Ten miles north of Gordonsville is the town of Orange Virginia.Prior to the Civil War, Orange did not have this beautiful train station.
Pre-Civil War
The present-day Town of Orange was known as the Town of Orange Court House prior to the late-nineteenth century. Following the establishment of Culpeper County from a part of Orange County in 1749, the courthouse was relocated to Orange Court House from elsewhere in the county. The court convened in the house of man named Timothy Crosthwait until 1752, when a new courthouse was constructed on the property and after Crosthwait deeded the 2 acres to the county. The town at that time consisted of the courthouse and its related public buildings, a few houses and stores, a tavern and little else. The first U.S. Post Office was constructed in the town in 1796. In 1801-1804 the courthouse was replaced with a new building, clerk’s office and, later, a new jail.
A man named Paul Verdier, in 1799, purchased the property of William Bell, an 18th-century farm that included much of the modern-day Town of Orange adjacent to Main Street, near present-day Bellevue and Peliso avenues. Verdier divided the land into lots, which helped shape the town’s pattern of development. His house, which he named Montpeliso, still stands on the land. Growth continued into the nineteenth century as new roadways were constructed through the town, which, along with expanding agricultural markets, helped transform Orange Court House into a regional center. This prompted the Virginia General Assembly to pass an act in 1834 allowing for the incorporation of the Town of Orange Court House. However, further legislative action to put the act into effect was never completed
Orange Court House continued growing regardless, with several significant downtown buildings being constructed from this point up to the Civil War, including the Sparks Building (1829) the Holladay House (1830) and the St. Thomas Episcopal Church (1833). These buildings still stand, along with numerous others constructed after the Civil War, as part of theOrange Commercial Historic District.
The Orange and Alexandria Railroad chose to route their new railway from Alexandria to Gordonsville through Orange in 1847. The county court granted the railroad right-of-way through the courthouse property, which required the courthouse to be moved to another location. The fourth and current courthouse was completed in 1859 in the Italian Villa architectural style and stands today on the corner of Madison Rd and Main St. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. The General Assembly passed another act in 1855 which officially incorporated the Town of Orange Court House. However, the act wouldn't take effect until a majority of citizens qualified to vote gave their consent, which wouldn't happen until after the Civil War.
Post-Civil War
Orange was a strategically important location during the American Civil War. Just north of town, the Rapidan River was effectively the northern border of the Confederacy from March 1862 to May 1864. Consequently, the area witnessed countless troop movements, patrols, skirmishes, and encampments. In addition, the Town of Orange served as General Robert E. Lee's headquarters during that time. General Lee worshipped at the St. Thomas Episcopal Church on Caroline Street, which still stands today. This church is also significant because it served as a hospital for Confederate wounded after the Battle of Chancellorsvilleand the Battle of the Wilderness. Lee passed by this church many times during his stay in Orange, and Mort Künstler, an artist of American historical subjects, immortalized this scene in his painting Soldier of Faith.
County records dating back to its founding in 1734 still exist due to the clerk of court removing them to “a place of safety” as Federal troops were moving through Orange and towards Richmond. Following Virginia’s readmission to the Union in 1870, Orange Court House officially became a town in 1872 when the petition (required by the 1855 General Assembly act) for an election of town trustees was filed in the court. The first town council meeting was held on June 28, 1872 and in 1890 its name was officially changed to the current-day Town of Orange.
The Orange and Alexandria railroad took it's name from Orange as Gordonsville was a municipality located in Orange County.
Pre-Civil War
The present-day Town of Orange was known as the Town of Orange Court House prior to the late-nineteenth century. Following the establishment of Culpeper County from a part of Orange County in 1749, the courthouse was relocated to Orange Court House from elsewhere in the county. The court convened in the house of man named Timothy Crosthwait until 1752, when a new courthouse was constructed on the property and after Crosthwait deeded the 2 acres to the county. The town at that time consisted of the courthouse and its related public buildings, a few houses and stores, a tavern and little else. The first U.S. Post Office was constructed in the town in 1796. In 1801-1804 the courthouse was replaced with a new building, clerk’s office and, later, a new jail.
A man named Paul Verdier, in 1799, purchased the property of William Bell, an 18th-century farm that included much of the modern-day Town of Orange adjacent to Main Street, near present-day Bellevue and Peliso avenues. Verdier divided the land into lots, which helped shape the town’s pattern of development. His house, which he named Montpeliso, still stands on the land. Growth continued into the nineteenth century as new roadways were constructed through the town, which, along with expanding agricultural markets, helped transform Orange Court House into a regional center. This prompted the Virginia General Assembly to pass an act in 1834 allowing for the incorporation of the Town of Orange Court House. However, further legislative action to put the act into effect was never completed
Orange Court House continued growing regardless, with several significant downtown buildings being constructed from this point up to the Civil War, including the Sparks Building (1829) the Holladay House (1830) and the St. Thomas Episcopal Church (1833). These buildings still stand, along with numerous others constructed after the Civil War, as part of theOrange Commercial Historic District.
The Orange and Alexandria Railroad chose to route their new railway from Alexandria to Gordonsville through Orange in 1847. The county court granted the railroad right-of-way through the courthouse property, which required the courthouse to be moved to another location. The fourth and current courthouse was completed in 1859 in the Italian Villa architectural style and stands today on the corner of Madison Rd and Main St. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. The General Assembly passed another act in 1855 which officially incorporated the Town of Orange Court House. However, the act wouldn't take effect until a majority of citizens qualified to vote gave their consent, which wouldn't happen until after the Civil War.
Post-Civil War
Orange was a strategically important location during the American Civil War. Just north of town, the Rapidan River was effectively the northern border of the Confederacy from March 1862 to May 1864. Consequently, the area witnessed countless troop movements, patrols, skirmishes, and encampments. In addition, the Town of Orange served as General Robert E. Lee's headquarters during that time. General Lee worshipped at the St. Thomas Episcopal Church on Caroline Street, which still stands today. This church is also significant because it served as a hospital for Confederate wounded after the Battle of Chancellorsvilleand the Battle of the Wilderness. Lee passed by this church many times during his stay in Orange, and Mort Künstler, an artist of American historical subjects, immortalized this scene in his painting Soldier of Faith.
County records dating back to its founding in 1734 still exist due to the clerk of court removing them to “a place of safety” as Federal troops were moving through Orange and towards Richmond. Following Virginia’s readmission to the Union in 1870, Orange Court House officially became a town in 1872 when the petition (required by the 1855 General Assembly act) for an election of town trustees was filed in the court. The first town council meeting was held on June 28, 1872 and in 1890 its name was officially changed to the current-day Town of Orange.
The Orange and Alexandria railroad took it's name from Orange as Gordonsville was a municipality located in Orange County.