Barber Medical Office

Location: 226 East Davis Street, Culpeper, Virginia

  • Per Culpeper county 2021 tax assessor records, the building was built in 1890 and the property contains 0.01 acres.
  • Medical practice was in a two-story building in Culpeper. Dr. Barber’s office was on the ground floor, to the right of the building’s front entrance door.
  • Ownership of the building was transferred to Culpeper Historic Preservation in 1987 per Culpeper county tax assessor records and later to several other owners.
  • Current owner of the property/building is Dru Curd-Martin with her business, Merle Norman Cosmetics.

Building’s Occupant: African American Business and Proprietor
Dr. Elijah Barber, Jr.

  • Opened medical practice and office in 1931 at 226 East Davis Street, Culpeper, Virginia
  • Dr. Barber served both colored and white patients in his downtown office, home office and traveling to patients’ homes performing “house calls” 24/7/365. A practice and routine that doctors no longer perform.
  • In later years, Dr. Barber operated medical practice with full time office staff consisting of his wife, Mrs. Priscilla Barber and Mrs. Dora Hearns Johnson and Angela Chapman, part-time high school student.
  • In later years, the Town of Culpeper erected a “Doctor Parking” sign in front of his office to ensure he always had street parking for his car in front of his office door.
  • Dr. Barber retired from medical practice in 1988 at the age of 90. He practiced medicine for fifty-seven years in this same East Davis Street office.
  • Additional personal and professional information of Dr. Barber is contained in his bio submitted and researched by the author, Angela Chapman