Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection open for research.

Use Restrictions

No physical characteristics affect use of this material.

Preferred Citation

Round Hill Minutes Transcription (SC 0016), Thomas Balch Library, Leesburg, VA.

Acquisition Information

Edward R. Gray, Round Hill, VA

Alternative Form Available

None

Accruals

2007.0013

Processing Information

Processed by D. Nichole Recker, 1 March 2007

Historical Information

Round Hill began as a small community formed on a tract of land granted to Thomas Gregg from Lord Fairfax in 1741. Germans arrived in Loudoun County and settled near the Potomac River. From around 1730, the central part of Western Loudoun was home to few people other than trappers and squatters until Quakers obtained land grants and settled in Waterford, Lincoln, Woodgrove, and what was eventually to be known as Round Hill.

Especially in comparison with Round Hill at this time, Woodgrove was alive with activity and development. Woodgrove's rapid growth lost momentum in 1832-33 when the turnpike was built, which deflected traffic towards Round Hill on the straightest route from Leesburg to Winchester through the Blue Ridge Mountains. Construction of the railroad in 1875 from Washington DC to Round Hill shifted even more significant commercial activity from Woodgrove. By 1893, the Methodist Church was no longer holding services in Woodgrove as the bulk of the congregation met in Round Hill.

Partially owing to the railway and to the clean air of the town, many passengers traveled from dusty Washington DC during summer months to escape the heat of the city. Round Hill accommodated these guests in large boarding houses and inns, becoming known as a resort town served by large livery stables.

Round Hill was officially named such in 1858 when the community petitioned the postal department and received their own Post Office. When the railroad opened in 1875, stage coach carried passengers further on to Winchester, Berryville or Snickersville. In 1900 the railway was extended to Bluemont which became the terminus for the railroad for the next twenty-five years. The railroad quickly became the base of the town's economic prosperity. In 1873 Round Hill had two stores and a Post Office. In 1883, however, it had added several large houses, a bustling railway station, shoe-shop, blacksmith, church, one school in town, three livery stables, literary society, and spoke and handle factory. In addition, a harness shop, paint shop, creamery, stove and tin shop, and cabinet shop were then all in the process of opening. With the increase of automobiles and trucking traffic, the railroad operations became increasingly unprofitable by late 1930. Service to the railway ended in 1939.

The town was officially incorporated on 5 Feb 1900 by the General Assembly of Virginia. State Senator George Ford became the town's first Mayor. The Town Council consisted of six members and the Mayor serving four year terms and two year terms, respectively. Landon O. Hammerly (1860-1943), R. Scott Paxson (1861-1902), Eppa H. Conard (1868-?), J. Benton Taylor (nd) and James E. Carruthers (1848-1901) were elected as the first Town Council with Luther Hurst (1870-1936) as the town sergeant. The location of the Council's meetings is not mentioned until 1925. The Council began meeting at Ford's store at 23 Main Street, moved frequently, and eventually voted to have a town office in 1960.

The Council immediately set up town ordinances regulating building permits, animal control, water, and sewer concerns. Villagers used their own or shared wells until 1914 when the town purchased a lot in order to construct a water reservoir. Round Hill feared major costs in the necessity to expand sewer treatment plants and water reservoir capacity to supply the increasing demand from both the town and the growth outside town boundaries. Both sewer and water considerations are prevalent throughout the minutes.

Scope and Content

This collection is transcribed directly from original town minutes and is stored on CD. Contents are arranged individually by year, beginning with the Round Hill Town Charter. These minutes contain entries from the Town Council meetings from 1900 to 2000 on all aspects of town maintenance and governance, including ordinances regarding sanitation (disease, water, sewer), roads (speed limits, names, street widening, paving, DWI), permits (building, traveling shows), defense (WWII shelters), celebrations, services (electricity, telephone, trash removal), finances, and town history (sycamore tree, Ford's store). As a direct transcription, the document also contains entries regarding the Town Council's administration, such as attendance records, location, and adjournment notes.

Inclusive dates are 1900-2000, with the bulk of entries dating from 1975-1999.

Related Material

Round Hill Town Minutes Abstracts (SC 0013), Thomas Balch Library, Leesburg, VA; A Story of Round Hill , REF 975.528 THO

Adjunct Descriptive Data

Bibliography

Other Finding Aid

None

Technical Requirements

Computer with CD-Rom