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Warrenton, Virginia
                                 
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Warrenton
Items of Interest: Antiques, Historical Sites, Restaurants
(Located in Fauquier County off I-66
Take US-29 South toward Gainsville/Warrenton for 11.5 miles
Within an hour's drive from Washington, DC)


Warrenton, VA has been transformed from the small court house county seat of Fauquier County to a commuter bedroom community. From the modern sprawl along all approaches via Rts. 29, 211, or 17, one would not imagine that the peaceful historic district of "Old Town Warrenton" still has that court house town feel.

And Tom should know about that "town feel" since he grew up in Warrenton and taught school there before moving to the DC area.


Main Street Warrenton, Virginia
(Photo - Courtesy, Town of Warrenton)

Buildings, many from the nineteenth century, remain the same; their purposes, however, have been changed so that they now house galleries, boutiques, and specialty shops.

The historic area, with Main Street as its center, is extremely well maintained and very charming.

The town's center is planned in such a way that walking to the shops and sights is quite easy. Use Court House Square, with its Jeffersonian style court house as your center, and then explore Winchester, Culpeper, Lee, and Main Streets.

History surrounds you here, for you are in the heart of the "Mosby confederacy".

Along east Main Street, you can see the house Col. John S. Mosby (of Mosby's Raiders fame) lived in after the Civil War; it is currently undergoing restoration and will become a museum house. His grave is in Warrenton Cemetery, just off Lee Street, near the Confederate memorial.


The Mosby House on Main Street
(Photo - Courtesy, Town of Warrenton)

The quaintness, tradition and charm of bygone eras are apparent along Old Town Warrenton streets lined with historic houses and brick sidewalks. Townsfolk gather on the steps of the post office or at a coffee shop to pass the time of day, perhaps pausing to listen as the old courthouse clock strikes the hour.


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The Ullman House on Culpeper Street
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Culpeper Street and Culpeper Street extended (the Springs Road) contains many houses and estates which date to the mid-nineteenth century.

Some notable examples are the Marr House, the Ullman House, Neptune Lodge, and Menlough.

Ron's brother Jim was a doctor in Warrenton for many years and lived in the Ullman House with his wife Sue. Ron stayed there for a short period while attending graduate school at George Washington University in the early 1960's.

Stop in at the Old Jail Museum, managed and staffed by the Fauquier Historical Society for tourist information, brochures, and maps. Here you can also get an Old Town walking tour map.

The building is a series of jails used continuously from the 18th to the mid 20th centuries.

There are colorful and informative exhibits at the Jail Museum depicting the history of Warrenton and Fauquier County.

Click on Photo for Jail Web Site
Old Fauquier County Jail
Photograph courtesy of Scenic America: Cheryl Shepherd

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The Confederate Memorial
Center of Photo
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Warrenton Cemetery is an excellent example of the "Victorian park" cemetery. The grounds are not spooky or macabre, but rather you feel as if you are walking in a park. Its center is the Confederate Memorial which marks the mass grave of several casualties of Manassas battles.

Until recently the names of the buried were unknown, but through research they are now identified and listed on a new wall which surrounds the grave. Lovely trees and elegant memorials mark the graves, especially in the west end of the cemetery.

Restaurants come and go; one staple is Napoleon's on Waterloo Street. We have eaten at the Main Street Bistro (in a former market); the first time there was a pleasant experience. The second time was a disaster with slow service, cold food, and non-delivered desserts. The wait staff had changed since the first visit and this may account for the poor service. We had planned on giving them another chance one of these days since the chocolate cake we enjoyed the first time around was just about the best we have ever tasted. However, on our visit to Warrenton in late December, 2007, we noted a new name (and possibly new management) for the restaurant. Perhaps a return to the site will prove more to our liking.

Our December 27, 2007 visit resulted in a fine luncheon dining experience at "Claire's at the Depot", 65 South Third Street in downtown.

The building housing Claire's resides on the site of a train station originally constructed in 1852 (the original wood structure was rebuilt in brick in 1908). Read more of the background of this historic building on Claire's web site.

Since purchasing the building in 1994, owner and executive chef Claire Lamborne has created a warm and friendly restaurant with some of the best food we have ever consumed, accompanied by excellent service. Our server for that day was Nicole - a delight.


Claire's at the Depot
(Photo, Courtesy Claire's)

For starters, we both selected "Claire's Famous She Crab" soup, a cup of rich, unbelievably tasty well seasoned cream filled with hearty chunks of crab. Both our eye brows arched at the first taste - a knowing sign of experiencing a gastronomic delight. Our entrees included their "Cornmeal Crusted Fried Chesapeake Oysters" and "Butternut Squash Ravioli". If there are better, more tasty or fresher entrees on the menu, then we can't wait for our next meal at Claire's.

The butternut squash ravioli was simply unbelievable - the taste was a superb blend of cheese, sauce and vegetables and entirely new to both of us (Tom's choice, but I stole a sample). I love oysters and was not disappointed in their entree. My palate hasn't been this happy for a long time. The side french fries were startlingly unique, fresh and crispy - YUM. We ended our lunch with a hearty coffee (which we both loved) and Claire's key lime cheesecake which topped off a perfect meal.

Our Rating (Five Chefs is Highest)


There are many sandwich shops and a couple of tearooms. Check out Jimmy's Market on Main Street - they have gourmet items and you could get the ingredients for a picnic and eat on Court House Square!

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The Berkley Gallery on Main Street
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Speaking of the Berkley Gallery, which we spoke of three paragraphs above, this is one wonderful collection of traditional American paintings and sculpture. As I mentioned to the proprietor at our last visit, the art here is anything but what I refer to as "commercial."

Each selected artist brings his or her own unique artistic value to scenes we recognize and enjoy. You will find no dogs playing poker at this location! On our December, 2007 visit we were especially pleased with the work of Juli Kirk and Barbara Kiwak .

We were especially pleased to discover that the Gallery now has two locations - both in downtown Warrenton and merely across the street from each other. The newer gallery is more polished and spacious but carries the same high quality art.

You are encouraged to visit this gallery - you will most likely find something you must have - and prices are reasonable.