PURCELLVILLE, Va., October 3, 2023 — The Purcellville Train Station Advisory Board and the Purcellville Arts Council are pleased to announce an art contest for students in the Purcellville area as part of the third annual Celebrate Purcellville event. The theme of the art contest is “Celebrating the History of the Purcellville Train Station.” The deadline for submissions is February 1, 2024, and winning artwork will be displayed at the 2024 Purcellville Music and Arts Festival. For more information, the online application, and rules, please go to the Train Station Advisory Board page of the Town website at https://www.purcellvilleva.gov/376/Train-Station-Advisory-Board
Any current student in the Purcellville area may participate, including students from Loudoun Valley High School, Woodgrove High School, the middle and elementary schools that feed into those schools, and homeschooled children. There will be three winners each from the elementary, middle, and high school levels.
About the Purcellville Train Station
The Purcellville Train Station still stands in its original location at the intersection of the Washington and Old Dominion Trail (W&OD) and North 21st Street. Generous donations made by local businesses, civic groups and individuals throughout Loudoun County and the DC Metropolitan area provided the volunteer organization, the Purcellville Preservation Association (PPA), with monies to purchase the once-dilapidated station from the Southern Railway Line in June 1993. PPA volunteers took on the initial restoration and, in 1998, won a grant through the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA). With funding from the grant, the PPA hired a contractor to complete the bulk of the work. The renovation was completed in September, 1999 and included community rental space and restroom facilities for users of the W&OD Trail. In 2005, the Town of Purcellville purchased the Train Station from the PPA, which is now known as the Purcellville Historic Society (PHS). The largest train station in Loudoun County, it was listed on the Virginia Landmarks Register in March 2010. On May 28, 2010, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places by the U.S. National Park Service. For additional information about the history and construction of the Train Station visit: https://www.dhr.virginia.gov/historic-registers/286-5001-0233/. To learn more about the Station's current uses and rental policies see: https://www.purcellvilleva.gov/193/Purcellville-Train-Station
The Town of Purcellville, Virginia
“Purcellville-your small Town, where history and progress intersect and people prosper,” is an award-winning town of approximately 10,000 residents located in Loudoun County, approximately 50 miles west of Washington, DC. Having received the 2021 Virginia Municipal League Innovation Award for Environmental Sustainability and in years past, the prestigious Siemens Sustainability Award for Small Communities, Purcellville continues to be honored for innovation and green initiatives. The Town most recently received the Tree City USA Award for the 14th consecutive year. The Town was reaffirmed as a AAA rated community by S&P Global Ratings, the highest credit rating possible, and was ranked “Safest City” in Virginia in 2020. Once a stop along the W&OD rail line, which has been converted to a multi-use trail from Alexandria, VA to Purcellville, the Town has maintained its historic old-town feel through the restoration and maintenance of its many downtown structures, reflecting the Victorian architecture popular during the early 1900s. Today, Purcellville is the economic hub of western Loudoun County and a popular weekend destination for antiquing, equestrian activities, farmer’s markets, wineries, breweries, distilleries and restaurants. More info at www.purcellvilleva.gov.
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