BLEMONT photos : WIB MIDDLETON
Bluemont : A World Apart
By Peter Weeks
As I approach the Blue Ridge Mountains from eastern Loudoun County on busy Route 7 , I ’ m barreling down the highway with commuter traffic until I begin the slow climb up towards Snickers Gap .
Turning left onto Clayton Hall Road and descending around a sharp corner , it feels like I am entering another world — a world more tranquil and welcoming than the one I left behind . And then I see the sign : “ Welcome to Bluemont .” My shoulders relax and the feeling of coming back home fills me every time .
Bluemont , a tiny hamlet nestled under the Blue Ridge , is listed on the National Register of Historic Places . One of its founding fathers , William Clayton , built a stone mansion in 1797 that I pass by on my right when I reach the intersection of Clayton Hall Road and Snickersville Turnpike .
It ’ s not just its history that harkens back to the earliest settlements in Virginia , but the character of the people who have inhabited the village over generations : friendly , self-reliant , ready to lend a hand to a neighbor . A bit of Mayberry with real-life Andy ’ s , Opie ’ s , and Aunt Bee ’ s .
Across the street from this intersection , the wood-clapboarded Bluemont General Store stands sentry , shaded by an ancient oak tree . The store has been a mercantile landmark since 1846 . Passing through its entrance door evokes
Above : The Bluemont General Store , 1846 ; opposite page E . E . Lake Store , 1901 , and the Bluemont United Methodist Church , 1851 .
simpler times when greetings and a warm smile marked familiarity . Shelves of canned goods saddle up to , well , saddles , beside coolers of ready-to-scoop ice cream , bottled (!) milk , fresh farm eggs , and pies . More on the ancient oak : Bluemont was honored this year by the Arbor Day Foundation as a “ Tree City USA ” in recognition of its commitment to maintain and expand her tree canopy .
Proceeding along the Turnpike , the homes that line the street are handsome and cared for , with wide porches for visitors .
14 wander I spring • Summer 2021