Photo : Drew Bishop
A “ witness oak ” in Philomont , along present-day Virginia route 630 , formerly a portion of the “ Snickers Gap Turkpike Road .”
then tracing the path of the present Jeb Stuart Road ( VA630 ) until intersecting and following the entire path of the present Colchester Road ( VA730 ). Only thereafter it rejoined the present Snickersville Turnpike near White Pump . Early farms comprised the surrounding tracts during this period . Along the road leading from the present VA630 / VA730 intersection , westward toward Unison ( then Union ), were the beginnings of a Quaker village .
Improvements to the turnpike road over the next two decades , resulted in the 2.5 mile relatively straight section , which today extends from just north of the historic , stone-arch Hibb ’ s Bridge at Beaverdam Creek , bypassing former utilized portions ( VA630 & VA730 ) direct to White Pump .
Several property owners acted swiftly to establish businesses along the new section of road . Among these , Joseph P . Megeath , who notably also served for many
years as Treasurer of the Snicker ’ s Gap Turnpike Company , established a mercantile store and U . S . Post Office during this period . The original brick store stood at the southeast corner of the newly formed crossroads , with the present VA630 , is today still recognized as the village center of Philomont .
During this formative time , the name Philomont was coined by a passing painter of Italian descent . The name bestowed upon the early village is derived from “ philo ” ( Greek for love or beloved ) and “ mont ” ( French for mount ); collectively , to mean “ beloved mount ” for its favorable location and landscapes . This was a period of great optimism and growth within Philomont , as indicated by Yardley Taylor , surveyor and mapmaker , who documented the
Photo : Drew Bishop
This inset of Yardley Taylor ’ s map of Loudoun County , depicts the roads and immediate surroundings of the village of Philomont in 1854 .
presence of six dwelling houses , one common school , seven mercantile businesses , and two saddlers in 1834 . Philomont may be credited with setting a familiar naming trend , when observing the later naming of Airmont ( 1897 ), and the renaming of the
Historic Hibb ’ s Bridge was built in 1829 . The double-arched , Roman-style , bridge was restored in 2007 , through a joint effort , spearheaded by the Snickersville Turnpike Association .
8 wander I fall • winter 2022