Purcellville in Loudoun County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Loudoun County Emancipation Association Grounds
Photographed by Craig Swain, July 19, 2007
1. Loudoun County Emancipation Association Grounds Marker
The association was organized by African Americans in nearby Hamilton in 1890 to commemorate the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation issued by President Abraham Lincoln on 22 Sept. 1862 and to cultivate good fellowship, to work for the betterment of the race, educationally, morally and materially. Emancipation Day, or Day of Freedom, was celebrated throughout the nation on different days. In 1910, the association incorporated and purchased ten acres of land in Purcellville. More than 1,000 people attended the annual Emancipation Day activities held here until 1967. The site served as a black religious, social, civic, and recreational center. The property was sold in 1971.
Erected 2000 by Department of Historic Resources. (Marker Number T-47.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Civil Rights. In addition, it is included in the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR) series list. A significant historical date for this entry is September 22, 1862.
Location. 39° 7.784′ N, 77° 42.783′ W. Marker is in Purcellville, Virginia, in Loudoun County. It is on South 20th Street / Telegraph Springs Road (County Route 611), on the left when traveling south. On the Grounds of Blue Ridge Bible
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in the Washington Metropolitan Area and in Northern Virginia. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, and in the Mid-Atlantic. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Attacked at Purcellville (approx. half a mile away); The Case Building (approx. half a mile away); Killed in Action Memorial (approx. 0.6 miles away); Tracks into History (approx. 0.6 miles away); A Little History (approx. 0.6 miles away); Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Regional Park (approx. 0.6 miles away); Purcellville Station (approx. 0.6 miles away); Beyond Purcellville (approx. 0.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Purcellville.
Also see . . .
1. Chronology of Important Events in African American History in Loudoun County, Virginia. History of Loudon County website entry (Submitted on July 20, 2007, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)
2. A Glimpse into Loudoun County's African American History. Loudoun Museum website entry (Submitted on April 10, 2022, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
via The History of Loudoun County, Virginia, Unknown
2. Purcellville: A Place Where Everyone Knew Its Nicknames
The History of Loudoun County, Virginia website entry
Click for more information.
Click for more information.
Photographed by Craig Swain, July 19, 2007
3. Entrance to the Blue Ridge Bible Church
Credits. This page was last revised on January 24, 2025. It was originally submitted on July 20, 2007, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 2,802 times since then and 19 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on July 20, 2007, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 2. submitted on September 21, 2022, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. 3. submitted on July 20, 2007, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. • J. J. Prats was the editor who published this page.
