Delaplane, Virginia
Encyclopedia
Delaplane is a small unincorporated
village in Fauquier County, Virginia
, located approximately 50 miles (80.5 km) due west of Washington, D.C.
. Delaplane is situated along U.S. Route 17
and Interstate 66
; bordering Upperville, Virginia
to the north, Hume, Virginia
to the south, Paris, Virginia
to the west, and Rectortown, Virginia
to the east. Delaplane, Virginia has a ZIP Code
of 20144. Delaplane Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in February 2004.
. Previously in 1861 General Stonewall Jackson
had marched his troops from Winchester
to the Piedmont Station (Delaplane) train depot, where they loaded onto rail cars headed for the First Battle of Manassas. This marked the first time a railroad had been used to move troops into battle. Historically Delaplane has encompassed some of North America's oldest fox hunting
territory, and from 1932 to 1945 Delaplane's Cobbler Mountain hosted many of General George S. Patton's
escapades with his fabled Cobbler Fox Hounds. Patton was Master of fox hounds until his military transfer to Hawaii in 1935, and the club was disbanded ten years later upon receiving news of his untimely death in Heidelberg, Germany. Today Piedmont Fox Hounds based in The Plains
, the oldest fox hunting club in the United States, still hunts Delaplane's rustic, stone wall lined terrain; as do Orange County Hunt based in Middleburg
and Old Dominion Hounds. In addition to fox hunting, Delaplane's close proximity to Washington, D.C. juxtaposed with a remarkably well preserved 19th century agricultural heritage, gave rise to the construction of numerous expansive country estates; many of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places such as Mount Bleak House, Moreland, and Oak Hill
, an early home of John Marshall
, Chief Justice of the United States
. In 1975 local philanthropist Paul Mellon
donated a 1,132-acre tract of land in Delaplane to the Commonwealth of Virginia creating Sky Meadows State Park
which hosts the Delaplane Strawberry Festival every Memorial Day. The tract's previous owner, the late Sir Robert Hadow, was a Consul General from Great Britain who originally named the parcel Skye Farm after the island in Scotland which the area reminded him of. Later in 1991, Paul Mellon presented an additional 462-acre adjoining tract as a gift to the park. This tract, renamed the Lost Mountain Bridle Trail Area, was originally surveyed by George Washington
and later purchased by Washington from his client Lord Fairfax. More recently, in his memoirs Virginia Senator John Warner
fondly recalls childhood summers spent working at Hill Crest Farm in Delaplane, while on break from St. Albans School
in nearby Washington, D.C.
, Middleburg
, and Marshall
providing additional services to Delaplane's widely spaced residents. Along with Sky Meadows State Park
, Delaplane is home to the G. Richard Thompson Wildlife Management Area
, the Crooked Run Valley Rural Historic District, and Goose Creek
, a designated Virginia State Scenic River. The state-funded Virginia Outdoors Foundation
along with private conservation groups such as the Piedmont Environmental Council
have endeavored to place the vast predominance of Delaplane's privately held land into perpetual conservation easement
. These efforts, coupled with Delaplane’s ensconcement within northern Fauquier County’s most restrictive "RC" (Rural Conservation) zoning district, have historically imposed strict limits on development, and fostered the growth of local, family oriented farm-to-table efforts such as Hollin Farms and Valley View Farm, among others, which participate in the Piedmont Environmental Council's
Buy Fresh Buy Local program.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
village in Fauquier County, Virginia
Fauquier County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
, located approximately 50 miles (80.5 km) due west of Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
. Delaplane is situated along U.S. Route 17
U.S. Route 17
U.S. Route 17 or U.S. Highway 17 is a north–south United States highway. The highway spans the southeastern United States and is close to the Atlantic Coast for much of its length. The highway's southern terminus is at Punta Gorda, Florida, at an intersection with U.S. Route 41...
and Interstate 66
Interstate 66
Interstate 66 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States. As indicated by its even route number, it runs in an east–west direction. Its western terminus is at Middletown, Virginia, at an intersection with Interstate 81; its eastern terminus is in Washington, D.C., at an...
; bordering Upperville, Virginia
Upperville, Virginia
Upperville is an unincorporated community in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States, located along U.S. Route 50 fifty miles from downtown Washington, D.C.. Founded in the 1790s along Pantherskin Creek, it was originally named Carrstown by first settler Josephus Carr...
to the north, Hume, Virginia
Hume, Virginia
Hume is an unincorporated community in Fauquier County, Virginia. Hume is located five miles south of Interstate 66's Exit 18 and is named for the local Hume family. It runs along Virginia State Route 688. It is located east of the Rappahannock County line...
to the south, Paris, Virginia
Paris, Virginia
Paris is a village in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. Located in Virginia's hunt country, it was established in a strategic spot at the eastern base of Ashby Gap along U.S. Route 17 and U.S. Route 50. Paris has a population of 51. There is one church in Paris, the Trinity United...
to the west, and Rectortown, Virginia
Rectortown, Virginia
Rectortown is an unincorporated community in Fauquier County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Reference:...
to the east. Delaplane, Virginia has a ZIP Code
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
of 20144. Delaplane Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in February 2004.
History
Located in the heart of Virginia's famous Piedmont Hunt Country, Delaplane was originally known as Piedmont Station, and renamed in honor of W. E. Delaplane, a prominent Ohio businessman who had generously restored operations at the local general store which had faltered in the aftermath of the American Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Previously in 1861 General Stonewall Jackson
Stonewall Jackson
ຄຽשת״ׇׂׂׂׂ֣|birth_place= Clarksburg, Virginia |death_place=Guinea Station, Virginia|placeofburial=Stonewall Jackson Memorial CemeteryLexington, Virginia|placeofburial_label= Place of burial|image=...
had marched his troops from Winchester
Winchester, Virginia
Winchester is an independent city located in the northwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the USA. The city's population was 26,203 according to the 2010 Census...
to the Piedmont Station (Delaplane) train depot, where they loaded onto rail cars headed for the First Battle of Manassas. This marked the first time a railroad had been used to move troops into battle. Historically Delaplane has encompassed some of North America's oldest fox hunting
Fox hunting
Fox hunting is an activity involving the tracking, chase, and sometimes killing of a fox, traditionally a red fox, by trained foxhounds or other scent hounds, and a group of followers led by a master of foxhounds, who follow the hounds on foot or on horseback.Fox hunting originated in its current...
territory, and from 1932 to 1945 Delaplane's Cobbler Mountain hosted many of General George S. Patton's
George S. Patton
George Smith Patton, Jr. was a United States Army officer best known for his leadership while commanding corps and armies as a general during World War II. He was also well known for his eccentricity and controversial outspokenness.Patton was commissioned in the U.S. Army after his graduation from...
escapades with his fabled Cobbler Fox Hounds. Patton was Master of fox hounds until his military transfer to Hawaii in 1935, and the club was disbanded ten years later upon receiving news of his untimely death in Heidelberg, Germany. Today Piedmont Fox Hounds based in The Plains
The Plains, Virginia
The Plains is a town in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. The population was 266 at the 2000 census. It is centered around Virginia Route 55 and Virginia Route 245...
, the oldest fox hunting club in the United States, still hunts Delaplane's rustic, stone wall lined terrain; as do Orange County Hunt based in Middleburg
Middleburg, Virginia
Middleburg is a town in Loudoun County, Virginia, United States with a population of approximately 976 as of July 2010.-History:The town was established in 1787 by American Revolutionary War Lieutenant Colonel and Virginia statesman, Levin Powell. He purchased the land for Middleburg at $2.50 per...
and Old Dominion Hounds. In addition to fox hunting, Delaplane's close proximity to Washington, D.C. juxtaposed with a remarkably well preserved 19th century agricultural heritage, gave rise to the construction of numerous expansive country estates; many of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places such as Mount Bleak House, Moreland, and Oak Hill
Oak Hill (Delaplane, Virginia)
Oak Hill in Delaplane, Virginia consists of two separate houses connected by a passageway. The earlier and smaller house was built in 1773 by Colonel Thomas Marshall, father of John Marshall, Chief Justice of the United States. John Marshall lived in the Oak Hill house until his marriage in 1783....
, an early home of John Marshall
John Marshall
John Marshall was the Chief Justice of the United States whose court opinions helped lay the basis for American constitutional law and made the Supreme Court of the United States a coequal branch of government along with the legislative and executive branches...
, Chief Justice of the United States
Chief Justice of the United States
The Chief Justice of the United States is the head of the United States federal court system and the chief judge of the Supreme Court of the United States. The Chief Justice is one of nine Supreme Court justices; the other eight are the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States...
. In 1975 local philanthropist Paul Mellon
Paul Mellon
Paul Mellon KBE was an American philanthropist, thoroughbred racehorse owner/breeder. He is one of only five people ever designated an "Exemplar of Racing" by the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame...
donated a 1,132-acre tract of land in Delaplane to the Commonwealth of Virginia creating Sky Meadows State Park
Sky Meadows State Park
Sky Meadows State Park is a park in the Virginia state park system. It is located in extreme northwest Fauquier County, Virginia in the Blue Ridge Mountains, near Paris, Virginia. It is about an hour outside of the Washington, D.C. metro region....
which hosts the Delaplane Strawberry Festival every Memorial Day. The tract's previous owner, the late Sir Robert Hadow, was a Consul General from Great Britain who originally named the parcel Skye Farm after the island in Scotland which the area reminded him of. Later in 1991, Paul Mellon presented an additional 462-acre adjoining tract as a gift to the park. This tract, renamed the Lost Mountain Bridle Trail Area, was originally surveyed by George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
and later purchased by Washington from his client Lord Fairfax. More recently, in his memoirs Virginia Senator John Warner
John Warner
John William Warner, KBE is an American Republican politician who served as Secretary of the Navy from 1972 to 1974 and as a five-term United States Senator from Virginia from January 2, 1979, to January 3, 2009...
fondly recalls childhood summers spent working at Hill Crest Farm in Delaplane, while on break from St. Albans School
St. Albans School (Washington, D.C.)
St. Albans School is an independent college preparatory school for boys in grades 4–12, located in Washington, D.C. The school is named after Saint Alban, traditionally regarded as the first British martyr. Within the St...
in nearby Washington, D.C.
Points of interest
The village of Delaplane today remains home to Emmanuel Episcopal Church, an antique shop, post office, and several boutique wineries, with nearby villages of UppervilleUpperville, Virginia
Upperville is an unincorporated community in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States, located along U.S. Route 50 fifty miles from downtown Washington, D.C.. Founded in the 1790s along Pantherskin Creek, it was originally named Carrstown by first settler Josephus Carr...
, Middleburg
Middleburg, Virginia
Middleburg is a town in Loudoun County, Virginia, United States with a population of approximately 976 as of July 2010.-History:The town was established in 1787 by American Revolutionary War Lieutenant Colonel and Virginia statesman, Levin Powell. He purchased the land for Middleburg at $2.50 per...
, and Marshall
Marshall, Virginia
Marshall is an unincorporated village and census-designated place located in the hunt country of northwestern Fauquier County, Virginia. The population as of the 2010 Census was 1,480. Marshall was originally known as Salem. The town became Marshall after a short-lived incorporation...
providing additional services to Delaplane's widely spaced residents. Along with Sky Meadows State Park
Sky Meadows State Park
Sky Meadows State Park is a park in the Virginia state park system. It is located in extreme northwest Fauquier County, Virginia in the Blue Ridge Mountains, near Paris, Virginia. It is about an hour outside of the Washington, D.C. metro region....
, Delaplane is home to the G. Richard Thompson Wildlife Management Area
G. Richard Thompson Wildlife Management Area
G. Richard Thompson Wildlife Management Area is a protected area located primarily in Fauquier County, Virginia, with small encroachments into both Warren and Clarke Counties. Its two parcels together total nearly in size, rising in a series of steep stages to the crest of the Blue Ridge...
, the Crooked Run Valley Rural Historic District, and Goose Creek
Goose Creek (Potomac River)
Goose Creek is a tributary of the Potomac River in Fauquier and Loudoun counties in northern Virginia. It comprises the principal drainage system for the Loudoun Valley.-Course:...
, a designated Virginia State Scenic River. The state-funded Virginia Outdoors Foundation
Virginia Outdoors Foundation
The Virginia Outdoors Foundation is a quasi-state agency formed by the Virginia General Assembly in 1966 "to promote the preservation of open space lands and to encourage private gifts of money, securities, land or other property to preserve the natural, scenic, historic, open-space and...
along with private conservation groups such as the Piedmont Environmental Council
Piedmont Environmental Council
Piedmont Environmental Council is a Virginia organization devoted to promoting and protecting the Piedmont area's rural economy, natural resources, history, and beauty....
have endeavored to place the vast predominance of Delaplane's privately held land into perpetual conservation easement
Conservation easement
In the United States, a conservation easement is an encumbrance — sometimes including a transfer of usage rights — which creates a legally enforceable land preservation agreement between a landowner and a government agency or a qualified land...
. These efforts, coupled with Delaplane’s ensconcement within northern Fauquier County’s most restrictive "RC" (Rural Conservation) zoning district, have historically imposed strict limits on development, and fostered the growth of local, family oriented farm-to-table efforts such as Hollin Farms and Valley View Farm, among others, which participate in the Piedmont Environmental Council's
Piedmont Environmental Council
Piedmont Environmental Council is a Virginia organization devoted to promoting and protecting the Piedmont area's rural economy, natural resources, history, and beauty....
Buy Fresh Buy Local program.