Warrenton, Virginia | |
|---|---|
 Courthouse Square | |
 Seal | |
 Location in Virginia | |
| Coordinates:38°43′6″N77°47′50″W / 38.71833°N 77.79722°W /38.71833; -77.79722[1] | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Virginia |
| County | Fauquier |
| Founded | 1810 |
| Named after | Joseph Warren |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council-Manager |
| • Mayor | Carter Nevill[2] |
| • Town Manager | Frank Cassidy[3] |
| Area | |
• Total | 4.38 sq mi (11.34 km2) |
| • Land | 4.37 sq mi (11.33 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0039 sq mi (0.01 km2) |
| Elevation | 643 ft (196 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 10,057 |
• Estimate (2024)[5] | 10,224 |
| • Density | 2,292.2/sq mi (885.01/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Codes | 20186–20188 |
| Area codes | 540,703,571 |
| FIPS code | 51-83136[6] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1500278[7] |
| Website | www |
Warrenton is a town inFauquier County, Virginia, United States.[8] It is thecounty seat. The population was 10,057 as of the2020 census,[9][10] an increase from 9,611 at the2010 census[11] and 6,670 at the2000 census.[6] The estimated population in July 2021 was 10,109.[9] It is at the junction ofU.S. Route 15,U.S. Route 17,U.S. Route 29, andU.S. Route 211. The town is in thePiedmont region ofVirginia just east of theBlue Ridge Mountains. The well-knownAirlie Conference Center is 3 miles (5 km) north of Warrenton, and the historicVint Hill Farms military facility is 9 miles (14 km) east. Fauquier Hospital is located in the town. Surrounded byVirginia wine and horse country, Warrenton is a popular destination outsideWashington, D.C.
Warrenton shares some services with the county, such as schools and the county landfill.[12] The area was home toBethel Military Academy.
The settlement which would grow into the town of Warrenton began as a crossroads at the junction of the Falmouth-Winchester and Alexandria-Culpeper roads,[13] where atrading post called the Red Store was located. In the 1790s, a courthouse was built in the area, and the location was known as "Fauquier Courthouse".[14]
The Town of Warrenton was incorporated on January 5, 1810,[15] and named for GeneralJoseph Warren, aRevolutionary War hero.[16]Richard Henry Lee donated the land for the county seat.John S. Horner,Secretary of Wisconsin Territory and Acting Governor ofMichigan Territory, was born in Warrenton.John Marshall, the fourthChief Justice of theU.S. Supreme Court, was fromGermantown, modern-dayMidland, 10 miles (16 km) south of Warrenton.
Warrenton was connected to theOrange and Alexandria Railroad in 1853 via abranch line. Warrenton's connection to the line had previously been proposed, but construction hasn't begun until 1852.[17] Given the rail line's strategic usage during the American Civil War, the Warrenton Branch was a target for attack twice.[18] Because of this, the railroad was left largely abandoned and unusable by 1863.Southern Railway resumed passenger service to the town from 1909 to 1944 with commercial service continuing through the 1980s.Norfolk Southern ended service entirely in 1989 with the removal of tracks.[18][19]
Confederate ColonelJohn S. Mosby maderaids in the town during theAmerican Civil War and later made his home and practiced law in Warrenton. The Warren Green Hotel building hosted many famous people, including theMarquis de Lafayette,James Monroe,Andrew Jackson,Henry Clay, PresidentTheodore Roosevelt, and divorcéeWallis Simpson.[22]Union GeneralGeorge B. McClellan bade farewell to his officers November 11, 1862, from the steps of the hotel.[22] It now hosts some offices of the Fauquier County government.
Arthur Jordan, a black American man, waslynched by a mob of approximately 60–75 men in white hoods in the early hours of January 19, 1880. Jordan had been accused ofmiscegenation andbigamy for eloping with Elvira (Lucille) Corder, the daughter of his white employer, Nathan Corder, a landowner and farmer in the upper part of the county along theRappahannock River. A group of local men hunted the pair down nearWilliamsport, Maryland, captured Mr. Jordan and returned him to Fauquier, whereupon he was delivered to the town jail. Later that night, the masked lynch mob gained access to the jail and dragged Jordan to the nearby town cemetery, where he was hanged from a small locust tree. Ms. Corder remained in Maryland, estranged from her family, until her death a few years later.[24] News of the lynching was reported in papers across the nation. Even some foreign newspapers, such as Australia'sSydney Morning Herald, reprinted accounts of the event.[25][26][27][28][29]
In 1909, a fire destroyed almost half the structures in the town and was halted with the use of dynamite to create a firebreak to stop the flames from spreading.[14]
In 1939,Washington Times-Herald journalistCount Igor Cassini wrote a column piece that upset several members of Virginia high society. While covering a horse show in Warrenton, Cassini was kidnapped and tarred and feathered by three disgruntled individuals related to one mentioned in his column piece.[30] Cassini was treated for burns at the Fauquier County Hospital in the early morning,[31] with the three individuals being arrested and placed on probation.[30]
In 1951, the federal government established theWarrenton Training Center just outside Warrenton. The center is a secretCentral Intelligence Agency communications facility, which also houses an underground relocation bunker containing communications infrastructure to supportcontinuity of government in the event of a nuclear attack on Washington, DC.[32][33][34]
A bypass route around the town was built in the early 1960s, which attracted restaurants, gas stations, and shopping centers, but also drew businesses away from the center of town.[15]
TheWarrenton Historic District was listed on theNational Register of Historic Places in 1983. Other listings in or near Warrenton includeBrentmoor,Dakota,Hopefield,Loretta,Monterosa,North Wales,The Oaks, theOld Fauquier County Jail, andYorkshire House.[35]
In 1998, Warrenton's "Black Horse" chapter of theUnited Daughters of the Confederacy erected and dedicated a monument in the Warrenton Cemetery to 520 Confederate soldiers buried there, many of whom died during theFirst andSecond Battles of Bull Run.[36] This new monument altered a pre-existing Confederate obelisk built in 1877 by building a granite wall around the obelisk engraved with those 520 names.[37] The then-mayor's wife spearheaded fundraising for the monument from private organizations and the United Daughters of the Confederacy itself, of which she was a member.[36][37] This monument still remains.
Warrenton is located in centralFauquier County at38°43′06″N77°47′50″W / 38.71833°N 77.79722°W /38.71833; -77.79722 (38.718307, −77.797085).[1]U.S. Route 29 leads northeast 12 miles (19 km) toGainesville and 47 miles (76 km) toWashington, D.C., and southwest 25 miles (40 km) toCulpeper.U.S. Route 15 follows US 29 out of town in both directions but leads north-northeast 34 miles (55 km) toLeesburg.U.S. Route 17 leads northwest 42 miles (68 km) toWinchester and southeast 44 miles (71 km) toFredericksburg, andU.S. Route 211 leads west 34 miles (55 km) toSkyline Drive inShenandoah National Park.
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, Warrenton has a total area of 4.5 square miles (11.7 km2), of which 0.004 square miles (0.01 km2), or 0.13%, is water.[11] The eastern, southern, and northern parts of the town drain east toCedar Run, a tributary of theOccoquan River and part of thePotomac River watershed, while the western part of town drains south via Great Run to theRappahannock River.
Fauquier County Public Schools serves Warrenton. The elementary schools within the town serve Kindergarten to Fifth grades and consist of James G. Brumfield Elementary, Carson M. Bradley Elementary, and Peter. B. Smith Elementary.
The only public middle school that serves Warrenton isTaylor Middle School. Taylor Middle School serves grades six through eight.Warrenton Middle School was closed following the 2022–2023 school year and temporarily merged with Taylor Middle School during the construction of a new middle school also to be named Taylor Middle School.[38]
The high school that serves Warrenton isFauquier High School, which educates grades Nine through 12. The Fauquier County Public School system also operates an extremely smallalternative learning school at Southwest Alternative School. This school serves both middle and high school students throughout the county, including Warrenton.[39]
There are three private schools in the town of Warrenton:Highland School, St. John The Evangelist's Catholic School, and St. James' Episcopal School.
The Fauquier campus ofLaurel Ridge Community College resides just south of the town limits.
In 2022, Hazel Hall, a science, engineering and health professions building, was opened and construction begun on a Center for Skilled Trades.
TheFauquier Public Library's Warrenton Library is located within theWarrenton Historic District. Despite being located within the town, the library is actually run by thecounty government's Library Board.[40] Each public school also has an internal library that students can access. Additionally,public bookcases adorn the town, often on the property of private citizens, acting in a manner similar toLittle Free Library
Steeplechases have had a large impact on the culture within Fauquier County as well as the Town of Warrenton. This is largely due to the 1922 organization of the firstVirginia Gold Cup race within the town. This event, along with theMaryland Hunt Cup, were two of the most prominent horse races at the time and remained prominent throughout the 20th century. Following the 1984 race, the event was moved to the nearby city,The Plains, where it has remained. TheVirginia Gold Cup and International Gold Cup Race have drawn upwards of 50,000 attendees per year, assuring its cultural impact in the surrounding communities.[41]
On the first Friday of each month between May and October, the Town of Warrenton hosts a themedstreet fair called "First Friday" within theWarrenton Historic District. Each month is typically themed to a different topic, affecting what local vendors and activities are available during the event.[42]
The Town of Warrenton owns and operates four public parks and one recreation center.[43]
Warrenton has several pieces of public art adorning the town. In 2001, watercolor painter Stewart Burgess White painted three murals on a single building depicting scenes from the American Civil War. Additionally, these murals included several hidden details such as faces of 19th century American leaders, references to theSeptember 11 attacks, and the name of the painter's daughter.[44] Artists Ross Trimmer and Michael Broth collaborated on a mural that emulates classiclarge-letter postcards.[16] In 2021, a group of localNational Honor Society students fromKettle Run High School painted a small mural on a neglected wall lining a parking lot.[21]
_from_the_overpass_for_U.S._Route_15_Business_and_U.S._Route_29_Business_(Lee_Highway)_in_Warrenton%2c_Fauquier_County%2c_Virginia.jpg)
Warrenton is served by four U.S. Routes;U.S. Route 15,U.S. Route 17,U.S. Route 29 (which collectively form the Eastern Bypass) andU.S. Route 211. US 15 extends north and south, heading towardsLeesburg in the north andOrange to the south. US 17 is oriented northwest to southeast, connecting toWinchester to the northwest andFredericksburg to the southeast. US 29 is oriented northeast to southwest, reachingWashington, D.C. to the northeast andCharlottesville to the southwest. Finally, US 211 begins north of the downtown area and extends westward, passing throughLuray and theShenandoah Valley. All four highways originally passed directly through the center of town and now follow bypasses. However, downtown Warrenton is now served byU.S Route 15 Business,U.S Route 17 Business,U.S Route 29 Business andU.S Route 211 Business.
Virginia Regional Transit operates the Circuit Rider bus in Warrenton.[45]Academy Bus operates a commuter bus from Warrenton to Washington, D.C. TheVirginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation andMegabus operate a weekday commuter bus service called thePiedmont Express fromDanville, V.A. to Washington, D.C. with a stop in Warrenton.[46]
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to theKöppen Climate Classification system, Warrenton has ahumid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[48]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 604 | — | |
| 1870 | 1,256 | 107.9% | |
| 1880 | 1,464 | 16.6% | |
| 1890 | 1,346 | −8.1% | |
| 1900 | 1,627 | 20.9% | |
| 1910 | 1,427 | −12.3% | |
| 1920 | 1,545 | 8.3% | |
| 1930 | 1,450 | −6.1% | |
| 1940 | 1,651 | 13.9% | |
| 1950 | 1,797 | 8.8% | |
| 1960 | 3,522 | 96.0% | |
| 1970 | 4,027 | 14.3% | |
| 1980 | 3,907 | −3.0% | |
| 1990 | 4,830 | 23.6% | |
| 2000 | 6,670 | 38.1% | |
| 2010 | 9,611 | 44.1% | |
| 2020 | 10,057 | 4.6% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 10,224 | 1.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[49] | |||
As of the2020 census, there were 10,057 individuals,[9] 4,016 households,[9] and 2,159 families[10] living in the Town of Warrenton. Population density is 2,296.1 people per square mile (885.01/km2).[10]
The racial makeup of the town is 77.0%White, 10.0%African American, 0.1%American Indian or Native Alaskan, 1.7%Asian, 0.0%Pacific Islander, 1.3% fromother races, and 9.9% fromtwo or more races.[9]Hispanic orLatino of any race are 8.9% of the population.
Of the town's residents, 56.4% were female, 43.6% were male,[10] 8.0% were under five years of age, 22.7% were under 18 years of age, and 16.7% were 65 years or older.[9] The population pyramid (below) shows the percentage of individuals of each sex within each age group, with a rectangular shape.[10] 6.9% wereforeign born persons, 7.2% had adisability, 94.9% of adults werehigh school graduates, and 39.2% of adults had abachelor's degree orgraduate degree.[9]
The2020 census stated that the Town of Warrenton had 4,014 households, of which 2,159 were family households and 1,857 are non-family households, with an average of 2.43 residents per household. 92.0% of households had access to a computer and 87.1% had abroadband internet subscription. 11.1% of households spoke a language other thanEnglish at home.[9] 63.1% of households own their housing units while 36.9% rent.[10] The median household income was $78,275 whileper capita income was $41,385.[9] 6.2% of the town's residents live in poverty.[9][10]
In Warrenton 74.7% of the population drives alone to work, 12.4%carpool, 3.3% walk to work, 0.0% viapublic transportation, 0.0% bicycle to work, 0.5% commute via other means, and 9.1% work from home.[10] Additionally, the average commute time for Warrenton residents was 33.1 minutes.[9][10]
Municipalities and communities ofFauquier County, Virginia,United States | ||
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| Towns |  | |
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| Other communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
