Place:Culpeper, Virginia, United States
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Culpeper County is a county located in the U.S. state — officially, "Commonwealth" — of Virginia. As of the 2000 census, the population was 34,262. Its county seat is Culpeper.
History
Culpeper County was established in 1749 from Orange County. The county is named for Lord Thomas Culpeper. During the Civil War the Battle of Cedar Mountain took place on August 9, 1862 and the Battle of Brandy Station on June 9, 1863, in Culpeper County. In May 1749, the first Culpeper Court convened in the home of Robert Coleman, not far from where the Town of Culpeper is presently located. In July 1749, 17-year-old George Washington was commissioned as the first County surveyor. One of his first duties was to lay out the County's courthouse complex, which included the courthouse, jail, stocks, gallows and accessory buildings. By 1752 the complex stood at what is presently the northeast corner of Davis and Main Streets. The courthouse village was named the Town of Fairfax after Thomas, Sixth Baron Fairfax. At the Virginia convention held in May 1775, the colony was divided into sixteen districts. Each district had instructions to raise a battalion of men ``to march at a minute's notice. Culpeper, Orange and Fauquier, forming one district, raised 350 men who came to be called the Culpeper Minute Men. The Minute Men, marching under their flag depicting a rattlesnake and inscribed with the words ``Liberty or Death and ``Don't Tread on Me, took part in the Battle of Great Bridge, the first Revolutionary battle on Virginia soil. The Culpeper Minute Men reorganized in 1860 in response to the impending Civil War and became part of 13th Infantry's Company B. Andrew Stevenson, Speaker of the House of Representatives from 1827 to 1834, was born in Culpeper County on Jan. 21, 1784. Over the past 25 years, the rural nature of Culpeper County has experienced increasing pressures from population growth due to the County's central location within the Northern Virginia region and the improved highway network that serves the area. Culpeper, wishes to maintain its rural character and avoid becoming a bedroom community to the nearby metropolitan area around Washington, D.C. However, the County recognizes the need not only to maintain, but to expand its economic base to support and address the needs of the citizens of the County. Culpeper was home to baseball Hall of Famer Eppa Rixey. Culpeper also produced pro basketball player Keith "Mister" Jennings. Culpeper produced country music star Kenny Alphin of the group "Big & Rich." Culpeper County is in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are quickly accessed beginning with Old Rag Mountain and the Skyline Drive just up Route 522. Culpeper County is home to Commonwealth Park, site for many world-class equestrian events. It was here that actor Christopher Reeve suffered his accident during a competition. Culpeper is home to famous battlefield at Brandy Station and the boyhood home to Civil War Gen. A.P. Hill. Culpeper was once rated as one of America's best "Top 10 Small Towns". Timeline
Population History
External LinksCulpeper County Clerk of the Circuit Court <http://www.culpepercounty.gov/CircuitCourt/index.asp>
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