Browse among the delightful array of quaint shops and inns. There
are approximately 600 people currently residing in the town. Established in 1787 by Revolutionary War Lieutenant Colonel
and Virginia statesman, Levin Powell, he purchased the land
for Middleburg at $2.50 an acre from Joseph Chinn, first
cousin to George Washington. Previously called "Chinn's
Crossroads," Powell chose the name Middleburg because
of the town's location midway between Alexandria and Winchester
on the Ashby Gap trading route (now Route 50).
Since the 1730s, Middleburg had been a staging point for
weary travelers along the Ashby Gap Road. The legacy of
the colonial era continues today at Middleburg's charming
inns that provide first rate accommodations to visitors
from around the world.
There are several inns located within the corporate limits,
including the historic Red Fox Inn and Tavern. It is billed
as the "oldest original inn in America". The Red
Fox Tavern was a meeting spot for Confederate Colonel John
Mosby and his Rangers. A century later, President Kennedy's
press secretary, Pierre Salinger, held press conferences
at the Red Fox in the Jeb Stuart Room.
Across the street is another gracious reminder of the past -
the Windsor House Inn, circa 1824. During the Civil War,
it was known as the Colonial Inn; and, was run by Catherine
Broun. Although Catherine sympathized with the South, she
generously served meals to Union troops at the inn as well
when they occupied Middleburg in 1862.
After the turn of the century, Middleburg began welcoming
a new wave of visitors that descended on the town for foxhunting
and steeplechasing. The charming village soon earned a reputation
as the "Nation's Horse and Hunt Capital," attracting
prominent visitors from across the United States.
Serving as a host community for more than 250 years, it
is no surprise that Middleburg has developed such a high
concentration of fine inns, shops and restaurants.
Middleburg was recognized in 2008 for its historic preservation efforts by being designated a Preserve America Community by then-First Lady Laura Bush.
