Culpeper, Virginia

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Culpeper (formerly Culpeper Courthouse, earlier Fairfax) is an incorporated town in Culpeper County, Virginia, United States. It is the county seat and part of the Washington–Baltimore–Arlington, DC–MD–VA–WV–PA Combined Statistical Area. The population was 20,062 in the 2020 census,<ref name="Census2020">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> from 16,379 in 2010.<ref name="Census2010">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Culpeper is located near several major highways and has daily Amtrak service,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> along with local and regional bus routes.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It is situated between Northern Virginia and the Piedmont region, and has become a growing residential and transportation center.

In recent years, the town has also attracted data center development through the creation of the Culpeper Technology Zone, a 950-acre site offering tax incentives to qualifying companies.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Notably, EdgeCore Digital Infrastructure plans to develop a 1.4 million-square-foot data center campus in Culpeper.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

History

After establishing Culpeper County, Virginia in 1748, the Virginia House of Burgesses voted to establish the Town of Fairfax on February 22, 1759. The name honored Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron (1693–1781)<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> who was proprietor of the Northern Neck peninsula, a vast domain north of the Rappahannock River; his territory was then defined as stretching from Chesapeake Bay to what is now Hampshire County, West Virginia.

File:The photographic history of the Civil War - thousands of scenes photographed 1861-65, with text by many special authorities (1911) (14739714546).jpg

Culpeper Courthouse during the Confederacy, August 1862

The original plan of the town called for ten blocks, which form the core of Culpeper's downtown area today. The original town was surveyed by a young George Washington, who at age 17 was a protege of the 6th Lord Fairfax. In 1795, the town received a U.S. Post Office under the name Culpeper Court House, although most maps continued to show the Fairfax name. The confusion resulting from the difference in official and postal names, coupled with the existence to the northeast of Fairfax Court House and Fairfax Station post offices in Fairfax County, was finally resolved when the Virginia General Assembly formally renamed the town as simply Culpeper in 1869 (Acts, 1869–1870, chapter 118, page 154).

During the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783), the Culpeper Minutemen, a pro-Independence militia, formed in the town of Culpeper Courthouse. They organized in what was then known as "Clayton's Old Field," near today's Yowell Meadow Park.

During the Civil War (1861-1865), Culpeper was a crossroads for a number of armies marching through central Virginia, with both Union and Confederate forces occupying the town by turn. In the heart of downtown, the childhood home of Confederate General A.P. Hill stands at the corner of Main and Davis streets. One block north on Main Street (present location of Piedmont Realty) was the frame house where "The Gallant Major" John Pelham died after sustaining a wound at the Battle of Kelly's Ford.

In 1974, the town had a Choral Society, an Odd Fellows Hall, and an American Legion Hall.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Culpeper began to grow dramatically in the 1980s, becoming a "bedroom community" of more densely populated Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. suburbs. A growing number of residents of the town and county of Culpeper once lived and continue to work in those areas.

In 2011, East Davis Street in downtown Culpeper was named as a 2011 America's Great Place by the American Planning Association.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Downtown Culpeper was one of the communities most affected by the August 23, 2011 Virginia earthquake. Several buildings along Main Street and East Davis Street suffered structural damage, and some were later condemned.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The earthquake led to the temporary evacuation of the Packard Campus for Audio-Visual Conservation, which at the time was hosting a town hall event for U.S. Senator Mark Warner.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2014, the Museum of Culpeper History moved into the town's historic train depot.<ref>Museum of Culpeper History web site</ref>

Geography

Culpeper is in the Piedmont region of Virginia, approximately 70 miles (113 km) southwest of Washington, D.C. and 50 miles (80 km) north of Richmond, Virginia. The town lies at the intersection of U.S. Route 29 and U.S. Route 15, two major highways that provide important access to central and northern Virginia. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town of Culpeper has a total area of 6.3 square miles (16.3 km²), of which 6.2 square miles (16.1 km²) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²), or 1.52%, is water.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Climate

Culpeper has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa), with very warm, humid summers and cool winters. Precipitation is abundant and well spread (although the summer months are usually wetter), with an annual average of Template:Convert.

Economy

Culpeper's economy is supported by retail, healthcare, government services, and growing technology interests. The town is home to the Library of Congress’s Packard Campus for Audio-Visual Conservation, a major federal facility just outside town limits.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Recent years have seen proposals for large data center developments, drawing both interest and local opposition.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Retail hubs like Culpeper Colonnade also contribute significantly to local employment.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Controversies and data centers

In 2022, Template:Abbr, via its subsidiary Marvell Developments, purchased land in Culpeper for eventual data center construction.<ref name="Fredericksburg2022">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The news caused concern among residents because of the project's potential environmental effect and alteration of the town's rural nature.<ref name="CulpeperProtest2022">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> A number of public meetings and protests were organized, with citizens speaking out against noise, light pollution, and pressure on public utilities.

Despite public concern, the Culpeper County Board of Supervisors approved the zoning changes required for the project.<ref name="WaPoApproval2023">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> As of 2025, construction has not yet begun.

Demographics

Template:US Census population As of the 2010 census, the racial makeup of the town was 61.5% White, 21.9% Black, 0.6% Native American, 2.1% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, and 4.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 17.0% of the population.

The town's population included 25.7% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 19.0% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.9 males. The median income for a household in the town was at a time $35,438, and the median income for a family was $41,894 but due to the economic downturn this has changed. Males had a median income of $28,658 versus $25,252 for females. The per capita income for the town was $16,842. About 23.0% of families and 26.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 40.8% of those under age 18 and 22.1% of those age 65 or over.Template:Citation needed

Arts and culture

File:2016-09-06 13 23 47 View north along U.S. Route 15 Business, U.S. Route 29 Business and U.S. Route 522 (Main Street) at Page Street in Culpeper, Culpeper County, Virginia.jpg

View north along US 15 Bus, US 29 Bus and US 522 in Culpeper

File:Culpeper Theater, Culpeper, VA IMG 4310.JPG

The downtown Culpeper Theater

File:Packard-campus-library-of-c.jpg

National Audio-Visual Conservation Center, Packard Campus for Audio-Visual Conservation in Culpeper

Culpeper's historic center has numerous restaurants offering a range of cuisines, as well as delis, bakeries and breweries — and many locally-owned boutiques.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>  Recent improvements have included the reopening of The Dominion Skate Park and State Climb.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The historic George Washington Carver High School has been renovated to serve as a community kitchen.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Notable events

• Culpeper was the location of the main encampment for the Army of the Potomac during the winter of 1863-64 during the Civil War. It was from Culpeper that General Ulysses S. Grant began the Overland Campaign against General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia.
• During the presidential election campaign of 1960, vice presidential nominee Lyndon B. Johnson began his whistle-stop campaign of the South by giving a speech at Culpeper. As the train was pulling away from the station, Johnson yelled out a phrase that would become a battle cry of the campaign: "What did Dick Nixon ever do for Culpeper?!"<ref>Hoppe, Arthur. Having a Wonderful Time: My First Half Century As a Newspaperman. Chronicle Books (San Francisco, CA), 1995, p. 19. Template:ISBN</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• In 1967, it was the site of a one-day standoff between members of the American Nazi Party and police and military personnel over the group's attempt to bury their leader George Lincoln Rockwell in the local National Cemetery.
• In 1995, former "Superman" actor Christopher Reeve lost his balance during a horse competition and fell, resulting in severe spinal injury and paralysis.
• Culpeper was featured in the nineteenth episode of the Small Town News Podcast, an improv comedy podcast that takes listeners on a fun and silly virtual trip to a small town in America each week. The hosts improvise scenes inspired by local newspaper stories.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Education

Public schools include:

• A.G. Richardson Elementary
• Emerald Hill Elementary
• Farmington Elementary
• Pearl Sample Elementary
• Sycamore Park Elementary
• Yowell Elementary
• Culpeper Middle School
• Floyd T. Binns Middle School
• Culpeper County High School
• Eastern View High School
• Culpeper Technical Education Center

Transportation

File:Amtrak Station in Culpeper VA.jpg

Culpeper Amtrak station, visitor center, and Museum of Culpeper History

Highways directly serving Culpeper include U.S. Route 15 Business, U.S. Route 29 Business, U.S. Route 522, Virginia State Route 3 and Virginia State Route 229.

U.S. Route 15 and U.S. Route 29 pass just southeast of the town limits. US 15 Bus, US 29 Bus and US 522 share the same alignment through downtown, following Main Street. US 29 extends southwest towards Charlottesville and Interstate 64 westbound, while US 15 provides connections southward towards Orange and Gordonsville. US 15 and US 29 are concurrent to the north, providing connections to Warrenton and Washington, D.C. US 522 connects southward to I-64 eastbound, and northward towards Front Royal, Winchester and Interstate 81. SR 3 extends eastward, connecting to Fredericksburg and Interstate 95. SR 229 provides a connection northward towards Rixeyville and U.S. Route 211.

Amtrak operates Culpeper Station (code CLP), with daily service by the Cardinal, Northeast Regional and Crescent trains, offering connecting service to New Orleans, Chicago, Cincinnati, New York and Boston. Approximately 17,386 passengers embarked or deboarded the station in 2023.<ref name="amtrak">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Culpeper is also served by Virginia Regional Transit which operates three bus routes covering northern and southern loops as well as an accessible route for disabled individuals.

Academy Bus offers a commuter bus from Culpeper to Washington, D.C.

Culpeper Regional Airport serves the area with a 5,000 foot runway.

Notable people

• William T. Amiger (1870–1929), educator, college president, Baptist minister; born in Culpeper<ref name="Mather-1915">Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
• Nell Arthur (1837–1880), wife of Chester A. Arthur, who became the 21st president of the United States after her death
• Kenny Alphin, of the country music group Big & Rich
• John S. Barbour Jr., U.S. congressman (1881–1887) and U.S. senator (1889-1892)
• Andrew J. Boyle, U.S. Army lieutenant general, resided in Culpeper during his retirement<ref name="Lance">Template:Cite news</ref>
• Robert Young Button, Attorney General of Virginia (1962-1970) and Virginia State Senator (1945-1961)
• Cary Travers Grayson, highly decorated U.S. Navy surgeon, onetime chairman of the American Red Cross, and personal aide to U.S. President Woodrow Wilson
• A. P. Hill (1825–1865), Confederate general during the American Civil War, commander of "Hill's Light Division," under Stonewall Jackson
• John Preston "Pete" Hill, Negro league baseball player and member of the Baseball Hall of Fame, born in nearby Buena, Virginia
• John Jameson (1751–1810), Colonel in the American Revolutionary War
• Ann Jarvis, for whom Mother's Day was established by her daughter Anna Jarvis
• Keith Jennings, former NBA point guard, Golden State Warriors
• William Morgan, whose 1826 disappearance in New York state sparked a powerful anti-Freemasonry movement
• Waller T. Patton, Confederate colonel during the American Civil War, great-uncle of World War II General George S. Patton
• John Pendleton, American diplomat
• Eppa Rixey, major league pitcher and member of the Baseball Hall of Fame
• D. French Slaughter Jr., former U.S. Congressman
• Jeannette Walls, author of The Glass Castle
• J. Loren Wince, lead singer/songwriter for the band Hurt

External links

• Template:Official website
• Culpeper Chamber of Commerce