Purcellville in Loudoun County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Purcellville Station
The railroad brought a business boom. Farmers received feed, fertilizer, and farm machinery by rail. In turn they shipped grain, livestock, and dairy products eastward. Mills, manufacturers, and retail stores sprang up nearby.
Like other railroad towns in western Loudoun County, Purcellville was a popular summer resort. Former hotels and boarding houses still line Maine Street. In the late 19th- and early 20th centuries special trains brought hundreds to the summer Bush Meeting, a few days of religious revivals, prohibition lectures, and entertainment.
September's Emancipation Day saw the arrival of African Americans for an annual day-long celebration of freedom. Segregation laws relegated these people to the "colored" waiting room for the return trains.
Erected by The Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Regional Park - Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Railroads & Streetcars. In addition, it is included in the NOVA Parks, and the Washington and Old Dominion (W&OD) Railroad series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1904.
Location. 39° 8.311′ N, 77° 42.966′ W. Marker is in Purcellville, Virginia, in Loudoun County. Marker is at the intersection of North 21st Street and North 23rd Street, on the right when traveling north on North 21st Street. Located at the site of the old Purcellville Train Station, at the west end of the W&OD Trail. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Purcellville VA 20132, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Beyond Purcellville (here, next to this marker); A Little History (within shouting distance of this marker); Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Regional Park (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Killed in Action Memorial (about 500 feet away); The Case Building (about 700 feet away); Tracks into History (approx. 0.2 miles away); Attacked at Purcellville (approx. 0.2 miles away); Loudoun County Emancipation Association Grounds (approx. 0.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Purcellville.
More about this marker. On the right side of the marker is a diagram of the station layout circa 1904. Freight cars were pushed on a side track for loading and unloading. A photograph shows the station's ticket office. The background of the marker is a view looking westward from Purcellville Station, 1951, with the diesel-electric self-propelled No. 45.
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), April 15, 2019
Credits. This page was last revised on December 27, 2023. It was originally submitted on November 10, 2009, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 2,900 times since then and 100 times this year. Last updated on December 27, 2023, by Carl Gordon Moore Jr. of North East, Maryland. Photos: 1. submitted on November 10, 2009, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 2. submitted on April 11, 2012, by Mark Everhart of Palmbay, Florida. 3. submitted on November 9, 2009, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 4. submitted on November 10, 2009, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 5. submitted on April 18, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.