Philomont is a small unincorporated rural village in western Loudoun County, Virginia. The name is derived from the Greek word "philo" meaning "beloved" and the French word "mont" or "mountain". Thus translated Philomont means "Beloved Mountain". It was established in the 19th century by Quakers. Philomont is located in the heart of Virginia's "Hunt Country", just eight miles north of Middleburg and about seven miles south of Purcellville. The greater Philomont area is known for horse farms, large estates, winding gravel roads, rolling hills and stacked stone walls. Philomont lies on the flanks of the relatively small Catoctin Mountain and to the west of the community lies the Blue Ridge Mountains. The community boasts an active community center [1], volunteer fire department [2] and the Philomont Store as well as several bed & breakfast retreats. [3] [4]According to the Journal of the Philomont Historical Association the original Philomont Store opened in 1843 with the name Milhollen Brothers. Today the Philomont Store features a selection of wines, beer, and "pulled pork" sandwiches.[5]
One of the village's seminal annual events is the Fire Department Barbecue held in May. This fundraiser features slow cooked beef with BBQ sauce and all the fixings and sides including coleslaw and green beans.
The town earned a reputation with traditional outdoorsmen and the social elite when actor Robert Duvall[6] purchased an 1800's horse farm in close proximity to the General Store. Occasional evenings one would find the likes of Willy Nelson and Johnny Cash at Duvall's cabin playing impromptu sessions along with Duvall. There is a profound sense of community and respect for traditional values.
The Philomont area has seen significant development over the past decade. The village is located in one of the fastest growing counties in the United States.[7] Fortunately, the rural flavor of the area has been largely retained. In fact it is one of only two towns in the Commonwealth which residents must pick up their mail at the General Store. The region is popular with day-trippers from the Washington, D. C. metropolitan area to the east as well as bicyclists and motorcyclists. The village is located along the scenic and historic "Snickersville Pike" a State Scenic Byway.[8] The "Pike" runs for approximately sixteen miles from U. S. Route 50 in Aldie to the village of Bluemont on Blue Ridge Mountain.
Philomont was the home of the Stephen Roszell family, early converts to the Methodist Faith, as the result of frequent visits from itinerant horseback riding Francis Asbury, co-worker with the Wesley brothers who brought their faith to this country. The Roszell farmhouse "Shelburne" still exists today, on the Snickersville Pike,with its adjoining family cemetery. Also still in regular use and a center of the community is the historic ROSZELL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, named in honor of The Rev. Stephen Roszell, one of the early Methodist preachers.
External links
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
