008
1. Sperryville Marker
Inscription.
Sperryville. . Laid out by Francis Thornton, Jr., in 1817, Sperryville survives as an upper Piedmont crossroads village. In the early 19th century John Kiger built Conestoga wagons here. By the 1850s two turnpikes (Thornton’s Gap and Sperryville and Rappahannock) intersected here. In 1867, the Smoot family, of Alexandria, built a nearby tannery that closed in 1911. By that time the town boasted four churches, five general stores, one hotel, six mills, numerous shops, a masonic hall, and a population of 350. Sperryville’s wooden residences and visual charm have long made it a familiar stop for seasonal tourists to the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Laid out by Francis Thornton, Jr., in 1817, Sperryville survives as an upper Piedmont crossroads village. In the early 19th century John Kiger built Conestoga wagons here. By the 1850s two turnpikes (Thornton’s Gap and Sperryville & Rappahannock) intersected here. In 1867, the Smoot family, of Alexandria, built a nearby tannery that closed in 1911. By that time the town boasted four churches, five general stores, one hotel, six mills, numerous shops, a masonic hall, and a population of 350. Sperryville’s wooden residences and visual charm have long made it a familiar stop for seasonal tourists to the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Erected 1997 by Department of Historic Resources. (Marker Number J-31.)
Location. 38° 39.54′ N, 78° 13.808′ W. Marker is in Sperryville, Virginia, in Rappahannock County. Marker is on Main Street (County Route 1001) south of Lee Highway (U.S. 211), on the left when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Sperryville VA 22740, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. 21 Main Street (within shouting distance of this
Also see . . . Sperryville Historic District. (PDF) National register documentation for the historic district. (Submitted on June 8, 2009, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)
Photographed By J. J. Prats, June 8, 2008
2. Sperryville Marker
Photographed By Craig Swain, June 7, 2009
3. Sperryville Today
Looking southeast from the marker location down Main Street.
Photographed By Craig Swain, June 7, 2009
4. Another View of Main Street Sperryville
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on June 17, 2008, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. This page has been viewed 1,308 times since then and 18 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on June 17, 2008, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. 3, 4. submitted on June 8, 2009, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.
