Near Orange in Madison County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Orange County
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Madison County
Photographed by Craig Swain, January 12, 2008
1. Orange County Side
Orange County. Formed from Spotsylvania County in 1734, Orange County, a pastoral Piedmont county, was probably named in honor of William IV, the Dutch prince of Orange, who married Anne, the Princess Royal, daughter of George II of England, earlier that year. President James Madison lived here at Montpelier and President Zachary Taylor was born here. Some fifty square miles of the county comprise the Madison-Barbour Rural Historic District, an area rich in historic resources including the ruins of Barboursville, the home of Gov. James Barbour that was designed by 1817 by his friend Thomas Jefferson.
Madison County. In the hills of the Piedmont, against the Blue Ridge Mountains, Madison County was formed from Culpeper County in 1792. The county is named for James Madison, the "father of the American Constitution" and the fourth president of the United States. It contains a portion of the Shenandoah National Park. President Herbert Hoover had a rustic retreat constructed in the Blue Ridge Mountains here during his presidency (1929-1933). The county seat is Madison.
Erected 2002 by Department of Historic Resources. (Marker Number Z-12.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era
this page online
Location. 38° 16.79′ N, 78° 8.34′ W. Marker is near Orange, Virginia, in Madison County. It is at the intersection of South James Madison Highway (U.S. 15) and Little Skyline Drive (County Route 674), on the right when traveling south on South James Madison Highway. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 9164 S James Madison Hwy, Orange VA 22960, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Northern Virginia and in the Piedmont. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Upper South. 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 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Grave of Gov. James Lawson Kemper (within shouting distance of this marker); Knights of the Golden Horseshoe (approx. Ό mile away); a different marker also named Knights of the Golden Horseshoe
Photographed by Craig Swain, January 12, 2008
2. Madison County Side
Another marker is no longer nearby. Kemper's Grave (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it).
Also see . . . The Barboursville Ruins. Only in Virginia website entry (Submitted on February 25, 2025, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
Photographed by Craig Swain, January 12, 2008
3. Orange County / Madison County Marker
Photographed by PaulwC3, September 20, 2014
4. Montpelier (1764)
The home of President James Madison is one of the centerpiece estates of the Madison-Barbour Rural Historic District. Located near Montpelier Station, it was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1960 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1966
Photographed by Craig Swain, April 17, 2010
5. Barboursville (1822)
Designed by Thomas Jefferson and destroyed by fire in 1884, it is one of the centerpiece estates of the Madison-Barbour Rural Historic District. Located near Barboursville, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1969.
Photographed by PaulwC3, April 20, 2013
6. Frascati (1823)
The home is one of the centerpiece estates of the Madison-Barbour Rural Historic District. Located near Somerset, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.
Photographed by PaulwC3, April 20, 2013
7. Rocklands (1851)
Built in 1851 and enlarged in 1905 it is one of the centerpiece estates of the Madison-Barbour Rural Historic District. Located near Gordonsville, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 25, 2025. It was originally submitted on January 15, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 1,528 times since then and 52 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on January 15, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 4. submitted on September 22, 2014, by PaulwC3 of Northern, Virginia. 5. submitted on April 27, 2010, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 6, 7. submitted on April 20, 2013, by PaulwC3 of Northern, Virginia.
