By Bob Tagert
This month we decided to revisit one of our favorite small towns, Culpeper, Virginia. As we expanded our distribution of the Old Town Crier into the Blue Ridge, the beautiful town of Culpeper was a perfect distribution point. Over the years we got to know many of the merchants as well as other places of interest.
The town was founded in 1749 and soon became the hub of the region. The train station and the railway became an important feature of the town as well as a key target of both the Confederate and Union forces during the Civil War. Today the Amtrak trains run north and south with stops in Culpeper as well as Alexandria and Washington, D.C. The train is an excellent way to visit Culpeper for a day. However, if you wanted to stay overnight, the Fountain Hall B&B is a short walk from the station. There are other overnight accommodations as well.
Culpeper is centrally located between three other great towns…Sperryville 11 miles on Route 522, Warrenton 25 miles on Route 29 and Fredericksburg on Route 3. There are two distinct sides of Culpeper. The large box stores are located on the north side, and the quaint shops and restaurants on the south side of town. We will focus on the south side of town along East and West Davis streets that make up Historic Downtown Culpeper.
Some of the stores are now gone since we first visited. I miss Mr. Minnick and Clarke’s Hardware. That store had everything you ever needed. Some of the other stores that were still here twenty years ago that remain downtown are Calhoun’s Ham House & Country Deli (they also have a place at the Old Town Farmers Market on Saturdays), Frost Cafe, It’s About Thyme Restaurant, Piedmont Steakhouse, The Cameleer, The Frenchman’s Corner, Green Roost, Le Monkey House, Pepperberries and Vinosity. A fun new shop that caught our eye is Ine’s Jewelry and Art that is located at the end of a long closed off alleyway in the middle of Davis Street. This fun place is the gift shop version of the aforementioned Clarke’s Hardware.
One thing that I have always said about the shops of Culpeper is that they are all unique…no two are the same. In addition, every one of the owners are delightful people and eager to please their customers. This part of Culpeper is laid back country and most of the stores close at either 5 or 6 PM. The north side of town is typically opened later.
There are many dining options on Davis Street, Main Street and the side streets. These options range from Thai, steaks at Piedmont Steakhouse, It’s About Thyme and fine Italian dining at Flavor on Main. Unfortunately, the afternoon we were walking around town, it was in between lunch and dinner so we didn’t dine anywhere. We did, however, treat ourselves to a milk shake at Frost’s Café – they are known for their milk shakes and downhome fare.
On day two, we took a short drive from Culpeper to visit a few of the area’s other destinations. The first was Belmont Farm Distillery, advertised as the oldest distillery in the nation. The distillery sits on their 198-acre farm where they grow their own corn to be used in the process of making their whiskey. Back about the time we started the Old Town Crier in 1988 I had taken a drive to this distillery and we wrote an article about this beautiful farm. I remembered a story told to me then that novelist Jackie Collins had her helicopter land in the field next to the tasting room where she picked up a case of whiskey then flew away. On our recent visit, “Brand Ambassador” Cheryl Buys, verified the story. Belmont Farm has chosen to preserve a national tradition of copper pot still whiskey. Belmont Farm was also chosen as one of the Top 3 moonshine providers in the country and made the list of awesome places to visit in Virginia. Their whiskeys are also very affordable.
We also ventured off course to Wollam Gardens in Jeffersonton, VA at the recommendation of the Culpeper Tourism people. This was a bit of a déjà vu experience. Bob Wollam had been a staple at the Old Town Alexandria Farmers Market for years and it was fun to see where the flowers were actually grown. This is one laid back place. You are pretty much on your own when you visit.
Along Route 3 outside of Culpeper, you can find Old House Vineyards. Parick Kearney found this property in 1998 and started the winery. Since then, he has added a distillery and brewery. Old House has been making award winning wines every year and the property is beautiful.
Our last stop was at the Ole Country Store & Bakery and Lake Culpeper Adventures right off of Route 29. This store and bakery is owned and operated by members of the Amish community and is a must stop if you are in the market for some fantastic baked goods, a really good sandwich or home churned ice cream and a ton of other edibles. Lake Culpeper Adventures is located adjacent to the store and offers kayaking, canoeing and paddle boating. It was a glorious day when we were there but time didn’t allow us to participate in any of the activities. It was bustling with a group of 10th graders when we were there and they were certainly having a grand time.
Culpeper is a road trip worth taking. This charming town is best observed over two days…there is much to do and enjoy. Back when we first discovered Culpeper, traffic wasn’t a big issue. Today is another story. To drive there, you can take I-95 (which I always try to avoid) south to Route 3 in Fredericksburg and then west to Culpeper. The other option is I-66 to Gainesville and take Route 29 south to Culpeper. We are seriously considering boarding the train at the King Street Station the next time. And…if you have your own plane, Culpeper has a small airport.