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Orange County By Nancy and Richard Woodworth Few people outside central Virginia have heard of Orange County, much less been there. Its county seat, Orange (population 2,700), is "still a sleepy little Southern town," in the words of a local restaurateur. Its landed gentry maintains a lower profile than that of its neighbors to the south in Albemarle County surrounding Charlottesville. "People come here from urban centers to escape to the country," says local booster Donna Bedwell. One writer even wrote a piece in a Charlottesville magazine about taking a country weekend respite from the stresses of Charlottesville in Orange, a mere twenty miles away. But this dormant, unspoiled, scenic countryside that spawned presidents James Madison and Zachary Taylor is taking on a new role. A marketing effort has been launched to double the attendance at Montpelier, the lifelong home of James Madison, now undergoing a major restoration. With that increase will come an inevitable influx of tourism accompaniments along Route 20, the Constitution Trail (so named for the number of homes of presidents and governors along its path) that meanders through the heart of the county. The horsey set of northern Virginia hunt country is moving toward Orange. The area is the center of the state’s winemaking industry, Orange having more acres in grape production than any other Virginia county. B&Bs are emerging to supplement the more established inns. The area "is beginning to be discovered," says Suzie Blanchard, a former Chicagoan whose market research led her to this part of Virginia to establish the Inn at Meander Plantation. Meanwhile, it retains the sense of history and unspoiled countryside of old Virginia, suspended in a time warp against the encroaching pincers of Charlottesville to the south, Fredericksburg to the east and Washington to the north. The picturesque charms of the rolling Piedmont, the wineries, the emerging Montpelier, a couple of museums, the Civil War battlefields – all make an interesting destination for those who cherish peace and quiet. Material excerpted from Inn Spots & Special Places / Mid-Atlantic, by Nancy and Richard Woodworth. Copyright 2003. Wood Pond Press E-mail feedback to: Home
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