Paeonian Springs

Paeonian Springs is an unincorporated community in Loudoun County , Virginia . It is located six kilometers northwest of the county seat of Leesburg near the intersection of Charles Town Pike ( Virginia State Route 9 ) with the Harry Byrd Highway ( Virginia State Route 7 ).

history

Paeonian Springs was founded in 1890. The Washington & Old Dominion Railroad , which was very important for the place , ran through the place at that time. It brought Washington residents to the countryside in the summer in the early 20th century , where they could escape the heat of the big city. The spring water became a booming business for industry, it was bottled and even shipped to Congress in Washington.

In 1901 there were three hotels in Paeonian Springs, a city center that expanded from the depot , and a community meadow. From 1912 a promenade connected the depot with the post office, a pastry shop and mill , a blacksmith , a wheel maker and a grocery store. The village also had two private schools and the Cacoctin Free Church , a church founded by eleven people after they were fired from the Leesburg Presbyterian Church .

The area began to decline in the 1920s. The promenade was almost completely dilapidated. In 1929 the mill burned down and the church was destroyed by a hurricane . The discovery of antibiotics made it no longer necessary to flee the city in the summer for health reasons. The private schools were incorporated into the public school system and the use of the railway line declined sharply with the rise in popularity of automobiles.

Today, the Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Trail , a paved path that was built for recreational activities on the route of the historic Washington & Old Dominion Railroad , is a reminder of that time.

Web links

• History of Paeonian Springs

Coordinates: 39 ° 9 ′  N , 77 ° 37 ′  W