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Rapidan Historic District Image
A large, white-painted, two-story building with a red door, located in Rapidan, Virginia. The sign reads A white Gothic-style church with tall spires and pointed arches stands against a clear blue sky. The surrounding grounds are grassy with scattered trees, some with bare branches. The building is adorned with two wreaths on the front doors.A yellow, two-story wooden barn with a steep, grayish roof and small white-framed windows. The barn is surrounded by a wooden fence. Leafless trees stand in the background under a clear blue sky.A small, white historical house with gothic-style architecture, featuring a steep gabled roof, decorative trim, and diamond-shaped windows. Surrounding bushes and trees partly without leaves indicate a winter setting. A historical marker stands in the yard.A white wooden church with a tall bell tower and a bright red front door under a clear blue sky. A smaller white building with a green roof stands nearby. There are trees with bare branches and a green fence in the foreground. Two children are playing on the lawn.A two-story brick building with a simple portico, seen on a clear day. The structure has white trim and a front door with a small staircase. An American flag on a flagpole stands to the right of the building. Bare trees surround the building in the background.

Rapidan Historic District

A tiny village bisected by the Rapidan River, though with its principal section on the Culpeper side, Rapidan began in the late 18th century as a small milling community known as Waugh’s Ford. Reflecting optimism for future progress, the settlement was renamed Rapid Ann Station with the coming of the Orange and Alexandria Railroad in 1854. It was renamed Rapidan in 1886. As a strategic railroad stop and river crossing, the village suffered several Civil War raids during which most of its buildings were destroyed. The village emerged from the war as a shipping point for wood products. Its current buildings, mostly dating from the late 1800s and early 1900s, range from simple vernacular structures to large Italianate and late Victorian farmhouses. Especially significant are the two 1874 Carpenter’s Gothic churches: Waddell Memorial Presbyterian Church on the Orange County side and Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Culpeper County.

Business Details

Address

Located at the junction of VA Rtes. 614, 615, and 673
Rapidan, Virginia 22733

Hours

Open To The Public

Amenities

  • Free Admission
  • Free Parking