Sperryville, Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sperryville
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Census-designated place (CDP)
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A view from Sperryville Pike
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Location of the Sperryville CDP within Rappahannock County
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 Sperryville
Location in Virginia
Sperryville
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Virginia |
| County | Rappahannock |
| Elevation | 700 ft (200 m) |
| Population
(2010)
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| • Total | 342 |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes |
22740
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| Area code(s) | 540 |
Sperryville is a small community in Rappahannock County, Virginia, United States. It's close to the beautiful Shenandoah National Park. Sperryville is a village with two main streets. These streets follow the two branches of the Thornton River. Around the village, you'll find lots of farms and open fields. In 2010, about 342 people lived here.
Climate and Weather
Sperryville has a warm climate with hot summers. Winters are cool, and summers are hot. The area experiences all four seasons: winter, spring, summer, and fall. Cool-weather plants like peas and dandelions start growing in mid-March. They continue to grow until mid-November.
| Climate data for Sperryville, Virginia (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1995–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 80 (27) |
83 (28) |
88 (31) |
94 (34) |
96 (36) |
100 (38) |
104 (40) |
101 (38) |
99 (37) |
92 (33) |
84 (29) |
81 (27) |
104 (40) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 43.1 (6.2) |
46.9 (8.3) |
54.1 (12.3) |
65.3 (18.5) |
72.9 (22.7) |
81.2 (27.3) |
85.2 (29.6) |
83.8 (28.8) |
77.3 (25.2) |
67.2 (19.6) |
56.9 (13.8) |
46.6 (8.1) |
65.0 (18.4) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 33.7 (0.9) |
36.2 (2.3) |
42.6 (5.9) |
53.2 (11.8) |
61.6 (16.4) |
70.1 (21.2) |
74.4 (23.6) |
73.0 (22.8) |
66.5 (19.2) |
55.6 (13.1) |
45.9 (7.7) |
37.3 (2.9) |
54.2 (12.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 24.3 (−4.3) |
25.5 (−3.6) |
31.1 (−0.5) |
41.1 (5.1) |
50.2 (10.1) |
59.0 (15.0) |
63.6 (17.6) |
62.2 (16.8) |
55.7 (13.2) |
44.0 (6.7) |
35.0 (1.7) |
28.1 (−2.2) |
43.3 (6.3) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −2 (−19) |
−8 (−22) |
3 (−16) |
21 (−6) |
29 (−2) |
42 (6) |
49 (9) |
50 (10) |
38 (3) |
27 (−3) |
12 (−11) |
4 (−16) |
−8 (−22) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.61 (92) |
2.77 (70) |
4.01 (102) |
4.01 (102) |
4.67 (119) |
5.21 (132) |
3.67 (93) |
4.12 (105) |
5.44 (138) |
3.68 (93) |
3.69 (94) |
3.96 (101) |
48.84 (1,241) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 6.9 (18) |
6.9 (18) |
1.9 (4.8) |
0.2 (0.51) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
trace | 0.3 (0.76) |
4.8 (12) |
21.0 (53) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 10.4 | 9.1 | 10.5 | 12.1 | 14.5 | 11.9 | 11.0 | 11.0 | 10.1 | 8.9 | 8.1 | 10.4 | 128.0 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 3.2 | 3.4 | 1.7 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 2.3 | 11.2 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
History of Sperryville
The land where Sperryville now stands was first given to Francis Thornton in 1731. This gift came from King George II of Great Britain. Later, in 1751, the land was given to Thornton again. This time, it was by Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron.
In 1817, a man also named Francis Thornton inherited part of this land. He was a soldier and later became a minister. In 1820, he started selling small pieces of land. These lots were along what is now Main Street. The first sale was for a small plot in a "little town" he planned. This town was named Sperryville on a map in 1821.
Early on, Sperryville had many useful businesses. John Hopkins opened a place for travelers to stay. There was also a tavern and a stagecoach office. These served people traveling between towns. Other shops included a cobbler's (shoe repair) and general stores. In the early 1800s, John Kiger built large Conestoga wagons here. The town got its own post office in 1840.
In the 1850s, several turnpikes (toll roads) were built. These roads made it easier to travel to and from Sperryville. By 1880, Sperryville had four churches. It also had a woolen mill, hotels, and general stores. Many corn and flour mills were nearby. In 1918, a factory was built to process apples. This helped local apple farmers.
A high school was built next to the town. In the 1930s, a Civilian Conservation Corps camp opened nearby. This camp helped local farmers by buying their produce. The Sperryville apple packing plant was also created.
The Sperryville Historic District is a special area in town. It was recognized for its history in 1982 and 1983.
Fun Things to Do
Sperryville was a quiet town until the Skyline Drive opened in the late 1930s. This brought many tourists. The town then had more gas stations, restaurants, and motels. Today, Sperryville still welcomes visitors. It has modern restaurants, unique shops, and art studios. You can also find bed and breakfast places and antique stores.
The area around Sperryville has wineries, a brewery, and a distillery. There's even a 9-hole golf course. Instead of old roadside stands, you'll find family farms. Many old homes and the schoolhouse have been turned into businesses. The town celebrates its community with an event called Sperryfest every year.
Sperryville is at the foot of the Blue Ridge mountains. You can use U.S. Route 211 to reach Shenandoah National Park. This park has the Thornton Gap entrance and the famous Skyline Drive. Popular hiking trails nearby include:
- Buck Hollow/Buck Ridge trail
- Thornton River trail
- White Oak Canyon
- Old Rag Mountain
Pen Druid is a local brewery. They make beer, wine, and cider. They are known for making beer that tastes like it comes from this specific place. They use special methods, like wood-fired kettles. They also use natural yeasts and age their brews for a long time.
In 2018, a cool mural was painted in Sperryville. It says "Welcome to Sperryville" and is on the side of the Happy Camper Equipment Co. building. This mural has become a popular spot and a source of pride for the town.
Sperryville is also mentioned in a book! It's part of the 8th Jack Reacher novel, The Enemy, by Lee Child.
See also
In Spanish: Sperryville (Virginia) para niños
