The W&OD Trail runs all the way to Purcellville, giving the town a clear connection to outdoor activity. Historic buildings, the Purcellville Historic District, and events also offer opportunities for cultural discovery. This gives you several ways to plan your trip: an activity on the trail, architecture and local history, or a stay timed to coincide with an event.
W&OD Trail: a long route with several ways to enjoy it
The paved W&OD Trail is 45 miles long and runs from Shirlington to Purcellville. You can use it for cycling, walking, skating, or running. So cycling is not the only activity on offer: the different ways to use the trail open up different ways to experience it. For your own plans, the first thing to consider is which option suits your stay.
Another notable point along the trail is Purcellville Train Station. It is located in the downtown business district, where the trail meets North 21st Street. Its location provides a specific landmark for understanding the route and connects it with a historic building.
Buildings and historic preservation
The Purcellville Historic District is characterized by a varied collection of residential, commercial, religious, and institutional properties dating from 1830 to 1957. Many properties in the Purcellville Historic District are visible from public rights-of-way. Numerous properties are privately owned and not necessarily open to visitors, so you can take in the historic townscape without needing to visit private property.
Purcellville Train Station was built in 1904 and is listed in both the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register. Another architectural example is the Queen Anne-style Walter Hirst House on East Main Street. The style name provides a specific point of reference if you are interested in different forms of historic architecture.
Fireman’s Field is a 13-acre park in the heart of the Purcellville Historic District. The property of Fireman’s Field is also listed in the state and national registers of historic places. Bush Tabernacle was built in 1903 and is one of only three surviving structures in Virginia built for such Bush Meetings. Together, these places illustrate different aspects of Purcellville’s architectural and historic preservation history.
Landscape and events
The surrounding landscape is also part of the town’s character: Purcellville is near the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Dillon’s Woods is Purcellville’s largest remaining urban forest. These two features add a connection to the landscape and remaining urban forest to the picture of the town’s architectural history.
The annual Purcellville Wine and Food Festival brings together local wineries and vineyards, breweries, food establishments, art demonstrations, and live music. The Purcellville Artisan Tour takes place on the first weekend in November and showcases artists from the region. While the festival brings together several culinary and cultural offerings, the tour focuses on regional artists. Event dates can change, so check the exact dates before planning your trip.
Choose a focus for your trip
For an activity-focused trip, the paved trail and its four listed uses take center stage. If you are more interested in local history, you can explore different architectural styles, historic listings, and the district itself. The landscape and events calendar offer other perspectives. This lets you choose what to focus on in Purcellville based on your particular interests, rather than trying to fit everything into a tightly packed itinerary.
Discover more destinations: Middleburg, Lovettsville, Ashburn, Sterling, Leesburg
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