HISTORY
AND
COMPREHENSIVE
DESCRIPTION
OF
BY
JAMES
W. HEAD
PARK VIEW PRESS
Copyright 1908
by JAMES W. HEAD
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Dedication. |
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TO MY MOTHER, |
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WHOSE LOVE FOR LOUDOUN
IS NOT LESS ARDENT |
"So much, then, to show briefly that
Loudoun County life is a little out of the ordinary, here in America, and hence
worth talking about. There are other communities in
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186 |
know not when I first
planned this work, so inextricably is the idea interwoven with a fading
recollection of my earliest aims and ambitions. However, had I not been
resolutely determined to conclude it at any cost—mental, physical, or
pecuniary—the difficulties that I have experienced at every stage might have
led to its early abandonment.
The greatest difficulty lay in procuring material
which could not be supplied by individual research and investigation. For this
and other valid reasons that will follow it may safely be said that more than
one-half the contents of this volume are in the strictest sense original, the
remarks and detail, for the most part, being the products of my own personal
observation and reflection. Correspondence with individuals and the State and
National authorities, though varied and extensive, elicited not a half dozen
important facts. I would charge no one with discourtesy in this particular, and
mention the circumstance only because it will serve to emphasize what I shall
presently say anent the scarcity of available material.
Likewise, a painstaking perusal of more than two
hundred [10]volumes yielded only meagre
results, and in most of these illusory references I found not a single fact
worth recording. This comparatively prodigious number included gazeteers,
encyclopedias, geographies, military histories, general histories, State and
National reports, journals of legislative proceedings, biographies,
genealogies, reminiscences, travels, romances—in
short, any and all books that I had thought calculated to shed even the
faintest glimmer of light on the County's history, topographical features, etc.
But, contrary to my expectations, in many there
appeared no manner of allusion to
That works of history and geography can be
prepared in no other way, no person at all acquainted with the nature of such
writings need be told. "As well might a traveler presume to claim the
fee-simple of all the country which he has surveyed, as a historian and geographer
expect to preclude those who come after him from making a proper use of his labors. If the former writers have seen accurately and
related faithfully, the latter ought to have the resemblance of declaring the
same facts, with that variety only which nature has enstamped upon the distinct
elaborations of every individual mind.... As works of this sort become
multiplied, voluminous, and detailed, it becomes a duty to literature to
abstract, abridge, and give, in synoptical views, the information that is spread
through numerous volumes."
Touching the matter gleaned from other books, I
claim the sole merit of being a laborious and faithful compiler. In some
instances, where the thoughts could not be better or more briefly expressed,
the words of the original authors may have been used.
Where this has been done I have, whenever
possible, made, in my footnotes or text, frank and ample avowal of the sources
from which I have obtained the particular information presented. This has not
always been possible for the reason [11]that I could not name, if disposed, all the sources from which I
have sought and obtained information. Many of the references thus secured have
undergone a process of sifting and, if I may coin the couplet, confirmatory
handling which, at the last, rendered some unrecognizable and their origin
untraceable.
The only publication of a strictly local color
unearthed during my research was Taylor's Memoir of Loudoun, a small
book, or more properly a pamphlet, of only 29 pages, dealing principally with
the County's geology, geography, and climate. It was written to accompany the
map of
I wish to refer specially to the grateful
acknowledgment that is due Arthur Keith's Geology of the Catoctin Belt
and Carter's and Lyman's Soil Survey of the Leesburg Area, two
Government publications, published respectively by the United States Geological
Survey and Department of Agriculture, and containing a fund of useful
information relating to the geology, soils, and geography of about two-thirds
of the area of Loudoun. Of course these works have been the sources to which I
have chiefly repaired for information relating to the two first-named subjects.
Without them the cost of this publication would have been considerably
augmented. As it is I have been spared the expense and labor that would have
attended an enforced personal investigation of the County's soils and geology.
And now a tardy and,
perhaps, needless word or two in revealment of the purpose of this volume.
To rescue a valuable miscellany of facts and
occurrences from an impending oblivion; to gather and fix certain ephemeral
incidents before they had passed out of remembrance; to render some account of
the County's vast resources and capabilities; to trace its geography and
analyze its soils and geology; to follow the tortuous windings of its numerous
streams; to chronicle the multitudinous deeds of sacrifice and daring performed
by her citizens and soldiery—such has been the purpose of this work, such its
object and design.[12]
But the idea as originally evolved contemplated
only a chronology of events from the establishment of the County to the present
day. Not until the work was well under way was the matter appearing under the
several descriptive heads supplemented.
From start to finish this self-appointed task
has been prosecuted with conscientious zeal and persistency of purpose,
although with frequent interruptions, and more often than not amid
circumstances least favorable to literary composition. At the same time my
hands have been filled with laborious avocations of another kind.
What the philosopher Johnson said of his great Dictionary
and himself could as well be said of this humble
volume and its author:
"In this work, when it shall be found that
much is omitted, let it not be forgotten that much likewise is performed; and
though no book was ever spared out of tenderness to the author, and the world
is little solicitous to know whence proceeded the faults of that which it
condemns; yet it may gratify curiosity to inform it, that the English
Dictionary was written with little assistance of the learned, and without
any patronage of the great; not in the soft obscurities of retirement, or under
the shelter of academick bowers, but amidst inconvenience and distraction, in
sickness and in sorrow."
If further digression be allowable I might say
that in the preparation of this work I have observed few of the restrictive
rules of literary sequence and have not infrequently gone beyond the prescribed
limits of conventional diction. To these transgressions I make willing
confession. I have striven to present these sketches in the most lucid and
concise form compatible with readableness; to compress the greatest possible
amount of useful information into the smallest compass. Indeed, had I been
competent, I doubt that I would have attempted a more elaborate rendition, or
drawn more freely upon the language and the coloring of poetry and the
imagination. I have therefore to apprehend that the average reader [13]will find them too
statistical and laconic, too much abbreviated and void of detail.
However, a disinterested historian I have not
been, and should such a charge be preferred I shall look for speedy exculpation
from the discerning mass of my readers.
In this connection and before proceeding further
I desire to say that my right to prosecute this work can not fairly be
questioned; that a familiar treatment of the subject I have regarded as my
inalienable prerogative. I was born in
But to return to my
theme.
I have a distinct foresight of the views which some will entertain and express
in reference to this work, though my least fears of criticism are from those
whose experience and ability best qualify them to judge.
However, to the end that criticism may be
disarmed even before pronouncement, the reader, before condemning any
statements made in these sketches that do not agree with his [14]preconceived opinions,
is requested to examine all the facts in connection therewith. In so doing it
is thought he will find these statements correct in the main.
In such a variety of subjects there must of
course be many omissions, but I shall be greatly disappointed if actual errors
are discovered.
In substantiation of its accuracy and
thoroughness I need only say that the compilation of this work cost me three
years of nocturnal application—the three most ambitious and disquieting years
of the average life. During this period the entire book has been at least three
times rewritten.
In the best form of which I am capable the
fruits of these protracted labors are now committed to the candid and, it is
hoped, kindly judgment of the people of
James W. Head.
"
SITUATION.
[1] "
The particular geographic location of Loudoun
has been most accurately reckoned by Yardley Taylor, who in 1853 made a
governmental survey of the county. He placed it "between the latitudes of
38° 52-1/2" and 39° 21" north latitude, making 28-1/2" of
latitude, or 33 statute miles, and between 20" and 53-1/2" of
longitude west from Washington, being 33-1/2" of longitude, or very near
35 statute miles."
Loudoun was originally a part of the six million
acres which, in 1661, were granted by Charles II, King of England, to Lord
Hopton, Earl of St. Albans, Lord Culpeper, Lord Berkeley, Sir William Morton,
Sir Dudley Wyatt, and Thomas Culpeper. All the territory lying between the
Rappahannock and
"The only conditions attached to the
conveyance of this domain, the equivalent of a principality, were that
one-fifth of all the gold and one-tenth of all the silver discovered within its
limits should be reserved for the royal use, and that a nominal rent of a few
pounds sterling should be paid into the treasury at Jamestown each year. In
1669 the letters patent were surrendered by the existing holders and in their
stead new ones were issued.... The terms of these letters required that the whole
area included in this magnificent gift should be planted and inhabited by the
end of twenty-one years, but in 1688 this provision was revoked by the King as
imposing an impracticable condition."[2]
[2] Bruce's Economic History of
The patentees, some years afterward, sold the
grant to the second Lord Culpeper, to whom it was confirmed by letters patent
of King James II, in 1688. From Culpeper the rights and privileges conferred by
the original grant descended through his daughter, Catherine, to her son, Lord
Thomas Fairfax, Baron of Cameron—a princely heritage for a young man of 20
years.
The original boundaries of
1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly,
That all that part of the county of Loudoun lying between the lower boundary
thereof, and a line to be drawn from the mouth of Sugar Land run, to Carter's
mill, on Bull run, shall be, and is hereby added to and made part of the county
of Fairfax: Provided always, That it shall be lawful for the sheriff of the
said county of Loudoun to collect and make distress for any public dues or
officers fees, which shall remain unpaid by the inhabitants of that part of the
said county hereby added to the county of Fairfax, and shall be accountable for
the same in like manner as if this act had not been made.
2. And be it further enacted, That it
shall be lawful for a majority of the acting justices of the peace for the said
county of Fairfax, together with the justices of the county of Loudoun included
within the part thus added to the said county of Fairfax, and they are hereby
required at a court to be held in the month of April or May next, to fix on a
place for holding courts therein at or as near the center thereof (having regard
to that part of the county of Loudoun hereby added to the said county of
Fairfax) as the situation and convenience will admit of; and thenceforth
proceed to erect the necessary public buildings at such place, and until such
buildings be completed, to appoint any place for holding courts as they shall
think proper.
3. This act shall commence and be in force from
and after the passing thereof.
As at present bounded, the old channel at the
mouth of
[3] "What is called Lowe's
Island, at the mouth of Sugarland Run, was formerly an island, and made so by
that run separating and part of it passing into the river by the present
channel, while a part of it entered the river by what is now called the old
channel. This old channel is now partially filled up, and only receives the
waters of Sugarland Run in times of freshets. Occasionally when there is high
water in the river the waters pass up the present channel of the run to the old
channel, and then follow that to the river again. This old channel enters the
river immediately west of the primordial range of rocks, that impinge so
closely upon the river from here to Georgetown, forming as they do that series
of falls known as Seneca Falls, the Great, and the Little Falls, making
altogether a fall of 188 feet in less than 20 miles."—Memoir of Loudoun.
[4] Designated in an old record as
a "double-bodied poplar tree standing in or near the middle of the
thoroughfare of Ashby's Gap on the top of the
This completes an outline of 109 miles, viz: 19
miles in company with
The main valleys are longitudinal and those
running transversely few and comparatively unimportant.
The far-famed Loudoun valley, reposing
peacefully between the Blue Ridge and
The Blue Ridge, the southeasternmost range of
the Alleghanies or Appalachian System presents here that uniformity and general
appearance which characterizes it throughout the [19]State, having gaps or depressions every eight or ten miles,
through which the public roads pass. The most important of these are the
Potomac Gap at 500 feet and Snickers and Ashby's Gap, both at 1,100 feet. The
altitude of this range in Loudoun varies from 1,000 to 1,600 feet above
tide-water, and from 300 to 900 feet above the adjacent country. It falls from
1,100 to 1,000 feet in 4 miles south of the river, and then, rising sharply to
1,600 feet, continues at the higher series of elevations. The Blue Ridge
borders the county on the west, its course being about south southwest, or
nearly parallel with the Atlantic Coast-line, and divides Loudoun from
Of nearly equal height and similar features are
the Short Hills, another range commencing at the Potomac River about four miles
below Harpers Ferry and extending parallel to the Blue Ridge, at a distance of
nearly four miles from summit to summit, for about twelve miles into the
County, where it is broken by a branch of Catoctin Creek. Beyond this stream it
immediately rises again and extends about three miles further, at which point
it abruptly terminates.
A third range, called "Catoctin
Mountain," has its inception in Pennsylvania, traverses Maryland, is
interrupted by the Potomac, reappears in Virginia at the river margin, opposite
Point of Rocks, and extends through Loudoun County for a distance of twenty or
more miles, when it is again interrupted.
Elevations on
Probably this mountain does not exceed an
average of more than 300 feet above the surrounding country, though at some
stages it may attain an altitude of 700 feet. Rising near the Potomac into one
of its highest peaks, in the same range it becomes alternately depressed and
elevated, until [20]reaching the point of its divergence in the neighborhood
of
On reaching the Leesburg and Snicker's Gap
Turnpike road, a distance of twelve miles, it expands to three miles in width
and continues much the same until broken by Goose Creek and its tributary, the
North Fork, when it gradually loses itself in the hills of Goose Creek and
Little River, before reaching the Ashby's Gap Turnpike.
The Catoctin range throughout Loudoun pursues a
course parallel to the
Immediately south of Aldie, on Little River,
near the point of interruption of
East of the Catoctin the tumultuous continuity
of mountains subsides into gentle undulations, an almost unbroken succession of
sloping elevations and depressions presenting an as yet unimpaired variety and
charm of landscape. However, on the extreme eastern edge of this section, level
stretches of considerable extent are a conspicuous feature of the topography.
Three or four detached hills, rising to an
elevation of 150 or 200 feet above the adjacent country, are the only ones of
consequence met with in this section.[21]
The hilly character of Loudoun is clearly shown
by the following exhibit of the elevation of points and places above
tide-water. The variations of altitude noted in this schedule are based upon
conflicting estimates and distinct measurements made at two or more points
within a given circumference and slightly removed one from the other.
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Feet. |
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415 |
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Ashburn |
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320 |
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Leesburg |
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321 to 337 |
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Clarke's Gap |
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578 to 634 |
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454 to 521 |
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Purcellville |
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546 to 553 |
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Round Hill |
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558 |
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Bluemont |
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680 to 730 |
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Snicker's Gap |
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1,085 |
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Neersville |
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626 |
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Hillsborough |
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550 |
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360 |
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600 |
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Oatlands |
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270 |
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Little River, near Aldie |
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299 |
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Middleburg |
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480 |
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188 |
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200 |
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246 |
The whole of the county east of the
The Short Hills have an approximate altitude of
1,000 feet, while that of the
From many vantage points along the
The drainage of Loudoun can be divided into two
provinces. One is the
The tributaries by which the drainage of the two
provinces is effected are Catoctin Creek, North Fork Catoctin Creek, South Fork
Catoctin Creek, Little River, North Fork Goose Creek, Beaver-dam Creek, Piney
Run, Jeffries Branch, Cromwells Run, Hungry Run, Bull Run, Sycoline Creek,
Tuscarora Creek, Horse Pen Run, Broad Run, Sugarland Run, Elk Lick, Limestone
Branch, and as many lesser streams.[23]
The general slope of the county being to the
northeast, the waters, for the most part, naturally follow the same course, as
may be readily perceived by reference to maps of the section. The streams that
rise in the Blue Ridge mostly flow to the eastward until they approach the
Catoctin Creek is very crooked; its basin does
not exceed twelve miles as the crow flies, and includes the whole width of the
valley between the mountains except a small portion in the northeastern angle
of the County. Yet its entire course, measuring its meanders, would exceed
thirty-five miles. It has a fall of one hundred and eighty feet in the last
eighteen miles of its course, and is about twenty yards wide near its mouth.
The Northwest Fork rises in the Blue Ridge and
flows southeastward, mingling its waters with the Beaver Dam, coming from the
southwest, immediately above
Little River, a small affluent of Goose Creek,
rises in Fauquier County west of Bull Run mountain and enters Loudon a few
miles southwestward of Aldie. It pursues a northern and northeastern course
until it has passed that town, turning then more to the northward and falling
into
Broad Run, the next stream of consequence east
of
Sugarland Run, a still smaller stream, rises
partly in Loudoun, though its course is chiefly through
In its southeastern angle several streams rise
and pursue a southern and southeastern course, and constitute some of the upper
branches of
Perhaps no county in the State is better watered
for all purposes, except manufacturing in times of drought. Many of the farms
might be divided into fields of ten acres each and, in ordinary seasons, would
have water in each of them.
There are several mineral springs in the county
of the class called chalybeate, some of which contain valuable medicinal
properties, and other springs and wells that are affected with lime. Indeed, in
almost every part of the County, there is an exhaustless supply of the purest
spring water. This is due, in great part, to the porosity of the soil which
allows the water to pass freely into the earth, and the slaty character of the
rocks which favors its descent into the bowels of the hills, from whence it
finds its way to the surface, at their base, in numberless small springs. The
purity of these waters is borrowed from the silicious quality of the soil.
The largest spring of any class in the county is
Big Spring, a comparatively broad expanse of water of unsurpassed quality,
bordering the Leesburg and Point of Rocks turnpike, about two miles north of
Leesburg.[25]
The springs, as has been stated, are generally
small and very numerous, and many of them are unfailing, though liable to be
affected by drought. In such cases, by absorption and evaporation, the small
streams are frequently exhausted before uniting and often render the larger
ones too light for manufacturing purposes. Nevertheless, water power is
abundant; the county's diversified elevation giving considerable fall to its
water courses, and many sites are occupied.
Because responsible statistical data is usually
accorded unqualified credence, it is without undue hesitation that the
following bit of astonishing information, gleaned from a reliable source, is
here set down as positive proof of the excellence of Loudoun's climate:
"It (Leesburg) is located in a section the healthiest in the world, as
proven by statistics which place the death rate at 8-1/2 per 1,000, the very
lowest in the table of mortality gathered from all parts of the habitable
globe."
The climate of Loudoun, like that of most other
localities, is governed mainly by the direction of the prevailing winds, and,
to a limited extent, is influenced by the county's diversified physical
features.
Though the rainfall is abundant, amounting
annually to forty or fifty inches, ordinarily the air is dry and salubrious.
This ample precipitation is usually well distributed throughout the growing
season and is rarely insufficient or excessive. The summer rainfall comes
largely in the form of local showers, scarcely ever attended by hail. Loudoun
streams for the most part are pure and rapid, and there appears to be no local
cause to generate malaria.
In common with the rest of
Loudoun winters are not of long duration and are
seldom [26]marked by protracted severity.
Snow does not cover the ground for any considerable period and the number of
bright sunny days during these seasons is unusually large. In their extremes of
cold they are less rigorous than the average winters of sections farther north
or even of western localities of the same latitude. Consequently the growing
season here is much more extended than in either of those sections. The
prevailing winds in winter are from the north and west, and from these the
mountains afford partial protection.
The seasons are somewhat earlier even than in
the
Loudoun summers, as a rule, are long and
agreeably cool, while occasional periods of extreme heat are not more
oppressive than in many portions of the North. The mountains of Loudoun have a
delightful summer climate coupled with inspiring scenery, and are well known as
the resort of hundreds seeking rest, recreation, or the restoration of health.
This region, owing to its low humidity, has little dew at night, and
accordingly has been found especially beneficial for consumptives and those
afflicted with pulmonary diseases. The genial southwest trade winds, blowing
through the long parallel valleys, impart to them and the enclosing mountains
moisture borne from the far away
The geology of more than half the area of
Loudoun County has received thorough and intelligent treatment at the hands of
Arthur Keith in his most excellent work entitled "Geology of the
Catoctin Belt," authorized and published by the United States
Geological Survey.[5]
[5] Credit for many important
disclosures and much of the detail appearing in this department is unreservedly
accorded Mr. Keith and his assistants.[27]
Mr. Keith's analysis covered the whole of
[6] The name "Catoctin
Belt" is applied to this region because it is separated by
In this important work the Catoctin Belt is
shown to be an epitome of the leading events of geologic history in the
Appalachian region. It contains the earliest formations whose original
character can be certified; it contains almost the latest known formations; and
the record is unusually full, with the exception of the later Paleozoic rocks.
Its structures embrace nearly every known type of deformation. It furnishes
examples of every process of erosion, of topography derived from rocks of
nearly every variety of composition, and of topography derived from all types
of structure except the flat plateau type. In the recurrence of its main
geographic features from pre-Cambrian time till the present day it furnishes a
remarkable and unique example of the permanence of continental form.
With certain qualifications, a summary of the
leading events that have left their impress on the region is as follows:
1. Surface eruption of diabase.
2. Injection of granite.
3. Erosion.
4. Surface eruption of quartz-porphyry,
rhyolite, and andesite.
5. Surface eruption of diabase.
6. Erosion.
7. Submergence, deposition of Cambrian
formations; slight oscillations during their deposition; reduction of land to
baselevel.
8. Eastward tilting and deposition of
Martinsburg shale; oscillations during later Paleozoic time.
9. Uplift, post-Carboniferous deformation and
erosion.
10. Depression and
11. Uplift,
12. Depression and deposition of Potomac, Magothy,
and
13. Uplift southwestward and erosion to
baselevel.
14. Uplift, warping and degradation to Tertiary
baselevel; deposition of Pamunkey and
15. Depression and deposition of
16. Uplift and erosion to lower Tertiary
baselevel.
17. Uplift, warping and erosion to Pleistocene
baselevel; deposition of high-level
18. Uplift and erosion to lower Pleistocene
baselevel; deposition of low-level
19. Uplift and present erosion.
Along the Coastal plain reduction to baselevel
was followed by depression and deposition of Lafayette gravels; elevation
followed and erosion of minor baselevels; second depression followed and
deposition of Columbia gravels; again comes elevation and excavation of narrow
valleys; then depression and deposition of low-level Columbia; last, elevation
and channeling, which is proceeding at present. Along the Catoctin Belt
denudation to baselevel was followed by depression and deposition of gravels; elevation
followed and erosion of minor baselevels among the softer rocks; second
depression followed, with possible gravel deposits; elevation came next with
excavation of broad bottoms; last, elevation and channeling, at present in
progress.
The general structure of the Catoctin Belt is
anticlinal. On its core appear the oldest rocks; on its borders, those of
medium age; and in adjacent provinces the younger rocks. In the location of its
system of faulting, also, it faithfully follows the Appalachian law that faults
lie upon the steep side of anticlines.[29]
After the initial location of the folds along
these lines, compression and deformation continued. Yielding took place in the
different rocks according to their constitution.
Into this system of folds the drainage lines
carved their way. On the anticlines were developed the chief streams, and the
synclines were left till the last. The initial tendency to synclinal ridges was
obviated in places by the weakness of the rocks situated in the synclines, but
even then the tendency to retain elevation is apt to cause low ridges. The
drainage of the belt as a whole is anticlinal to a marked degree, for the three
main synclinal lines are lines of great elevation, and the anticlines are
invariably valleys.
In order of solubility the rocks of the Catoctin
Belt, within the limits of
1.
2.
3.
4. Granite; feldspathic.
5. Loudoun formation; feldspathic.
6. Granite and schist; feldspathic.
7. Catoctin schist; epidotic and feldspathic.
8. Weverton sandstone; siliceous.
All of these formations are in places reduced to
baselevel. The first three invariably are, unless protected by a harder rock;
the next three usually are; the Catoctin schist only in small parts of its
area; the Weverton only along a small part of
The Catoctin Belt itself may be described as a
broad area of igneous rocks bordered by two lines of Lower Cambrian sandstones
and slates. Over the surface of the igneous rocks are scattered occasional
outliers of the Lower Cambrian slate; but far the greater part of the surface
of the belt is covered by the igneous rocks. The belt as a whole may be
regarded as an anticline, the igneous rocks constituting the core, the [30]Lower Cambrian the flanks,
and the Silurian and
They are the oldest rocks in the Catoctin Belt
and occupy most of its area. They are also prominent from their unusual
character and rarity.
An important class of rocks occurring in the
Catoctin Belt is the sedimentary series. It is all included in the Cambrian
period and consists of limestone, shale, sandstone and conglomerate. The two
border zones of the Catoctin Belt, however, contain also rocks of the Silurian
and Juratrias periods. In general, the sediments are sandy and calcareous in
the Juratrias area, and sandy in the Catoctin Belt. They have been the theme of
considerable literature, owing to their great extent and prominence in the
topography.
The granite in the southern portion of the
County is very important in point of extent, almost as much so as the diabase
in the same section.
The areas of granite are, as a rule, long narrow
belts, and vary greatly in width.
The mineralogical composition of the granite is
quite constant over large areas. Six varieties can be distinguished, however,
each with a considerable areal extent. The essential constituents are quartz,
orthoclase and plagioclase, and by the addition to these of biotite, garnet,
epidote, blue quartz, and hornblende, five types are formed. All these types
are holocrystalline, and range in texture from coarse granite with augen an
inch long down to a fine epidote granite with scarcely visible crystals.
Among the various Cambrian formations of the
Catoctin Belt there are wide differences in uniformity and composition. [31]In none is it more
manifest than in the first or Loudoun formation. This was theoretically to be
expected, for first deposits upon a crystalline foundation represent great
changes and transition periods of adjustment among new currents and sources of
supply. The Loudoun formation, indeed, runs the whole gamut of sedimentary possibilities, and that within very short geographical
limits. Five miles northwest of Aldie the Loudoun formation comprises
limestone, slate, sandy slate, sandstone, and conglomerate with pebbles as
large as hickory nuts. These amount in thickness to fully 800 feet, while less
than three miles to the east the entire formation is represented by eight or
ten feet of black slate.
The name of the Loudoun formation is given on
account of the frequent occurrence of all its variations in
The Loudoun formation, of course, followed a
period of erosion of the Catoctin Belt, since it is the first subaqueous
deposit. It is especially developed with respect to thickness and coarseness to
the west of
The distribution of the coarse varieties
coincides closely with the areas of greatest thickness and also with the
synclines in which no Weverton sandstone appears. The conglomerates of the
Loudoun formation are composed of epidotic schist, andesite, quartz, granite,
epidote, and jasper pebbles embedded in a matrix of black slate and are very
limited in extent.
The formation next succeeding the Loudoun
formation is the Weverton sandstone. It is so named on account of its prominent
outcrops in
From the distribution of these various
fragments, inconspicuous as they are, considerable can be deduced in regard to
the environment of the Weverton sandstone.[33]
The submergence of the Catoctin Belt was
practically complete, because the Weverton sandstone nowhere touches the
crystalline rocks. Perhaps it were better stated that submergence was complete
in the basins in which Weverton sandstone now appears. Beyond these basins, however,
it is questionable if the submergence was complete, because in the Weverton
sandstone itself are numerous fragments which could
have been derived only from the granite masses. These fragments consist of blue
quartz, white quartz, and feldspar. The blue quartz fragments are confined
almost exclusively to the outcrops of the Weverton sandstone in the Blue Ridge
south of the
The general grouping of the Loudoun formation
into two classes of deposit (1), the fine slates associated with the Weverton
sandstone, and (2), the course sandstones occurring in deep synclines with no
Weverton, raises the question of the unity of that formation. The evidence on
this point is manifold and apparently conclusive. The general composition of
the two is the same—i. e., beds of feldspathic, siliceous material derived from
crystalline rocks. They are similarly metamorphosed in different localities.
The upper parts of the thicker series are slates identical in appearance with
the slates under the Weverton, which presumably represent the upper Loudoun.
A marked change in the thickness of the Weverton
sandstone occurs along
Aside from this marked change in thickness, none
of unusual extent appears in the Weverton sandstone over the remainder of the
Catoctin Belt. While this is partly due to lack of complete sections, yet such
as are complete show a substantial uniformity. The sections of the
An epoch of which a sedimentary record remains
in the region of the Catoctin Belt is one of submergence and deposition, the
At the
As a whole the formation is a large body of red
calcareous and argillaceous sandstone and shale. Into this, along the [35]northern portion of the Catoctin
Belt, are intercalated considerable wedges or lenses of limestone conglomerate.
At many places also gray feldspathic sandstones and basal conglomerates appear.
The limestone conglomerate is best developed
from the Potomac to Leesburg, and from that region southward rapidly diminishes
until it is barely represented at the south end of
The conglomerate is made up of pebbles of
limestone of varying sizes, reaching in some cases a foot in diameter, but, as
a rule, averaging about 2 or 3 inches. The pebbles are usually well rounded,
but sometimes show considerable angles. The pebbles of limestone range in color
from gray to blue and dark blue, and occasionally pebbles of a fine white
marble are seen; with rare exceptions also pebbles of Catoctin schist and
quartz occur. They are embedded in a red calcareous matrix, sometimes with a
slight admixture of sand. As a rule the entire mass is calcareous.
The conglomerate occurs, as has been said, in
lenses or wedges in the sandstone ranging from 1 foot to 500 feet in thickness,
or possibly even greater. They disappear through complete replacement by
sandstone at the same horizon. The wedge may thin out to a feather edge or may
be bodily replaced upon its strike by sandstone; one method is perhaps as
common as the other. The arrangement of the wedges is very instructive indeed.
The general strike of the
The result of weathering upon the conglomerate
is a very uneven and rugged series of outcrops projecting above the rolling
surface of the soil.
The ledges show little definite stratification
and very little dip. The topography of the conglomerate is inconspicuous and
consists of a slightly rolling valley without particular features. It
approaches nearer to the level of the present drainage than any other
formation, and decay by solution has gone on to a very considerable extent.
Where the draining streams have approached their baselevel, scarcely an outcrop
of conglomerate is seen. Where the areas of conglomerate lie near faster
falling streams, the irregular masses of unweathered rocks appear.
When but slightly weathered the conglomerate
forms an effective decorative stone and has been extensively used as a marble
with the name "Potomac marble," from the quarries on the Potomac east
of
The thickness of the
Description of the lithified deposits would be
far from complete without reference to the later diabase which is associated
with the
These diabases, as they will be called
generically, are usually composed of plagioclase feldspar, and diallage or
augite; additional and rarer minerals are quartz, olivine, hypersthene,
magnetite, ilmenite, and hornblende. Their structure is ophitic in the finer varieties, and to some extent in the coarser kinds as well.
They are holocrystalline in [37]form and true glassy bases are rare, rendering the term diabase
more appropriate than basalt.
There is greater variety in texture, from fine
aphanitic traps up to coarse grained dolerites with feldspars one-third of an
inch long. The coarser varieties are easily quarried and are often used for
building stone under the name of granite.
These forms are retained to the present day with
no material change except that of immediate weathering, but to alterations of
this kind they are an easy prey, and yield the most characteristic forms. The
narrow dikes produce ridges between slight valleys of sandstone or shale, the wide bodies produce broad flat hills or uplands.
The rock weathers into a fine gray and brown clay with
numerous bowlders of unaltered rock of a marked concentric shape.
While the diabase dikes are most prominent in
the
The diabase occurs only as an intrusive rock in
the vicinity of the Catoctin Belt. Of this form of occurrence, however, there
are two types, dikes and massive sheets or masses. The dikes are parallel to
the strike of the inclosing sandstone as a rule, and appear to have their
courses controlled by it on account of their small bulk. The large masses break
at random across the sandstone in the most eccentric fashion. No dislocation
can be detected in the sandstones, either in strike or dip, yet of course it must
exist by at least the thickness of the intrusive mass. That this thickness is
considerable is shown by the coarseness of the larger trap masses, which could
occur only in bodies of considerable size, and also by the width of their
outcrops in the westward dipping sandstones. The chief mass in point of size is
three miles wide. This mass fast decreases in width as it goes north, without [38]losing much of its coarseness,
and ends in Leesburg in a hooked curve. The outline of the diabase is
suggestive of the flexed trap sheets of more northern regions, but this
appearance is deceptive, since the diabase breaks directly across both red
sandstone and limestone conglomerate, which have a constant north and south
strike. An eastern branch of this mass crosses the Potomac as a small dike and
passes north into
At Leesburg the limestone conglomerate next the
diabase is indurated, its iron oxide is driven off, and the limestone partly
crystallized into marble.
The Catoctin schist is geographically the most
important of the volcanic rocks of Loudoun.
Throughout its entire area the schist is
singularly uniform in appearance, so that only two divisions can be made with
any certainty at all. These are dependent upon a secondary characteristic, viz,
the presence of epidote in large or small quantities. The epidote occurs in the
form of lenses arranged parallel to the planes of schistosity, reaching as high
as five feet in thickness and grading from that down to the size of minute
grains. Accompanying this lenticular epidote is a large development of quartz in
lenses, which, however, do not attain quite such a size as those of epidote.
Both the quartz and epidote are practically insoluble and lie scattered over
the surface in blocks of all sizes. In places they form an almost complete
carpet and protect the surface from removal. The resulting soil, where not too
heavily encumbered with the epidote blocks, is rich and well adapted to
farming, on account of the potash and calcium contained in the epidote and
feldspar.
Except along the narrow
canyons in the Tertiary baselevel the rock is rarely seen unless badly
weathered.
The light [39]bluish green color of the
fresh rock changes on exposure to a dull gray or yellow, and the massive ledges
and slabs split up into thin schistose layers. It is quite compact in appearance,
and as a rule very few macroscopic crystals can be seen in it.
A general separation can be made into an
epidotic division characterized by an abundance of macroscopic epidote and a
non-epidotic division with microscopic epidote. These divisions are accented by
the general finer texture of the epidotic schist.
The schists can be definitely called volcanic in
many cases, from macroscopic characters, such as the component minerals and
basaltic arrangement. In most cases, the services of the microscope are
necessary to determine their nature. Many varieties have lost all of their
original character in the secondary schistosity. None the less, its origin as
diabase can definitely be asserted of the whole mass. In view of the fact,
however, that most of the formation has a well defined schistosity destroying
its diabasic characters, and now is not a diabase but a
schist, it seems advisable to speak of it as a schist.
Sections of the finer
schist in polarized light show many small areas of quartz and plagioclase and
numerous crystals of epidote, magnetite, and chlorite, the whole having a
marked parallel arrangement. Only in the coarser varieties is the real
nature of the rock apparent. In these the ophitic arrangement of the coarse
feldspars is well defined, and in spite of their subsequent alteration the
fragments retain the crystal outlines and polarize together. Additional
minerals found in the coarse schists are calcite, ilmenite, skeleton oblivine,
biotite, and hematite.
The Piedmont plain, where it borders upon the
Catoctin Belt, is composed in the main of the previously described
The rocks, in a transverse line, beginning a
little to the east of Dranesville, in Fairfax County, and extending to the
Catoctin Mountain, near Leesburg, occur in the following order, viz: Red
sandstone, red shale, greenstone, trap, reddish slate, and conglomerate
limestone.
Heavy dykes of trap rock extend across the lower
end of the County, from near the mouth of
[7]
[8] Ibid.
A great class of
variations due to rock character are those of surface form. The rocks have been
exposed to the action of erosion during many epochs, and have yielded
differently according to their natures. Different stages in the process of
erosion can be distinguished and to some extent correlated with the time scale
of the rocks in other regions. One such stage is particularly manifest in the
Catoctin Belt and furnishes the datum by which to place other stages. It is
also best adapted for study, because it is connected directly with the usual
time scale by its associated deposits. This stage is the Tertiary baselevel,
and the deposit is the
The materials of the
Dynamic metamorphism has produced great
rearrangement of the minerals along the eastern side of the Catoctin Belt, [42]and results at times in
complete obliteration of the characters of the granite. The first step in the
change was the cracking of the quartz and feldspar crystals and development of
muscovite and chlorite in the cracks. This was accompanied by a growth of
muscovite and quartz in the unbroken feldspar. The aspect of the rock at this
stage is that of a gneiss with rather indefinite
banding. Further action reduced the rock to a collection of angular and rounded
fragments of granite, quartz, and feldspar in a matrix of quartz and mica, the
mica lapping around the fragments and rudely parallel to their surfaces. The
last stage was complete pulverization of the fragments and elongation into
lenses, the feldspathic material entirely recomposing into muscovite, chlorite,
and quartz, and the whole mass receiving a strong schistosity, due to the
arrangement of the mica plates parallel to the elongation. This final stage is
macroscopically nothing more than a siliceous slate or schist, and is barely
distinguishable from the end products of similar metamorphism in the more
feldspathic schists and the Loudoun sandy slates. The different steps can
readily be traced, however, both in the hand specimen and under the microscope.
The Weverton sandstone has suffered less from
metamorphism than any of the sediments. In the
Metamorphism of the Loudoun formation is quite
general. It commonly appears in the production of phyllites from the [43]argillaceous members of the
formation, but all of the fragmental varieties show some elongation and
production of secondary mica. The limestone beds are often metamorphosed to
marble, but only in the eastern belt. The recrystallization is not very
extensive, and none of the marbles are coarse grained.
The metamorphism of the igneous rocks is
regional in nature and has the same increase from west to east as the
sediments.
In the granite it consists of various stages of
change in form, attended by some chemical rearrangement. The process consisted
of progressive fracture and reduction of the crystals of quartz and feldspar,
and was facilitated by the frequent cleavage cracks of the large feldspars. It
produced effects varying from granite with a rude gneissoid appearance, through
a banded fine gneiss, into a fine quartz schist or
slate. These slaty and gneissoid planes are seen to be parallel to the
direction and attitude of the sediments, wherever they are near enough for
comparison.
Dynamic alteration of the Catoctin diabase is
pronounced and wide-spread. Macroscopically it is evident in the strong
schistosity, which is parallel to the structural planes of the sediments when
the two are in contact. In most areas this alteration is mainly chemical and
has not affected the original proportions of the rock to a marked extent. Its
prevalence is due to the unstable composition of the original minerals of the
rock, such as olivine, hypersthene, and pyroxene. Along
The average dip of the schistose planes is about
60°; from this they vary up to 90° and down to 20°. In all cases they are
closely parallel to the planes on which the sediments moved in adjustment to
folding, namely, the bedding planes. In regions where no sediments occur, the
relation of the schistose planes to the folds can not be discovered.[44]
Parallel with the micas that cause the
schistosity, the growth of the quartz and epidote lenses took place. These,
too, have been deformed by crushing and stretching along
The ratios of schistose deformation in the
igneous rocks are as follows: diabase, with unstable mineral composition and
small mechanical strength, has yielded to an extreme degree; granite, with
stable composition and moderate mechanical strength, has yielded to the more
pronounced compression.
In point of mineral wealth Loudoun ranks with
the foremost counties of the State. Iron, copper, silver, soapstone, asbestos,
hydraulic limestone, barytes, and marble are some of the deposits that have
been developed and worked with a greater or lesser degree of success.
A large bed of compact red oxide of iron lies at
the eastern base of the
Magnetic iron ore has been found in certain
places, and this or a similar substance has a disturbing effect upon the [45]needle of the surveyor's
compass, rendering surveying extremely difficult where great accuracy is
required. In some instances the needle has been drawn as much as seven degrees
from its true course. This effect is more or less observable nearly throughout
the
Chromate of iron was long ago discovered along
Broad Run, and, about the same time, a bed of micaceous iron ore on
In 1860, the output of pig iron in Loudoun was
2,250 tons, and its value $58,000. Rockbridge was the only
In several localities small angular lumps of a
yellowish substance, supposed to contain sulphur, have been found, embedded in
rocks. When subjected to an intense heat, it gives forth a pungent sulphurous
odor.
Small quantities of silver ore are discovered
from time to time; but the leads have never been extensively worked and many of
the richest veins are still untouched.
Deposits of copper in the schists have long
excited interest and led to mining operations. The amount of ore, however,
appears not to have justified any considerable work.
Near the base of the
In the vicinity of Leesburg and north of that
town, and between the
The exhibition at the World's Fair, at
1. Specular Iron Ore, from near Leesburg,
said to be in quantity. From Professor Fontaine.
2. Chalcopyrite, from near Leesburg, said
to be a promising vein. From Professor Fontaine.
The following were contributed by the
"Eagle Mining Company," of Leesburg; F. A. Wise, general manager:
1. Carbonate of Copper, from vein 3'
wide, developed to 25' deep. Assays by Oxford Copper Company of
2. Sulphuret of Copper, from vein
10" wide, developed to 50' deep. Assays by Oxford Copper Company of
3. Iron
4. Sulphuret of Copper, from vein
developed 50'. Yields 11 per cent of copper and 1 ounce of
silver per ton by assay of W. P. Lawver, U. S. Mint.
5. Carbonate of Copper, red oxide and
glance, from vein 3' wide, developed to 25' deep. Yields 50 per cent metallic
copper and 27 ounces silver per ton by assays.[47]
6. Iron
7. Oxide of Copper, from Carbonate vein,
developed 60' on 4' wide vein; 25' deep.
8. Sulphuret of Copper, from vein 8"
to 15" wide, developed 50'.
9. Iron
10. Barytes, heavy spar, vein
undeveloped.
11. Iron
12. Marble, from quarry of "Virginia
Marble Company," three miles east from Middleburg. The deposit has been
demonstrated to be of great extent; the marble has been pronounced of a very
superior quality. Contributed by Major B. P. Noland.
13. Marble, from same as above.
14. Marble, from same as above.
17. Copper
In the "Handbook on the Minerals and
Mineral Resources of Virginia" prepared by the Virginia Commission to
the St. Louis Exposition, Loudoun is credited with the three comparatively rare
minerals given below. The two first-named occur nowhere else in the State.
"Actinqlite:
Calcium-magnesium-iron, Amphibole,
Ca (Mg Fe)3(Si
O4)3.
Specific Gravity, 3-3.2. Hardness, 5-6. Streak,
uncolored.... Fine radiated olive-green crystals are found ... at
Taylorstown...."
"Tremolite: A variety of
Amphibole. Calcium.
Magnesium Amphibole. Ca Mg2(Si
O4)3.
Specific Gravity, 2.9-3.1. Hardness,
5.6. Long bladed crystals; also columnar and fibrous.
Color, white and grayish. [48]Sometimes nearly transparent. Found in the greenish
talcose rocks at Taylorstown."
Chromite, of which no occurrence
of economic importance has yet been discovered in the County or elsewhere in
"[9]On the eastern
flank of the Catoctin rests a thin belt of mica slate. This rock is composed of
quartz and mica in varying proportions, and this belt, on reaching the Bull Run
Mountain, there expands itself, and forms the whole base of that mountain, and
where the mica predominates, as it does there, it sometimes forms excellent
flagging stones."
[9]
"Immediately at the western base of the
"Along the eastern side of the valley (Loudoun)
gneiss is frequently met with on the surface, and where the larger streams have
worn deep valleys, it is sometimes exposed in high and precipitous cliffs. This
is more particularly the case along
"Another rock that is a valuable
acquisition is hornblende. This kind when first taken from the ground, is always covered as with a coat of rust. This is
doubtless the fact, for the oxydasion of the iron it contains gives it that appearance,
and colors the soil a reddish hue in its immediate vicinity. Wherever this rock
abounds, the soil is durable and the crops are usually heavy. It is sometimes
met with having a fine grain, and so very hard as to be almost brittle, though
generally very difficult to break, and when broken strongly resembling cast-iron, and will sometimes ring, on being struck, almost
as clearly. It was used very much formerly for making journals to run
mill-gudgeons upon. When found on the surface, it is usually of a rounded
form...."
However, much of the rock of the valley partakes
of the nature of both hornblend and gneiss, and has been aptly termed a
"hornblend gneiss rock."
Beds of magnesian or talcose slate, sometimes
containing crystals of sulphuret of iron, are frequently met with in this
section, and at the base of Black Oak Ridge, which is composed chiefly of
chlorite slate and epidote, another bed of magnesian limestone is found.
Containing about 40 per cent of magnesia, it makes an
excellent cement for walls, but is of little or no value as a
fertilizer.
SOILS.[10]
The soils of Loudoun vary greatly in both
geological character and productiveness, every variety from a rich alluvial to an unproductive clay occurring within her boundaries. In
general the soils are deep and rich and profitably cultivated.
The heavy clay soils of Loudoun are recognized
as being the strongest wheat and grass soils. The more loamy soils are better
for corn on account of the possibility of more thorough cultivation. However,
the lands all have to be fertilized or limed to obtain the best results, and
with this added [50]expense the profit in wheat growing is extremely uncertain
on any but the clay soils. The loamy soils are especially adapted to corn,
stock raising, and dairying, and they are largely used
for these purposes. The mountain sandstone soils, which are rough and stony,
are not adapted to any form of agriculture; but for some lines of
horticulture—as, for instance, the production of grapes, peaches, apples and
chestnuts—or forestry they seem to offer excellent opportunities. The schist
soil of the mountains, although rough and stony, is productive, easily worked,
and especially adapted to apples, peaches, and potatoes. The shale and mica
soils, although thin and leachy, are especially adapted to grapes, vegetables,
and berries, and other small fruits. These soils should be managed very
carefully to obtain the best results. They are easily worked and very quickly
respond to fertilization and thorough cultivation. It is very probable that
market gardening and fruit raising on these types
would prove profitable. It seems, however, that peach trees are short lived on
these soils. The meadow lands are low and subject to overflow, although
otherwise well drained. They are best adapted to the production of corn, grass,
and vegetables.
[10] For the bulk of the
information appearing under this caption the author is indebted to Carter's and
Lyman's Soil Survey of the Leesburg Area, published in 1904 by the
United States Department of Agriculture.
That part of the County lying east of a line
drawn from the Potomac River near Leesburg, by Aldie to the Fauquier line, is
much more unproductive than the western portion, partly on account of an
inferior soil, and partly in consequence of an exhausting system of cultivation,
once so common in eastern Virginia, i. e., cropping with corn and tobacco
without attempting to improve the quality of the soil. When impoverished, the
lands were thrown out to the commons.
Large tracts that formerly produced from thirty
to forty bushels of corn to the acre, still remain out
of cultivation, though many of the present proprietors are turning their
attention to the improvement of these soils and are being richly rewarded.
In this section, particularly along
Near the
[11]
[12] Ibid.
There is a huge belt of red land, known as
"the red sandstone formation," extending from the Potomac through a
part of each of the counties of Loudoun, Fairfax, Prince William,
Fauquier, Culpeper, and
Bottom lands of inexhaustible fertility and rich
upland loams are commonly met with north and south of Leesburg for a
considerable distance on either side of the turnpike leading from
Limestone occurs in vast quantities throughout
this zone, and there are present all the propitious elements that will be
enumerated in the treatment of the soils of other areas.
The land here is in a high state of cultivation
and, according to its peculiarly varying and unalterable adaptability, produces
enormous crops of all the staple grains of the County.
The soil in the vicinity of Oatlands, included
in this zone, is stiff and stony, except such as is adjacent to water courses,
or the base of hills, where it is enriched by liberal supplies of decayed
matter, which render it loamy and inexhaustible. In the main, it is of a
generous quality, so pertinaciously retaining fertilizers as to withstand the
washing of the heaviest rains. Still it is an anomaly that some of the richest areas
in this region will not produce wheat; while, in the cultivation of rye, oats,
and corn, satisfactory results are almost invariably obtained. Likewise there
are but a few parcels whereon white clover does not grow spontaneously and in
the greatest abundance. Than these, better pasture lands are found nowhere east
of the
In the
The Loudoun sandy loam consists of from 8 to 12
inches of a heavy brown or gray sandy loam, underlain by a heavy yellow or red
loam or clay loam. Often the subsoil contains a considerable quantity of coarse
sand, making the texture much the same as that of the soil. The sand of the
soil and subsoil is composed of very coarse rounded and subangular quartz
particles. The surface material is not a light sandy loam, but is more like a
loam containing considerable quantities of very coarse quartz fragments. It is
generally quite free from stones, but small areas are occasionally covered with
from 5 to 20 per cent of angular quartz fragments several inches in diameter.
The Loudoun sandy loam occurs in irregular areas
of considerable size in the intermediate valley between the Blue Ridge, Short
Hill, and
The topography of this soil in the valley varies
from gently rolling to hilly, the slopes being long and gently undulating,
while along the valley walls and in the uplands it is ridgy. Owing to the
position which this type occupies, surface drainage is good. The light texture
of the soil admits of the easy percolation of water through it, and, except
where the subsoil contains considerable sand, the soil moisture is well
retained. In dry weather, if the ground is cultivated, a mulch is formed, which
prevents the evaporation of the soil moisture and greatly assists the crops to
withstand drought.
Nearly the whole of this type is in cultivation.
Where the forest still stands the growth consists chiefly of oak. The soil is
easy to handle, and can be worked without regard to moisture content. It is
considered a good corn land, but is too light-textured for wheat, although a
considerable acreage is devoted to this crop. Corn yields at the rate of 40 or
50 bushels per acre, wheat from 12 to 15 bushels and occasionally more, and
grass and clover at the rate of 1 or 2 tons per acre. The productiveness of the
soil depends greatly on the sand content of the subsoil. If the quantity be
large, the soil is [54]porous and requires considerable rain to produce good
yields. If the clay content predominates, a moderate amount of rain suffices
and good yields are obtained. Apples, pears, and small fruits do well on this
soil.
The Penn clay consists of from 6 to 12 inches of
a red or reddish-brown loam, resting upon a subsoil of heavy red clay. The soil
and subsoil generally have the Indian-red color characteristic of the Triassic
red sandstone from which the soil is in part derived. From 1 to 10 per cent of
the soil mass is usually made up of small sandstone fragments, while throughout
the greater part of the type numerous limestone conglomerate ledges,
interbedded with Triassic red sandstone, come to the surface. In other areas of
the type numerous limestone conglomerate bowlders, often of great size, cover
from 10 to 25 per cent of the surface.
This latter phase occurs in the vicinity of the
Potomac River near Point of Rocks,
In a great many places along the base of the
mountain the formation of this type is somewhat complicated by the wash from
the mountain, which consists principally of subangular quartz fragments, from 1
to 4 inches in diameter. This rock sometimes forms as much as 30 or 40 per cent
of the soil mass. This phase is called "gravelly land," and is hard
to cultivate on account of its heavy texture and stony condition, although it
is inherently productive.[55]
This type occurs in one irregular-shaped area,
about 15 miles long, varying from less than 1 mile to 3 or 4 miles in width,
being cut by the Potomac River just east of
The general surface drainage is good, there
being many small streams flowing through the type and emptying into the
Corn, wheat, clover, and grass are the crops
grown, of which the yields are as follows: Corn, from 40 to 60 bushels per
acre; wheat, from 15 to 25 bushels per acre, and clover and grass, from 1-1/2
to 2-1/2 tons of hay per acre.
The Penn clay is the most highly prized soil of
the Piedmont region of Loudoun and brings the highest prices.
The Penn stony loam consists of from 8 to 12
inches of a red or grayish heavy loam, somewhat silty, underlain by a heavier
red loam. From 10 to 60 per cent of gray and brown fragments of Triassic
sandstone, ranging from 1 to 6 inches in thickness, cover the surface of the
soil. The color is in general the dark Indian-red of the other soils derived
from Triassic sandstone, being particularly marked in the subsoil.
This type occurs in the southeastern part of Loudoun,
on the Piedmont Plateau. It occupies three small areas whose [56]total extent probably does
not exceed two and one-half square miles. It is closely associated with the
Penn loam and grades gradually into that type. The only great difference
between the two is the presence of sandstone fragments in the Penn stony loam.
The topography varies from gently rolling to
hilly and ridgy, with slopes that are sometimes rather steep. However, the
surface is not so broken as to interfere with cultivation, and the slopes are
usually gentle.
The type is well drained, the slopes allowing a
rapid flow of water from the surface, while the soil water passes readily
through the soil and subsoil. On the other hand, the texture is sufficiently
heavy to prevent undue leaching and drought.
Little of the land is in cultivation, on account
of its stony character, which makes cultivation difficult. Where unimproved it
is covered with a heavy growth of chestnut, oak, and pine. The land is locally
called "chestnut land." In a few small areas the larger stones have
been removed and the land is cultivated, corn and wheat being the principal
crops. The yield of corn ranges from 20 to 35 bushels and of wheat from 8 to 15
bushels per acre. Apples and small fruits and vegetables do well.
The soil of the Iredell clay loam consists of
from 6 to 18 inches of light loam, usually brown or gray, although sometimes of
a yellowish color, with an average depth of about twelve inches. The subsoil
consists of a heavy yellow to yellowish-brown waxy clay. This clay is cold and
sour, almost impervious to moisture and air, and protects the underlying rock
from decay to a great extent. Often the clay grades into the rotten rock at
from 24 to 36 inches. In the poorly drained areas a few iron concretions occur
on the surface. Numerous rounded diabase bowlders, varying in size from a few
inches to several feet in diameter, are also scattered over the surface of the
soil. Occasional slopes of the type have had the soil covering entirely removed
[57]by erosion, and here,
where the clay appears on the surface, the soil is very poor. In other places,
where the soil covering is quite deep, as from 12 to 18 inches, the type is
fairly productive, and its productiveness is generally proportional to the
depth of the soil.
The local name for the Iredell clay loam is
"wax land," from the waxy nature of the subsoil, or "black-oak
land," from the timber growth. A few small, isolated areas of this soil
occur in the intermediate valley of the Catoctin Belt, and here the texture is
much the same as that described above; but the soil usually consists of from 6
to 10 inches of a drab or brown loam, underlain by a heavy
mottled yellow and drab silty clay. This phase has few stones on the surface or
in the soil. The local names for this phase are "cold, sour land" and
"white clay."
The greater part of the Iredell clay loam occurs
in the southern or southeastern corner of the County and occupies one large,
irregular-shaped but generally connected area, extending from Leesburg, in a
southeasterly and southerly direction along Goose Creek to the southern
boundary of the County, the most typical development of the soil being at
Waxpool. The phase already described occurs in small, disconnected areas,
usually quite far apart, the general relative direction of these areas being
northeast and southwest. They all lie in the intermediate valley of the
Catoctin Belt, and are usually near the foot of the
Where rolling and sloping the surface drainage
is good, the water passing rapidly from the surface into the numerous small
streams flowing into
Corn, wheat, and grass are the principal crops
grown on [58]this soil type, the average
yields per acre being as follows: Corn, from 20 to 40 bushels; wheat, from 8 to
15 bushels; and grass, from 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 tons. Apples do fairly well.
The greater part of the type is tilled, while
the uncultivated areas are used for pasturage and wood lots, the forest growth
being black oak. In dry seasons, where the soil covering is not deep, the land
bakes and cracks, and in this condition it can not be cultivated. In wet seasons
the soil becomes too wet and sticky to work.
The Penn loam consists of from 8 to 12 inches of
a dark, Indian-red loam, underlain by a heavier loam of the same color. This
peculiar red color is distinctive of the formation wherever found, and,
consequently, the type is one easily recognized. The texture of the type is
very uniform, with the exception of a few small areas where the subsoil is a
clay loam. The soil is locally termed "red-rock land," on account of
the numerous small red sandstone fragments which occur in the soil and subsoil
in quantities varying from 5 to 20 per cent of the soil mass. The soil is free
from large stones or other obstructions to cultivation.
This type occurs in several large, irregular
areas on the
The topography consists of a gently rolling to
nearly level plain, and there are no steep slopes or
rough areas. Drainage in this type is excellent, the easy slopes allowing a
gradual flow of water from the surface without undue erosion, except with very
heavy rains on the steeper slopes. The loamy subsoil allows a ready but not too
rapid percolation of surplus soil moisture, and never gets soggy or in a cold, sour condition. Numerous small streams extend throughout the
area of this type, allowing a rapid removal of all surplus water into the
The original growth on the Penn loam was a
forest of oak, hickory, and walnut, but at the present time nearly all of the
type is cleared and farmed. The soil is not naturally very productive, but is
prized on account of its great susceptibility to improvement, its quick
responsiveness to fertilization, and its easy cultivation and management. The
surface is smooth and regular, and the absence of stones, together with the
loamy texture of the soil, makes it easy to maintain good tilth. Any addition
of fertilizers or lime is immediately effective, and by judicious management
the type may be kept in a high state of productiveness. Many fine farms with
good buildings are to be seen on this type. The crops grown are corn, wheat,
grass, clover, apples, and small fruits. Grazing, stock raising,
and dairying are practiced to some extent. The land yields from 40 to 60
bushels of corn, from 10 to 15 or more bushels of wheat, and from 1 to 2 tons
of hay per acre.
The soil of the Cecil loam consists of from 8 to
12 inches of a brown or yellow loam. The subsoil consists of a heavy yellow or
red loam, or occasionally clay loam. The soil and subsoil are usually free from
stones, but occasional areas have from 5 to 30 per cent of angular quartz or
schist fragments on the surface. Often a mica-schist enters into the
composition of the subsoil, giving it a soft and greasy feel.
The greater part of the intermediate valley or
baselevel plain of the Catoctin Belt consists of the Cecil loam, and it occurs
here as one large, connected area, inside of which are small areas of Cecil
clay, Loudoun sandy loam, and Iredell clay loam. A considerable portion of the
The Cecil loam, owing to its rolling character,
is well drained throughout. Many small streams traverse it, affording ample
outlets for surface water. The gently rolling areas are not generally subject
to excessive erosion, but the steeper slopes wash badly, deep gullies and
ditches being formed on the hillsides. Especially subject to erosion are the
areas in which the subsoil contains a relatively large proportion of mica
fragments. The soil and subsoil, though quite loamy, retain enough moisture in
seasons of moderate rainfall to supply all growing crops.
The Cecil loam is devoted entirely to general farming. The crops grown are corn, wheat, grass,
clover, vegetables, apples, and pears. The agricultural interests are further
diversified by the practice of dairying and stock raising.
The land is one of the best corn soils of Loudoun, being loamy and easily
cultivated throughout the growing season. The average yield per acre ranges
from 40 to 60 bushels. Wheat does very well, producing from 12 to 20 bushels
per acre, and more in favorable seasons. Grass and clover yield at the rate of
from 1 to 2 tons of hay per acre and form good grazing during a considerable part
of the year. Apples and pears are grown everywhere on the type, usually in
small orchards, and good yields of these fruits are obtained. Oats were at one
time grown, and can be produced at the rate of from 35 to 50 bushels per acre,
but the present acreage is small, the farmers claiming that this crop rapidly
reduces the productiveness of the soil.
Nearly all of the type is in cultivated crops or
pasture. The original timber growth was oak, hickory, and walnut; but little of
this stands now, except on occasional woodlots. The Cecil loam is a soil which
with careful treatment makes a fine farming land; but carelessly managed it
very quickly deteriorates.
The soil of the Cecil clay consists of a heavy
loam, red or brown in color, and having an average depth of 8 inches. The
subsoil generally consists of a red clay, although it is [61]sometimes a heavy clay loam. The
surface is generally free from stones, though occasional small areas have a few
quartz and granite or schist fragments. In the Piedmont areas small rounded
diabase fragments occur on the surface. Occasionally on steep slopes or high
knobs the soil covering has been washed away, leaving the heavy red clay
exposed on the surface. These areas, however, are small.
The type occurs principally in the intermediate
valley of the Catoctin Belt, between the Blue Ridge and the
The most typical areas of this soil occur in the
Piedmont Plateau and on the gentle slopes at the foot of the
This soil type has excellent surface drainage
and is well watered and drained throughout by small streams. Few of the slopes
are so steep as to wash badly. The heavy clay subsoil retains ample moisture
for plant growth and the soil is rarely so wet as to necessitate tile draining,
although this would undoubtedly be very beneficial in the case of the heavier phases.
The whole of this soil is under cultivation and
it is highly esteemed wherever found, being naturally a strong soil and
susceptible of improvement. The original forest growth consisted of oak,
hickory, and walnut. The land is easily improved, retentive of moisture and
manure, and with careful management makes an excellent soil for general
farming. Owing to its tendency to bake, crops are liable to suffer during
drought.
The land produces wheat, corn, grass, clover,
apples, and pears. It is a strong wheat soil, and yields from 15 to 25 bushels
per acre and occasionally more. Grass and clover [62]hay yield at the rate of 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 tons per acre, while
from 40 to 60 bushels of corn per acre are usually produced in good seasons.
All things considered, the Cecil clay is best
adapted to the production of wheat and grass. The more loamy phases are adapted
to corn, but the type as a whole is a much better wheat land than corn land.
The soil is also well adapted to apples and pears.
The surface soil of the Cecil silt loam consists
of 12 inches of a light gray or white silt loam. This material is underlain by
a subsoil of yellow silt loam slightly heavier than the soil. The type is
locally termed "white land," and is closely related to the Penn loam
and the Iredell clay loam, these types surrounding and grading gradually into
it. In some areas the soil is quite free from stones, while in others from 10
to 30 per cent of the soil mass is composed of small rock fragments.
The type occupies several small areas in the
Piedmont region, in the southeastern part of the County. The largest of these
areas lies about 2 miles east of Leesburg, and a considerable part of the type
is adjacent to the
The drainage is good, but wherever the slopes
are steep erosion proceeds rapidly, making gullies and washed-out places that
hinder or entirely prevent cultivation. The type is well watered by small
streams which flow the year round.
Probably one-half of this type is cultivated.
The remainder [63]is covered with a growth of scrub oak, pine, and some cedar.
The soil is thin and only fairly productive, and consequently is not greatly
desired for agriculture. It is very easy to work, but has to be cultivated
carefully to avoid washing. The crops raised are corn, wheat, grass, and some
apples. Corn yields from 25 to 35 bushels, wheat from 12 to 15 bushels, and
clover and timothy hay from 1 to 2 tons per acre. Small fruits and vegetables
do well.
Although naturally a thin soil, the Cecil silt
loam is fairly well adapted to the production of the crops just named. Of the
small fruits, peaches, plums, and berries do best. On the whole the type is
considered much better adapted to wheat than to corn. It is limed and
fertilized to a considerable extent, and responds well to such applications.
The Cecil mica loam consists of 12 inches of a
friable, micaceous yellow or yellowish red loam, underlain by a yellow or
yellowish-red loam, whose mica content increases with the depth until at 24 to
30 inches the subsoil is little more than a mass of small mica flakes which
gives it a loose texture. Occasionally the subsoil is a clay loam for several
inches before grading into the unweathered mica particles.
On the surface there is from 5 to 40 per cent of
angular quartz fragments, ranging from 1 to 6 inches in diameter, some being
much larger.
The Cecil mica loam occurs as one long, narrow
strip, occupying the lower, gentle eastern slopes of the
The topographic features of the Cecil mica loam
consist of gentle and occasionally steep rolling slopes. The surface
is well drained and on the steeper slopes the soil washes badly and deep
gullies are formed. In a season of moderate rainfall the soil and
subsoil retain considerable moisture, but in dry weather crops suffer from
drought.[64]
No farms are found entirely on the Cecil mica
loam, but those farms of the
The soil of the
The
On the Blue Ridge and Short Hills the
Owing to the steep and rugged surface of this
soil, together with its stony character, superficial drainage is rapid and
thorough, the water rushing in torrents from the mountain [65]slopes, while as a result of
the loose texture and the large number of stone fragments in the soil the water
passes rapidly through it, and there is never an excess of moisture in the soil
or subsoil.
On account of the steep and stony nature of the
The principal growth on the type is chestnut,
oak, and some pine. Probably 95 per cent of the type is uncultivated, and is
valuable only for the timber growth it supports. Where cultivated the average
yields per acre are as follows: Corn, from 10 to 20 bushels; wheat, from 6 to
10 bushels. Apples and especially peaches do fairly well on the mountain phase
where not too stony.
The greater part of the
The Porters clay consists of from 6 to 12 inches
of a brown or reddish-brown loam, underlain by a heavy red loam or clay loam.
The type consists of fairly rough mountain land, and is very stony, having from
15 to 60 percent of small and large schist fragments on the surface, some of
which are several feet in diameter. The soil is light and easy to work wherever
it is not so stony as to interfere with cultivation.
This soil is a strictly mountain type and not of
great extent. It follows the crest and part of the east slope of the
The type is well drained throughout, while the
texture of the subsoil is sufficiently heavy to retain considerable moisture
through quite extended dry spells. The steeper slopes are uncultivated, and
hence are not subject to erosion.[66]
A considerable proportion of this soil type is
under cultivation, especially on the broad mountain top. Those areas not cultivated
are covered with a heavy growth of oak, hickory, locust, and walnut. Corn and
wheat can be grown on the type with fair yields, but little of the latter is
grown on account of the stony nature of the land. Corn yields from 20 to 35
bushels, wheat from 8 to 15 bushels, and grass and clover from 1 to 2 tons per
acre. Irish and sweet potatoes give good yields, and fine apples and peaches
are produced. Peaches are liable to winterkill, and the crop is uncertain for
this reason. This type is peculiarly adapted to fruit growing, and especially
to the production of apples.
The Meadow of Loudoun is usually a brown silty
or sandy loam, with a depth of several feet. The type occurs in narrow bands
along the larger streams, forming a bottom or low terrace a few feet above the
mean water level. The nature of the soil depends greatly on the surrounding
soils, as it is formed from sediment of the wash from these types and partakes
of their textural characteristics to some extent.
The type, while low and flat, is generally well
enough drained for cultivation, although this is somewhat hindered by
overflows; consequently the land is chiefly used for grazing. The soil is
alluvial in origin, being built up by successive overflows of the streams.
Little of the type is forested. Where cultivated it is generally used for corn,
which yields from 50 to 75 bushels an acre. Little wheat is grown, although the
soil is capable of producing fair yields of this crop. It also produces from 2
to 3 tons of hay per acre, and affords excellent pasturage. The crops are
somewhat uncertain, however, on account of overflows which sometimes occur
after the planting season, though in the case of the River the danger from
flood is usually past before the time for corn planting. Where the areas are in
grass the floods usually do little damage. Productiveness is in a great measure
maintained by the addition of the sediments left by the overflow waters.[67]
Flora.—Records of the days of
early settlement point to a scarcity and an inferiority of large timber in
Loudoun (then Prince William) and contiguous counties. The responsibility for
this condition has been traced to the hunters who frequented this region prior
to its settlement and wantonly set fire to the forests in order to destroy
underbrush, the better to secure their quarries. A comparatively dense and
vigorous new growth followed the discontinuance of this pernicious practice.
At the present time, after the encroachment of
field and pasture for nearly two centuries, a large portion of the county's
area is still under forest cover. The stand, in the main, is somewhat above
average size and quality.
The total value of forest products cut or
produced on farms in 1899 was $51,351. This includes only the wood, lumber,
railroad ties, etc., which the farmers cut in connection with their ordinary
farming operations. The reports of persons making lumbering or wood cutting
their principal business are not included.
The trees common to Loudoun are four varieties
of the white oak, i. e., common, swamp, box, and chestnut-leaved, the latter,
however, appearing only along the margin of the Potomac River; black, Spanish,
and red oak, chestnut oak, peach or willow oak, pin oak; and in the eastern
parts of the county, black jack, or barren oak, and dwarf oak, hickory, black
and white walnut, white and yellow poplar, chestnut, locust, ash, sycamore,
wild cherry, red flowering maple, gum, sassafras, persimmon, dogwood, red and
slippery elm, black and white mulberry, aspin (rare), beech, birch, linn,
honey-locust, sugar maple, sugar nut, yellow and white pine, hemlock, and red
cedar.
Among the smaller trees and shrubs are the white
thorn, maple-leaved or Virginia thorn (suitable for hedging), hawthorn, wild
May cherry, or service berry, water beech, fringe tree, red bud, black alder,
common alder, sumach, elder, laurel, witch-hazel, hazel-nut, papaw, chinkapin,
burnish [68]bush,
nine bark, button-bush, honeysuckle, several varieties of the whortleberry or
huckleberry, and wild gooseberry.
A few of the brambles met with are the
greenbrier, high blackberry, dewberry, or low blackberry, and raspberry.
A list of the vines and creepers would comprise
the fox grape, three varieties; pigeon, or raccoon grape, chicken grape, a wild
bitter grape, sarsaparilla, yellow parilla, poison-vine, or poison-oak,
clematis, trumpet-flower, and wild potato vine.
The medicinal herbs found in Loudoun are the
rattlesnake root, Seneca snakeroot (also called
The injurious plants with which the careful
farmer must contend are the wild garlic, tribby weed, dog fennel, two varieties
of the common daisy, oxeye daisy, St. John's wort, blue thistle, common
thistle, pigeon-weed, burdock, broad and narrow-leaved dock, poke-weed,
clot-bur, three-thorned bur, supposed to have been introduced from Spain by the
Merino sheep, Jamestown or "jimson" weed, sorrel, and, in favorable
seasons, a heavy growth of lambs quarter and rag-weed.
Of introduced grasses, Loudoun has red clover,
timothy, herd's-grass, orchard-grass, and
Although some of the wild flowers of Loudoun
merit the attention of the florist, as a whole they have no commercial value or
significance and, for this reason, an enumeration of the many varieties has not
been thought expedient.
Fauna.—Wild ducks, geese, and
turkeys, pheasants (English and Mongolian), partridges and woodcock are among
the game fowls of Loudoun, and eagles, crows, buzzards, owls, [69]and hawks among the
predatory. The usual list of songbirds frequent this
region in great numbers and receive some protection under the stringent fish
and game laws in force here.
Red and gray foxes, raccoons, opossums,
woodchucks, squirrels, hares and smaller animals are quite general.
In pioneer days the county abounded in the
larger species of game common to the forests of
TRANSPORTATION
FACILITIES.[13]
Good roads, always of immeasurable importance to
the farmer, were early made necessary by the tremendous crops of marketable
products harvested from Loudoun lands. Though this need, in time, became
imperative the roads were never hastily and imperfectly constructed; they were
built with an eye single to permanence and with due allowance for generations
of unintermittent and augmentative traffic.
These roads yielded their promoters modest
dividends, but with the completion in 1832 of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal,
bordering the county just across the Potomac, transportation to and from
Washington (Georgetown) and Alexandria was materially cheapened and the
earnings of the turnpike companies suffered a corresponding decrease, the
income, in many cases, being barely sufficient to defray the expense of
maintenance. Tolls are now collected at only two points, in the County.
[13] No apology is offered for the
omission of vital statistics that might and would have been included in this
department had earnest appeals addressed to State officers and the State
Corporation Commission met with more courteous and, I might add, dutiful
consideration. Not the least assistance was vouchsafed by any of them.—The Author.
The turnpike craze spread to Loudoun not long
after the War of Independence and culminated about forty years later. It
wrought a revolution in public travel, relatively nearly as great as that
brought about by the railway craze in more recent years. The corporate names of
some of the roads constructed through Loudoun before its subsidence were, the
The system did not originate solely in a local
want or demand along the lines contemplated. Other causes were also at the
bottom of the movement. The settlement of the County was necessarily by
progressive though, at times, apparently simultaneous steps. First came the
settlement and location of one or two towns, and the opening of communication
between them; then the advent of the trapper, hunter, and scout into the
unsettled portion; then came the land grants and the settlement in isolated
localities; then the blazed trail to the parent towns and to the cabin of the
pioneer or the outposts; then the drift-ways, cart-ways, and the local roads
winding from cabin to cabin; then the town-ways and county roads, with here and
there the "provincial" highways.
Today, the public roads and turnpikes of Loudoun
are unquestionably better than those of most counties and, in obedience to a
popular demand, are kept in a fair state of repair. One or two of the
main-traveled thoroughfares would compare favorably with the best rural roads
in the country.
Long before the Civil War, Little River was rendered
navigable from its mouth to Aldie by means of a lock and dam system, this and
more far-reaching improvements having been undertaken by the "
Loudoun is traversed by the Washington and Ohio
Division of the Southern Railway, which penetrates the County [71]centrally from east to west and
furnishes an outlet for her immense shipments of cattle, grain and miscellaneous
products. No less than twelve stopping points are recognized within her limits,
at all but three of which commodious stations have been erected.
The original purpose of the promoters was to
extend this road to the coal-fields of
The cost of construction between
The northern edge of the County is in easy
communication with the main line of the
Large steel bridges, spanning the Potomac at
Harpers Ferry,
Further communication with the north is made
possible by a ferry (White's) in constant operation between Loudoun and the
Leesburg.
Leesburg, a fine old town, the county-seat of
Loudoun, lies at the eastern base of
The town derives its name from the Lees, who
were among the early settlers of the County, and was established
by act of the General Assembly, in September, 1758, in the thirty-second year
of the reign of George II. Nicholas Minor, who owned sixty acres of land about
the court-house, had subdivided this tract and some of the lots had been built
upon prior to the passage of the act. This instrument constituted "the
Hon. Philip Ludwell Lee, Esq., Thomas Mason, Esq., Francis Lightfoot Lee
(father of 'Light Horse Harry' of subsequent Revolutionary fame), James
Hamilton, Nicholas Minor, Josias Clapham, Æneas Campbell, John Hugh, Francis
Hague, and William West, gentlemen," trustees for the newly established
town. Prior to its establishment it had borne the name
[14]"In its birth and infancy the town was
destined to win renown, for it was first founded as a fort or outpost of the
then struggling colony of Virginia, as its narrow streets and close, little red
brick houses still testify, and for many years was the most westerly post of
the colony. At one time the entire town was enclosed by stockades...."
"Following its establishment the little
fort became the principal outfitting post for the British and colonial forces
in the French and Indian war. Tradition still fondly points to the stone house,
famous as the headquarters of General Braddock, who, it is claimed, passed
through the place on his last fatal march to the wilderness; but in the light
of thorough investigation this claim is found to be unsubstantiated. [73]While a division of his
army, under command of the eccentric old Sir Peter Halkett, did undoubtedly
spend the night at the plantation of Nicholas Minor, the principal founder of
the town, General Braddock is found to have gone in another direction."
[14] Mrs. A. H. Throckmorton in the
Leesburg is governed by a mayor and common
council and had at the time of the last government census (1900) a population
of 1,513. An unusual percentage of its people are well educated, and all
proverbially hospitable.
The houses, many of which are of brick and stone
construction, are built in a compact and substantial manner. In the town and
its environs are many of the most palatial residences to be seen in
With an elevation less than most points in the
County, Leesburg, nevertheless, shares with them the distinction of being unsurpassed
for healthfulness and picturesqueness of surroundings.
Crossing at right angles, its streets are
regular and spacious and lighted by electricity. Many of its dwellings and
business houses are also equipped with electric lighting facilities, power for
which is generated at a plant located near
Some of the municipal advantages not already
enumerated are a sewerage system, a fire department, a public library, police
protection and a thoroughly modern system of water-works of a capacity
sufficient to supply the entire corporation with absolutely pure water from a
noted spring issuing near the base of
Some of the public buildings are a town hall,
one of the largest brick edifices in Northern Virginia; a comparatively new
court-house and a clerk's office,[15] both venerable structures [74]with imposing façades
lending them an exquisite air of Colonialism, the two liberally disposed over a
fenced area with sloping lawns and umbrageous shade; a brick jail (County)
containing eight steel cells, commodious residential quarters for the jailer
and his family and having, as an humanitarian feature, a sunny court with
towering walls; a remodelled brick academy and a colored school, both
comprising primary, intermediate, and high school divisions, and provided with
ample educational facilities and extensive playgrounds.
[15] Prior to 1873, the
The town has 7 churches representing all the
leading denominations, a Young Men's Christian Association branch, 5 fraternal
orders and a weekly newspaper. Eight trains arrive at and depart from Leesburg
daily.
Among the local enterprises are two handsome
banking houses (the "Loudoun National Bank" and "Peoples
National Bank"), 2 large hotels affording accommodations for 130 guests,
several boarding houses, stores handling every class and grade of merchandise,
an artificial ice plant with a daily capacity of 5 tons, a large race course on
the outskirts of the town where are held annually a horse show, races and other
like events, a confectionery and bakery, an ice cream factory, a pop factory,
two harness factories, a lumber and planing mill, 2 private schools, 3
cobblers' establishments, 2 livery stables, 3 blacksmith shops, 2 furniture
houses, 2 undertaking establishments, 2 grain elevators, a lime quarry, 3
wheelwright shops, 2 tinning establishments, a concrete construction plant,
monument works, wood and coal yard, Standard Oil Company's branch and packing
house.
Leesburg probably has more than the usual number
of resident physicians, lawyers, and mechanics to be found in towns of a
corresponding size.
Round Hill, a thriving railway town in the
western part of the County, lies 3 miles east of
Bluemont, 3 miles west of Purcellville, and 53 miles from the city of
Hamilton, one of the prettiest towns in the
County, is spread over a considerable area and occupies one of the highest
points in the beautiful
Purcellville, in the western part of the County
with an approximate elevation of 500 feet, is about 50 miles from [76]
Middleburg, situated on
Ashburn, a railway town in lower Loudoun,
formerly known as Farmwell, is 34 miles from
Bluemont, formerly known as Snickersville,
is an attractive village, snugly and advantageously situated at the
southeastern base of the Blue Ridge Mountains, about 3 miles from Round Hill,
54 miles by rail from
Other towns, post villages and settlements in
the County are: Airmont, 2-1/2 miles from Bluemont, population 25; Aldie,
on Little River, 5 miles from both Middleburg and Oatlands and 12 miles from
Leesburg, the County seat, population 155, 7 merchants and mechanics; Arcola,
6 miles from Sterling and 12 miles from Leesburg, population 100, 4 merchants
and mechanics; Belmont Park, a small railway station on the east bank of
Goose Creek about 4 miles east of Leesburg, formerly a picturesque resort and
popular excursion point managed by the old Richmond and Danville Railroad
Company, attracting, during the few years of its operation, many thousands of
visitors; Bloomfield, 7 miles from Round Hill, population 50; Britain,
8 miles from Purcellville, population 15; Clarkes Gap, one of the
highest and healthiest points in the County and an important shipping point,
draining a large extent of fertile country, 4 miles west of Leesburg,
population 25; Conklin, 10 miles from Sterling, population 10; Daysville,
2 miles from Sterling, population 20; Elvan, 1 mile from Lovettsville,
population 18; Evergreen Mills, 7 miles from Leesburg, population 10; Georges
Mill, in the extreme northwestern part of the County; Hillsboro, 5 miles
by stage from Purcellville, population 131, 9 merchants and mechanics; Hughesville,
7 miles from Leesburg, population 12; Irene, on the Southern Railway one
mile from Hamilton and the railroad station for that town, population 20; Leithton,
8 miles from Purcellville and Round Hill, population 25; Lenah, 3 miles [78]west of Arcola,
population 25; Levy, on Bull Run, 3 miles south of Aldie; Lincoln,
2-1/2 miles southeast of Purcellville, in the heart of the "Quaker
Settlement," population 200, 3 merchants and mechanics; Lovettsville,
2-1/2 or 3 miles south of Brunswick, Md., and 7 miles from both Waterford and
Harpers Ferry, W. Va., in an industrious and progressive German neighborhood,
population 97, 16 merchants and mechanics; Luckets, 5 miles from Point
of Rocks, Maryland, and 7 miles from Leesburg, population 50, 8 merchants and
mechanics; Lunette, 4 miles south of Arcola, population 10; Mahala,
2 miles from Ashburn, population 15; Mechanicsville; Mountain Gap,
4-1/2 miles by stage from Leesburg, population 25; Mount Gilead, a
centrally and charmingly situated village on Catoctin Mountain about 8 miles
respectively from the towns of Leesburg, Middleburg and Aldie, population 50; Mountville,
a small settlement in a neighborhood abounding with best quality lime and other
minerals, 2-1/2 miles southeast of Philomont and about 1-1/2 miles from both
the waters of Goose Creek and Beaver Dam, population 25; Morrisonville,
6 miles by stage from Brunswick, Maryland, and 4 miles from Lovettsville,
population 20; Neersville, 5 miles by stage from Harpers Ferry, W. Va.,
population 25; North Fork, 6 miles from Purcellville, population 26; Oatlands,
bordering on Catoctin Mountain 7 miles southwest of Leesburg and 5 miles north
of Aldie, population 20; Pæonian Springs, 1 mile northwest of Clarke's
Gap, population 112, 6 merchants and mechanics; Paxson, an exceptionally
healthy community 2 miles east of Bluemont, population 15; Philomont, a
Quaker settlement lying 3 miles southeast of Silcott Springs in a fertile and
wealthy wheat-growing neighborhood, population 161; Royville, 2 miles
north of Arcola; Ryan, 2 miles south of Ashburn, population 50; Silcott
Springs, a one-time noted resort 3-1/2 miles southwest of Purcellville,
population 25; Sycoline, between 4 and 5 miles south of Leesburg; Stumptown,
2 miles from Luckets, population 20; Taylorstown, 3 miles southwest of
Point of Rocks, Md., population 50; Trapp, 5 miles from Bluemont,
population 36; Unison, 6 miles from Bluemont and 9 [79]miles from Purcellville,
population 100, 3 merchants and mechanics; Watson, 9 miles from
Leesburg, population 10; Waxpool, 2-1/2 miles north of Royville and 8
miles from Leesburg, population 25; Welbourne, about 5 miles northeast
of Upperville, in Fauquier county; Wheatland, 5 miles from both Hamilton
and Purcellville, population 25; Willard, 5 miles southwest of Herndon,
in Fairfax county, and Woodburn, 3 miles from Leesburg, population 15.