Surrounded by grand estates and scenic farmland, Upperville is a principal geographic reference point for Virginia’s renowned hunt country. This linear village in Fauquier County, on the boundary with Loudoun County, was laid out in 1797 by Joseph Carr along the Alexandria-Winchester Turnpike. Carr planned the lower or western end for commerce and the upper or eastern end for residential use, with the town taking its name from the residential portion. The village’s entire length preserves detached country versions of various 19th-century styles in brick, wood, and log, all shaded by masses of trees. A striking, albeit modern, accent is the 1950s Trinity Episcopal Church, in the style of a French medieval parish church. Designed by H. Page Cross of New York, the church was donated by philanthropist and parishioner Paul Mellon. Upperville is the home of the nation’s oldest horse show; the Upperville Horse Show was founded in 1853 by Richard Henry Dulany.

An update to the Upperville Historic District nomination was approved in 2021.  This document includes a comprehensive inventory of the properties within the district, and additional historical context concerning the development of the Upperville community from its beginnings in the late-18th century through the mid-20th century. Phases of local history that were particularly in need of broader explanation included the contributions of African American residents, the influence of the Civil War battles of Unison and Upperville, and the town’s earliest years of development.
[NRHP Approved: 10/6/2021]