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[ I Virginia Transportation Enhancement Program

TEA-21 Proposal

c Sperryville Gateway Project

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Submitted by

Rappahannock County, Virginia

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January 1999

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c Sperryville Gateway Project

PROJECT OVERVIEW

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Sperryville, Virginia, is located in the western part of Rappahannock
County, a rural agricultural county in the Piedmont within view of the Blue Ridge
Mountains. Sperryville is a "gateway" community to the Shenandoah National
Park, a major tourist destination. It is also a historic village with an early 1900s
appearance and a rich history as a transportation crossroads, including such assets
as a site where Conestoga wagons were built, and buildings constructed from the
0 1830s on.

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c This overview reflects the objectives of the proposed Sperryville Gateway

Project: 1) Maintain the rural character and scenic and historic values of
Sperryville and Rappahannock County; 2) Preserve and enhance the Sperryville
Historic District; 3) Provide a safe, pedestrian-friendly environment for residents
and visitors to the village; 4) Connect and unify the village with the commercial
node west along U.S. 211; and 5) Grow the local economy by enhancing tourist-
related assets.

The small, unincorporated village of Sperryville was placed on the Virginia

Landmarks Register in 1982 and then, in 1983, was added to the National Register
of Historic Places. The latter notes that Sperryville may be counted among the few
villages remaining in the Commonwealth that have survived virtually unchanged
since the early 1900s. Sperryville has been a transportation crossroads since the
1800s.

Despite the rich history and traditional appearance of the village, Main
Street in Sperryville is severely affected by modem-day road problems. The
roadbed, built up over time with asphalt, is now more than a foot thick, and only a

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[ meandering open ditch and often clogged driveway culverts provide drainage. The
result is frequent flooding in the aged buildings. Lacking sidewalks and proper
[ lighting, the roadway is inconvenient and dangerous for pedestrians, both residents
and visitors, who must walk on the road to shop. Because nothing differentiates
this quarter-mile street from the two highways it connects, traffic speeds through
the village, creating an extreme safety hazard. Tractor trailers and other through
trucks rumble along, causing cracks in historic buildings. This project will correct
the problems of the roadway, mitigate the impact of motor vehicle traffic, and
emphasize the human scale of the village, restoring the street and the scale of
transportation to that of a slower paced era. The footbridge across the Thornton
River will connect parking and the large retail store with the village.

The proposal also includes a bicycle and pedestrian path along the lovely
[ Thornton River that would connect the village, the commercial node west of
Sperryville, and Shenandoah National Park. The trail will provide not only

c aesthetic and recreational benefits, but economic and social ones as well. Finally,
work on a transportation history of the area will contribute to public education and
further enhance the attractiveness of this location for visitors.

c We believe that this proposal meets all the criteria for funding under the
Transportation Equity Act (TEA-21 ), and excels on almost all of them. The
criteria are highlighted below in relation to this proposal, and are revisited in
greater detail in appropriate sections of the application.

./Inclusion in a state, regional, or local plan. The Rappahannock County Board

of Supervisors adopted the revised Comprehensive Plan in January 1998. In

c February, the Board established the Sperryville Gateway Committee (SOC) to

develop a plan that would enhance the existing assets of Sperryville without
altering its basic rural and historic character. The SGC has gone through its own
planning process-- with regular monthly meetings, a community visioning process,
development of a mission statement and goals, and a mail survey-- since that time.
This proposal grew directly out of that planning process.
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./Public/private venture. This project involves the public and private sectors in a
cooperative venture. The Board of Supervisors established the SOC to serve as a
[ community focal point, and county contributions are matched by private sector
donations of time, services and money. The Rappahannock-Rapidan Planning
c District Commission has assisted in the development of this application, and has
agreed to donate part of the grant administration cost as a contribution to the
matching requirement. From the beginning, the SGC has consulted with the
Shenandoah National Park, and the Superintendent attended an early meeting of
the committee (see endorsement letter).

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c ./Demonstrable need, community improvement. The proposal clearly
demonstrates significant community needs and identifies specific ways the project
will satisfy them .

./Originality. We have an unusual opportunity to preserve the rural village that is

still substantially like it was in the late 1800s and early 1900s. In addition to the
physical improvements described here, the transportation history initiative will
help to capitalize on our unique assets and improve our tourist economy.

./Community support Community support has been strong and consistent

throughout the planning process initiated by the SGC. About 30 people on average
have attended the monthly meetings (a total of perhaps 60-70 different people),
and nearly 166 people responded to the survey, which was mailed to more than
400 households. And community support is tangibly demonstrated in the
willingness to donate $25,000 in time and money as part of the matching
0 contribution. This process has contributed importantly to unifying various
elements of the community.
c ./Public accessibility. This project will make this village and the surrounding
area more accessible to the public in general, and the footbridge and pedestrian
c walkways will be in full compliance with wheelchair access requirements .

./Compatibility with adjacent land use. The project is designed to have a low
Q impact on the adjacent land. All of the improvements are intended to maintain the
rural character of the county and the early 1900s small town feel of the village.

c The bicycle and pedestrian path is an appropriate use of the flood plain area of the
Thornton River.

c ./Visibility from a public right of way. All aspects of this project are planned
around the existing road system. New public rights-of-way will be created by the

c footbridge and bicycle and pedestrian path.

./Environmental and ecological benefits. Pollution is mitigated by de-

emphasizing use of motor vehicles, and by effective landscaping and traffic
calming techniques, all of which are provided here. The bicycle and pedestrian
path, in contrast to many other public uses, will help to preserve water quality in
the Thornton River, a tributary of the Rappahannock River, which ultimately
drains into the Chesapeake Bay.

c ./Air quality benefit This project will have the effect of improving air quality
even though this is not an objective. The emphasis on pedestrian travel in the

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[ village and walking or biking on the path connecting the village with the western
corridor will result in fewer automobile emissions. And the tree plantings and
,[ other landscaping will absorb air pollutants .

./Historical criteria met. This project will contribute importantly and

immediately to the preservation of the Sperryville Historic District. The
transportation history initiative will put us in a position to participate in the
TimeTravelers Program and other aspects of the Virginia History Initiative. (The
[ TimeTravelers Program is designed to encourage students of all grades and their
families to visit Virginia museums and historic sites to gain a better understanding
and appreciation of Virginia history and develop an interest in historic stewardship
and development.)

[ ./Significant aesthetic value to be achieved. The overall design of the project--

specifically the rustic road surface, appropriate lighting and landscaping, and
appropriate entryway and signs-- will enhance the aesthetic appeal of Historic
[ Sperryville while preserving its traditional character and the rural nature of the
county. The footbridge and the bicycle and pedestrian path will ensure much
[ greater public appreciation and enjoyment of the beautiful Thornton River. And
eliminating the billboards in the corridor on the way to Shenandoah National Park
will enhance the natural scenic attractiveness of this gateway community.
c ./Impact on community economy. Sperryville already contributes importantly to
the local economy with some 41 businesses and the largest retail business in the
[ county. This project will provide increased visibility for and access to various
retail businesses, such as restaurants, antique and arts/crafts shops, country

c markets and apple stands. In addition, studies indicate that visitors to sites of
historical interest spend more time and money than other types of tourists. And
finally, the bicycle and pedestrian path will connect the two commercial nodes of
c the area.

c "Tourism impact. This project will affect both the number and the type of
tourists in Sperryville and along U.S. 211 toward Shenandoah National Park. More
people will treat Sperryville as a destination as well as a welcome way station.
And a greater percentage of tourists will be those interested in Virginia's rich
history. At the same time, the bicycle and pedestrian path connecting the village
and the commercial area to the Park will bring people into the community.
c "Safety provisions. The alterations to Main Street will reduce traffic speed and
greatly enhance safety in the village of Sperryville.

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 .I Educational effects. As we develop the transportation history initiative, we
envision creating a variety of educational programs and exhibits. Appropriate
0 signage will indicate the part this community played in Virginia history. County
residents as well as visitors will become more aware of the importance of various
transportation modes to the community over the past two hundred years.

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A building nt thcjunction ofRoutes 522nnd 1001 (Mnin Street) ns seen in the 1920s.
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The same building as it appears today.

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Sperryville Gateway Project
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Page
c Project Overview ................................................................ 1

Table of Contents
SECTION 1: APPLICANT ............................................ 7
SECTION 2: RESPONSIBLE PERSONS ........................... 7
SECTION 3: ENHANCE:tvffiNT ACTNITY NUMBERS ....... 7
SECTION 4: PROJECT LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION .... 9
SECTION 5: PRIORITY NUMBER ................................. 22
[ SECTION 6: HEARINGS/ENDORSE:tvffiNTS ..................... 22
SECTION 7: PROJECT SCHEDULE ................................ 22
[ SECTION 8: OWNERSHIP ........................................... 26
SECTION 9: PROJECT COSTS ...................................... 26
SECTION 10: BENEFITS ............................................. 29
Resolution of Board of Supervisors and
Signature ..............................................Appendix A
[ Copy of Newspaper Notice of Public Hearing ........... Appendix B
Endorsement Letters ......................................... Appendix C
Endorsement Letter with Pledge ........................... Appendix D
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List of Tables
Table 1. Project Schedule .............................................. 23
Table 2. Cost Estimate, Phase One ................................... 27

c Table 3.
Table 4.
20% Matching Funds ........................................ 28
Elements of Phase Two ..................................... 28

c List of Maps
Rappahannock County and Vicinity... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Vicinity Map, Sperryville, VA ..............................................
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Historic Restoration Plan for Old Sperryville ............................. 12
John Wood Map of 1821 ..................................................... 18

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c SECTION 1: APPLICANT

[ Rappahannock County, Virginia

Application Preparation Assistance Provided by Rappahannock-Rapidan

Planning District Commission.

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SECTION 2: RESPONSIBLE PERSONS

John W. McCarthy, County Administrator

Rappahannock County
0 290 Gay Street
Washington, VA 22747
Tel: 540-675-3342

Gary F. Christie, Executive Director

0 Rappahannock-Rapidan Planning District Commission
211 Waters Place

c Culpeper, VA 22701
Tel: 540-829-7450

Mr. McCarthy will be the project manager with overall responsibility for
the project. Mr. Christie will be responsible for grant administration.

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c SECTION 3: ENHANCEMENT ACTIVITY NUMBERS

This project involves eight of the ten enhancement activities, four quite

c directly {1, 4, 8, 9), and four others less directly, as described briefly below:

**1. Provision of Facilities for Bicycles and Pedestrians

c The largest part of the project is devoted to providing pedestrian and

bicycle facilities. Phase One will make the village of Sperryville safer and more
accessible to pedestrians, while the bicycle and pedestrian path in Phase Two will
[ connect the village with Lee Highway (211 West), joining Shenandoah National
Park.

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2. Acquisition of Scenic Easements and Scenic or Historic Sites; and
3. Scenic or Historic Highway Programs.
[ Although this project does not propose to acquire new historic sites, the
work described below on the transportation history of Sperryville might eventually
lead to such a proposal. Sites of historic significance to transportation include
places where Conestoga wagons were constructed, where the stagecoach office
was located, and an old hotel and a "tourist home" that served travelers. In

0 addition, Lee Highway (U.S. 211) is a historic road that ran along what is now
Water Street and Main Street; remnants of old Lee Highway are still in evidence
off Sons Road in Sperryville. The bicycle and pedestrian path west along Lee
Highway from Sperryville to the Park will probably at least include interpretative
signs, and the billboards will be removed.

**4. Landscaping and Other Scenic Beautification.

Plant materials will be chosen to enhance the aesthetics and historic
character of the village through "gateway" plantings, traffic calming via
landscaping, and accenting the pedestrian bridge across the Thornton River and
the bicycle and pedestrian path along the river to the Park.

5. Historic Preservation; and

6. Rehabilitation and Operation of Historic Transportation Buildings, Structure or
Facilities including Historic Railroad Facilities and Canals.
Sperryville is a Historic District, with 78 properties on the National

c Register and the third oldest road in the county. Although we are not requesting
funds to rehabilitate historic transportation facilities, this project as a whole will
help to preserve the historic character of the village and the area (see section on
transportation history initiative).

**8. Control and Removal of Outdoor Advertising.

0 Five billboards along the U.S. 211 corridor leading to Shenandoah National
Park will be purchased and removed during Phase Two. These are the only

c billboards remaining in Rappahannock County, which has an ordinance

prohibiting new ones.

**9. Archaeological Planning and Research.

As described in detail in the transportation history section, a small

c investment in research will pay off in public education programs and activities that
will enhance the attractiveness of Sperryville to visitors interested in historic
preservation.

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 SECTION 4: PROJECT LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION

a. Project title, location and list of proposed activities

The Sperryville Gateway Project is located in the western part of

Rappahannock County, a rural county with an agricultural and tourist-oriented
economy in the Piedmont within view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Shenandoah
National Park partially surrounds the western part of the community, and has trails
that connect to the Appalachian Trail. (See vicinity maps on next two pages.)

The proposed project, which is in two phases, includes every priority

indicated by a majority of the respondents to a mail survey of the community.
Phase One is concentrated in the Sperryville Historic District, while Phase Two
would connect the village by a bicycle and pedestrian path with the commercial
area west of town and the Shenandoah National Park. Phase One will provide a
safe, pedestrian-friendly village that will preserve and enhance its historic
character; the planning/design step will identify specific techniques for traffic
calming on Main Street, and provide a specific design for the seven elements
listed below. (See the map of the historic restoration plan on page 12.)

• Remove asphalt and lower the street level of Route 1001 (Main Street);
pave with rustic-appearing surface that distinguishes the historic village
and Main Street from the highway.

0 • Construct underground utilities along Main Street, including drainage

system and storm water filter system.
0 • Construct pedestrian pathways and crosswalks in suitable materials,

c with appropriate lighting.

• Install proper signage, including "No Through Trucks," "Pedestrians

c Have Right ofWay," speed limits of 15 mph, stop signs, etc. along Main
Street, including appropriate entry signs for historic village.

• Landscape street areas with plantings, benches, etc. that will enhance the
early 1900s appearance of the village.

[ • Design and install a footbridge over the Thornton River, connecting

parking at the large retail store (Faith Mountain) with the village.

0 • Designate other public parking areas (to be donated by residents).

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HISTOHIC l~ESTORATION PLAN FOR

OLD SPERRYVILLE
R APPAHANNOCI{ COUN'..rY, VIRGINIA
BOUNDARY
<f:> \ OF NATIONAL
HISTORIC
• DIS'.rRICT
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200 FEET
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OLD SPERRYVILLE
ROUTE 1001 SECTION
· RESTORE ROADWAY (HJt;troRICI
·PKDESTRIAN WALKS
·SIGNS k l.Al'oo"DSCAPINO
·LIGHTING
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DRAINAGE
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HISTORIC DISTRI~'T

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·SIGN & LANDSCAPING

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THORNTON RIVER
OLD SPERRYVILLE
U.S. 522 SECTION
·PEDESTRIAN WALKS

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SIIENANDOAH BlUDGE •RESTORE IN PHASE II
NATIONA L PARK • ·REPLACE FOOTBRIDGE
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· PEDESTRIA."J WALKS.
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STEPS. k RAMPS
c b. Description of existing conditions; ways the project will improve them.

Sperryville is a small village that still retains much of the character it had in
the early 1900s. The historic district was added to the Virginia Landmarks
Register in 1982, and to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
Although some restoratfon is currently underway in private residences and
businesses, the main street itself has lost much of its traditional character because
of asphalt buildup over the years. The surface is well over a foot above the original
grade of the roadway. The raised roadway has also resulted in deeper ditches and
problems with surface drainage.

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Walking in the community is unsafe because of reduced road shoulders and the
0 lack of sidewalks. Tourist use of the community on busy summer and fall
weekends can be overwhelming and dangerous as visitors walk down the middle
of the street while others drive through the crowded area. Utility poles line both
sides of Main Street, and lighting consists only of three mercury vapor lights
affixed to the poles. Sperryville is also suffering from severe traffic problems

c associated with through traftic, including speeding and noise from large trucks,
mixed with the activities of a small residential community, including walking and
bicycling.
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D Most of the proposed activities in Phase One of the project would correct these
problems and enhance both the safety and the appearance of the historic village:

c • Lowering the street level of Route 1001 and solving the drainage problem
will stop the destruction of the historic buildings and sites along the route.

0 • Burying utilities, providing appropriate lighting and landscaping, and

surfacing the road in keeping with the early 1900s character of the village

D will enhance its attractiveness and historic character.

c • Pedestrian walkways and crosswalks, proper signage and entry markers in

conjunction with traffic calming techniques will help create a safe,
pedestrian-friendly environment for residents and visitors.

0 A large retail store (Faith Mountain) has renovated the old school building
and is attracting many visitors. Most of these people would enjoy walking down

0 Main Street in the Historic District, whether for shopping, eating or sightseeing,
but the only connection is the narrow highway bridge on U.S 522 across the

0
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Thornton River. This route is inaccessible to physically impaired visitors and

extremely hazardous for everyone. Therefore, this project proposes to design and
build a pedestrian bridge across the Thornton River, either in the same location as
the former footbridge or in another location (to be determined in the initial
planning/design step of Phase One).

Another activity included in Phase One is initial planning for a bicycle and
pedestrian path along the Thornton River to connect the village with Shenandoah
National Park. Initial planning for this path will determine the feasibility and
desirability of two or three routes, including one along the existing VDOT right-
of-way and another across private land directly along the Thornton River. These
options require professional study, and it is proposed that an
architectural/engineering firm be contracted to develop options for public review
and comment, and prepare a plan for inclusion in a Phase Two proposal.

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Phase Two would actually
constntct the bicycle and pedestrian
path, complete with landscaping, etc.
and purchase and remove the five
existing billboards, the only ones
remaining in the county. The path
would unify the village with the retail
businesses along the Route 211
corridor, which are currently isolated
and accessible only by automobile .
The Route 211 commercial area
includes shops, an art studio/gallery,
a market and a restaurant that are used frequently by residents as well as visitors.
Phase Two would also extend the road project on 522 south to the edge of the
village, thus integrating the whole Historic District.

Finally, Phase Two would also contain money to study the feasibility of a possible
third phase. Although it is speculative at this point, and would have to go through
the same public hearing and political process that this phase has, a third phase
might propose to use an existing transportation-related building as a multipurpose
visitor•s center and/or community center linked to the bicycle and
pedestrian path. Or it might propose to acquire and restore a building such as the
old hotel (now used as rental apartments), and create a historical transportation

The hotel as it looks today.

The hotel in the 1920s.

c IS

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c exhibit including a renovated Conestoga wagon made in Sperryville. This latter
suggestion would take advantage of the rich transportation history of Sperryville
and Rappahannock County, as described in the next section.

c. Transportation history initiative.

0 The final element proposed for Phase One involves a

historical/archaeological planning and research initiative. This initiative will focus
1 on researching, interpreting, and eventually exhibiting the rich transportation
history of this area. The initiative is detailed separately even though it is a very
small budget item because it is the most original aspect of the proposal. (All of the

0 time involved here will be donated by members of the community as part of its in-
kind contribution; the small amount budgeted will support the development of
written materials associated with the transportation history of the County.)

Research on the transportation heritage of Sperryville and the County will

serve as a focal point for the Sperryville Historic District and aid in the
preservation of the village. Documentation, exhibits, maps and the preservation of
historic buildings involved in the coach and wagon days, the Turnpike Era, and the

c creation of Lee Highway as a major scenic and historic highway, would all make
this important legacy known to residents, students, and visitors. An educational
program portraying the many roles of transportation in a typical rural Virginia
setting, as exemplified by Sperryville and the rest of the County, would show how
such an area coped with its transportation needs over a two-hundred year period.
Therefore, we propose to undertake the archaeological planning and research
toward achieving the following goals:

• Publish a history of transportation for Sperryville and Rappahannock

County, including maps (copies of old maps, or especially drawn maps) showing
the stages of transportation development.
c • Detail the history of the Conestoga wagons built in Sperryville by John
Kiger, and investigate the possibility of acquiring one for display in the village.

• Plan for indoor or outdoor exhibits, markers, and plaques, showing points
of interest and informing the public about the transportation history of Sperryville
0 and Rappahannock County. Such exhibits would allow us to participate in
TimeTravelers and similar programs, hosting tour groups, schoolchildren, the
elderly, special interest groups, etc.

c 16

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Q • Develop brochures, photos, maps, booklets, videos, post cards, pamphlets,
etc. on transportation themes.

0 • Publish a detailed guide to the "Sperryville Historic District."

*****

Here is a brief sketch of some of the items of interest in the transportation

history of Sperryville and Rappahannock County:

Sperryville transportation history in the post-colonial period dates back to

the early 1800s, when the first turnpikes were proposed for the area, such as the
0 Thornton Gap and Little River Turnpike. A map by John Wood, dated 1821 (see
next page), shows Sperryville as the nexus of crossroads leading to Thornton's
Gap, and the villages of Washington, Woodville and Amissville, and down the
valley toward Madison, Virginia.

In fact, transportation was a key factor in the creation of Rappahannock

County out of Culpeper County. Residents in the early 1800s complained of the
impassable roads, fords, and bridges encountered in traveling to Culpeper
Courthouse to transact business. In 1833, the General Assembly enacted
legislation to form Rappahannock County with its own government to solve this
problem.
0 The Turnpike Era brought into being what is now called intermodalism
(moving from one mode of transportation to another). Turnpikes were authorized
to come over the Blue Ridge from New Market to Sperryville, and to go from
Sperryville to canals on the Rappahannock River, north of current Route 211 , or to
similar canals on that river on the way to Culpeper. Goods were then transported
by boat to the port of Fredericksburg. (The Rappahannock River Navigation

c Company went between Fredericksburg and Waterloo in Rappahannock County,

1828-1849; the Hazel River Navigation Company went 19 miles from the junction
with the Rappahannock River to Castle Mills, 1850-1857.) Later, wagons traveled
to railroad lines locat~d in Warrenton and Culpeper with cargo for shipment to
Alexandria. (At one point, railroads were even proposed for Sperryville and other
sites in Rappahannock County.)

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A covered wagon near John Kiger's shop in the late I 800s.

Of unusual interest in the antebellum period was the location in Sperryville

of John Kiger's wagon shop, where he built Conestoga wagons. One of his wagons
is on prominent display in Richmond at the Virginia Historical Society, which has
called it one of the five most important historical artifacts in the Commonwealth.
Wagon parts have been discovered on the grounds of Kiger's shop in recent
months.

The transportation corridors that pass through Sperryville were utilized by

both Union and Confederate armies during the War Between the States. The road
that is now U.S 211 moved troops across the Blue Ridge Mountains. State Route
522 served as a supply link to rail lines in Culpeper. The Union army used
Sperryville to regroup and rest its troops. Approximately 8,000 Union soldiers
were encamped in and around Sperryville for about a month during the summer of
1862.

During the retreat from Gettysburg in July 1863, three of the four major
components of Lee's army of Northern Virginia passed through Rappahannock
County on their way down to Culpeper. First Gen. James Longstreet's Corps and
then Gen. A. P. Hill's came down through Chester Gap (July 23, 1863 ).
Gen. Richard Ewell, who was following, was cut off by Union troops, and went
down the valley and crossed at Thornton Gap, then through Sperryville, and on
down into Culpeper.

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 Most of Hill's and Longstreet's forces went down Richmond Road (now Rt.
729), although some of the wagon trains turned at Gaines Crossroads onto the
0 Alexandria Turnpike (now Rt. 211) through Sperryville to take advantage of the
better roads. Gen. Henry Benning's brigade, protecting Hill's retreat, encountered
Gen. George Custer's cavalry units in a skirmish at Battle Mountain on July 24.

The "Good Roads" movement of the early 1900s eventually led to the

c building of Lee Highway, a national road going from New York City to San
Francisco. Tourism associated with trips over this road to Shenandoah National
Park became, and remains, a major source of revenue for the county. Remnants of
c the original Lee Highway still remain in Sperryville in the form of Water Street
and Main Street. President Hoover passed through Sperryville on his way to his
hideaway in Madison County, stopping on occasion to give a speech in the village.
0 Sperryville currently has an 1830s building that served as a blacksmith
shop, tavern, livery, and hotel for wayfarers. Other buildings and sites in the
village served as way stations, a toll house, stagecoach office, tourist home, etc.
Estes Mill still stands along U.S. 211 west of Sperryville, looking very much
0 as it did in an earlier era. A tannery, apple processing plant and other
businesses and trades all depended on transportation routes to export goods.

0
0
0
c
0

0
0 A view from above Estes Mill sometime in the early 1900s.

Q 20
0

0
0

Estes Mill as it looks today.

c
c The historical/archaeological research described above will show the
linkage of historic transportation facilities throughout the county, e.g., the old toll
houses and old highways or byways or turnpikes no longer in use; quarries
originally used as sources of rock for roadbeds; stations (including old gas
stations), inns, taverns along the old highways; remnants of canals, boats, etc.
Although beyond the current grant proposal, in the future perhaps some building
0 in Sperryville such as the old hotel might be designated as a "transportation
center," where the history and impact of transportation on the county could be

c drawn together and exhibited to the public. In such exhibits, old maps could tell
the history, showing the old roads of the 1700s, the canal and turnpike era of the
early and mid-1800s, roads during and after the War Between the States, the "good
0 roads" movement of the early 1900s, etc. Current maps could locate bike and
pedestrian pathways, including connections to Park trails and the Appalachian
Trail. Past and current VDOT Six-Year Plans could be exhibited. Past, current,
0 and projected traffic counts on the primary and secondary road systems would be
of interest to current residents, as would an exhibit on the impact of transportation
on local businesses, and transportation plans of surrounding areas and their impact
0 on the county.

c
0 21

0
c
SECTION 5: PRIORITY NUMBER

This is the only TEA-21 Enhancement proposal submitted by

Rappahannock County, therefore, it is the first and only priority.

SECTION 6: HEARINGS/ENDORSEMENTS

a. Hearing

Notice of a formal public hearing ran twice in the Rappahannock News

0 during the weeks of December 14 and 21 (see certification copy). As indicated
elsewhere, this does not begin to capture the extent and depth of public

c participation in the development of this project.

b. Endorsement Letters
c See Appendix C.

0
c SECTION 7: PROJECT SCHEDULE

Planning/Design, Phase One:

c We will be prepared to begin the design phase of the project immediately

c after money is available (see Table 1 for project schedule). In October 1999, we
will be prepared to solicit bids on design on the Main Street project, to include
design drawings for public review and comment. After the final project is

c approved, the contractor will provide specifications and required material lists, and
also bid documents.

c Construction/Implementation:

c We anticipate that the construction phase of the project will begin in

August and be completed by December 1, 2000. Non-construction elements of the
project will also be completed by that time.

Q
[ 22

[
 Table 1. Project Schedule
0
• June, 1999-- Notification of grant award and amount.

• August-- Agreement signed; donated time for match authorized.

• October-- Money becomes available October 1. Request for bids for

engineering design study for Main Street/footbridge; request for bids for
preliminary planning, Phase Two.

• November, 1999/January, 2000-- Review bids and select contractor(s).

0 • March/June-- Contractor submits alternative designs for Main Street and

footbridge; public comment and the SGC approval of design; preparation
of contract documents.

• June-- Request for bids issued for construction phase. (Specific design
will be based on funds available when the architecture/engineering fmn
presents accurate cost estimates. The fmn will also take primary
responsibility in supervising the construction.)
0 • March/July-- Contractor submits Phase Two plan with options for public
comment; plan approved by SGC.

• July/August-- Contract let for Main Street/footbridge; construction

begins.

• August-- Public hearing and Board of Supervisors approval of Phase

Two.

• September/October-- Phase Two proposal developed and submitted.

• December 1, 2000-- Construction for Phase One completed.

0
23
 Project Schedule for Rappahannock County TEA-21 Sperryville Gateway Project
1111 zooo
steo Wor!( to be Done
TEA-21 Grant Notification of grant
Award award n the amount
TEA·21 ( rant Award

~
TEA-21 TEA-21 agreement
Agreement signed. Donated time for
Signed ntchlng funds •

~·r-
author1zad.

TEA·21 Flrtds TEA-21 funda mllllble.

Available. Request tor blda tor
Phue I Design englnMrlng design ltudy
Bldi/Pt.e II tor Mli1 str.t and T lA-21 F - A - 0 . P'-l~ldo/l-11 POMingBklo ........
Planning Bldl footbridge prepnd lnCI
Prepared mailed u. Requea tor
bide tor JRI!rnlnary
Bid Revlaw and Ravtew bids and .aect
Contrlctar contractor tor work on
Selection for englneemg design of
Phaee I Phaee I. Bid Review m ContrlctDr Selection for Phase I

Contrlctor Conlnlctor aubmb

Allemlle aRemat. deaigna for
Designs for Main Street and
Phase I foatbrldge. Pubic Contractor AHemate.~na tor PhiM I
comment and Sperryville
Gateway Committee
approval of dellgn
Conatructlon Requat for bida tor

c Blda for Phase I conetrucllon phase

~lied out.
Specific des9t based on
I
Construction Biela for P tlue I
1--
IY8illble funds per
archit8c;bn or ~
engineering llrm'a coat

0 Contractar
Plana: Phase II
Submlted tor
Contrector aubmb plans
tor Phase II, Including
options. Public comment
Approval lnCI Spenyville Gllteway Contractor Plans: Pha• II ubmitted for Approval
[ Committee approval of
selected plan, or
selected plan option,

c
[
c 24
 Project Schedule for Rappahannock County TEA-21 Sperryville Gateway Project

0 St&Q Work to be Done

2000 2001

·-
Contract Let for Contnlct Itt for Phue I
Phase I construction work on
I
0 Construction
and
Construction
Begins
Main Street and the
footbridge. Construction
work begins. ...
"""""" "'"' """""' ~ """""""'
Pubic H•rlng Public heamg held on

" '" '" " . ."""'A-,,""""'

and Board or the plana for Phase 11 or
Supervtaor the project. Approval
ApproYIIof obtained from the Board
Phaell of Supervisors. II

r
Construc:tlon Request for blcla for
Biela for Phaee engineering design study
II Prepared and for Phaae II are prepared
Mailed Out and mailed OIL CoMin<1lon Bldo fo< Phae II """""" ond OUI

Construction or Footbridge In place; Man

Phase I
Completed
Street
lowered/resurfaced;
utility Hnes
I I
Construction of Phase I Completed
r----.
burild/drainlge inatalled;
street lighting,
~n~ng.~in

c
c
[
c
c .
[
[
[ 25

[
0
SECTION 8: OWNERSHIP

For all aspects of the project on existing rights-of-way owned by VDOT,

c VDOT will continue to exercise its current responsibility. This includes pedestrian
pathways and drainage in the village as well as Main Street itself, and also the
footbridge over the Thornton River. If street or path lighting is installed on Main

D Street, village residents or the business council will bear the cost of maintenance
and operating expenses.

c With respect to the bike path planned for Phase Two, details will be worked
out in the planning phase about how much will be along VDOT right-of-way and
how much might be donated by local landowners. Overall ownership, title and
0 liability will be undertaken by the Rappahannock County Recreational Facilities
Authority.

0
0
c
[
0
0
Overlooking the Thornton River where Main Street meets Route 211 .

SECTION 9: PROJECT COSTS

0 Project costs are estimated on the following tables. They have been derived

0 from various discussions with various experienced people, including VDOT and
Allegheny Power representatives.

Q 26

[
c
Table 2. Cost Estimate, Phase One
c TOTAL, Phase One $500,000

* Planning/Design 60,000

* Footbridge over Thornton River 35,000

steps and walks 10,000
[ *Main Street enhancements 164,000
initial VDOT engineering 9,000
pavement removallswfacing 30,000
bury utility lines/drainage 125,000

c *Pedestrian walkways 60,000

[ *Street lighting/landscaping 50,000

[ * Historic district gateway signagellandscaping 75,000

c * Parking (donated)

* Initial planning for bicycle and pedestrian path

NC

40,000
[ *Transportation history initiative (time donated) 3,000

c * Grant administration (PD9; $5,000 in-kind donated) 3,000

*Project management ($8,000 in kind-donated by county) NC

[
c
27

[
 Table 3. 20°/o Matching Funds

TOTAL, Phase One

*Private donations:
Professional services; other labor/time
Land for rights-of-way, parking
Landscaping, plants
Pledges

*Public-- County Contributions:

Already reserved
Project management
New money
Grant administration

* VDOT Secondary Road Funds

0 Table 4. Elements of Phase Two

[
Estimated total cost, $650,000
c *Bicycle and pedestrian path, detailed design and construction

c Acquisition of rights-of-way
Purchase/remove 5 billboards
Landscaping

*Complete road project (522), Sperryville Historic District

[ *Study and preliminary design for a follow-on project

[ 28

[
c
[ SECTION 10: BENEFITS

c The Sperryville Gateway Project offers many benefits for the residents and
visitors to Sperryville, for Rappahannock County as a whole, and more generally

c for the Piedmont region and the Commonwealth of Virginia. The project will:

• Preserve the character of Sperryville as a historic village enhancing

the amenities for residents and its attractiveness to tourists.

"Provide transportation-related improvements in the village while

[ maintaining its essential character." This was the clear overarching priority that
emerged from a mail survey conducted by the Gateway Committee to which 166
people responded. Residents want to keep the village as it has been described by
[ the National Register of Historic Places- as among the few villages remaining in
the Commonwealth that have survived virtually unchanged since the early 1900s.
This project will help preserve the 78 buildings and sites in the Historic District
without "prettifying" the village.

Improved road drainage will stop the current destructiveness of water

runoff and the consequent damage by flooding of historic buildings. Landscaping
and distinctive entryway plantings will enhance the village setting, contribute to
[ the improvement of air quality, protect the water quality of the Thornton River,
and reduce soil erosion. Reintroducing native plant communities, continuing an
existing program, will help to integrate the village's scenic appeal. Finally, all
these changes will enhance traffic calming and bring an appropriate human scale
back to this small rural community.
[ • Provide a safe pedestrian environment for Sperryville residents and

c visitors, mitigating the noise and speed of through trucks and other traffic.

The project will give back to the residents of Sperryville control of their
streets so that people may walk about without fear for their safety, or being
overwhelmed by the noise and pollution from heavy trucks. The pedestrian
pathways and the footbridge over the Thornton River will allow visitors to park
[ their cars conveniently and walk through the village (thus contributing to the
connectivity implied in intermodalism and the emphasis on low-impact
transportation).
[
[ 29
[ • Improve the local economy, benefiting Rappahannock County as a whole.

[ Rappahannock County as a whole will benefit in three ways from increased

revenues from tourism: 1) tourists will spend more dollars throughout the county
in restaurants, shops, and bed-and-breakfast facilities; 2) increased retail sales will
0 generate more tax revenues; 3) increased tourism will help current and new
businesses create new jobs.

[ Of the 1.6 million annual visitors to Shenandoah National Park, nearly

400,000 (25%) enter the park from the east via Lee Highway and Thornton Gap,

c and thus pass through Sperryville. Improved access to the village and the bicycle
and pedestrian path will encourage visitors to stop, get out of their cars, and take
advantage of local sights and shopping. (Shenandoah National Park will also
[ benefit from the Sperryville Gateway Project to the extent that we can assure an
aesthetic entryway to the Park, remove excessive outdoor advertising, and prevent
inappropriate commercialism.)
[
As Sperryville becomes known for its history, it will increasingly be a

c destination as well as a way station. And, according to studies, Historic

Preservation Visitors stay longer in Virginia than do other visitors to the state and,
on average,"they spend two and a halftimes more money.
[ • Stimulate community unification, both physical and social, within the
village and between the village and greater Sperryville.
[
This project will unify the Historic District, demarcating it from the
highway that runs through it, and it will connect the village with the commercial
[ district along Lee Highway west toward the Park. The project will also help unify
the community in a social sense. Rappahannock County is a diverse community
[ including descendants of original mountain families, farmers (including many
large landowners), government and military retirees, wealthy weekenders, "back-
to-the-land" settlers from the 1970s who have made their lives and raised families
here, artists and crafts-people, small business and tradespeople, and assorted
others who defy classification or abhor being placed in a pig~onhole. Broad citizen
participation in developing this project has already begun to unite the community
in a common cause, and this may be expected to continue.

[ • Help Rappahannock County manage its own development.

Sperryville and other villages and outlying areas in the county still have an
[ 1800s and early 1900s look, with small hamlets, extensive open spaces and
farmland, and unspoiled forests mountains and hills. Roads still connect villages

[ 30

[
c
c and hamlets, most of them five or six miles apart just as they were in the olden
days of horse and wagon and pedestrian travel. No new residential developments
0 with their own interior road systems exist in the county. The project will help
unify the county in its intent, reflected in strong and clear language, in its
Comprehensive Plan, to preserve its character and resist pressures to succumb to
0 sprawl.

• Preserve an important part of Virginia history in keeping with the

[ Virginia History Initiative; educate the public to appreciate the historic
significance of transportation in the evolution of rural America.
0 The project will help preserve the early 1900s character of Sperryville,
making Sperryville something of a rarity in Virginia and worthy of visits by
0 Historic Preservation Visitors seeking to walk the streets of a place that drops back
in time. We hope that Sperryville will eventually be designated a TimeTravelers
site, teaching students and their families how a village looked 100 years ago and
0 how transportation systems in the old days came into being, how they operated,
why they were replaced, and what buildings, people, trades, and sites were
involved in moving people and goods about.

Sperryville's role as a rural transportation crossroads from the early 1800s

to the present is preserved in various assets, such as a wagon shop where
Conestoga Wagons were built. The old hotel, dating from the 1830s, has a heritage
of use as a tavern, blacksmith shop, livery, wayfarer's stopping point in the coach
and wagon days, when Sperryville was one terminus of three different turnpikes.
The transportation history initiative of this project will identify and document the
old roads, turnpikes, toll houses, canals, etc. , detailing their design and
construction, and collecting old maps. Although Sperryville and Rappahannock
County are small, there is a large transportation story to be told regarding how
0 very rural areas of Virginia fared under ever-changing transportation history.

[J

31
0

c Appendix A

c Resolution of Board of Supervisors

c
[
c
c
c
[
c
c
[
[
[
 County of Rappahannock

Bu11rJ uf Suprr"Visors 540-675 ..33-42 Fu 540 .. 675 .. 1230

.lulm \V. 1\ll cCilTd,~·. County A.Jrninis(rlltor P. 0. Box fi l q
Washing(on, VA 22747

c TEA-21
RESOLUTION
Sperryville Gateway Project

c By resolution adopted this day by the Board of Supervisors,

c Rappahannock County endorses the Sperryville Gateway Project, and

requests that the Commonwealth Transportation Board fund the

c project proposed herein.

Rappahannock County understands that there is a · 20%

matching contribution required of local governments by this
Q program, and that the match may be achieved by a combination of
privately donated goods and services, County funds, and VDoT
0 secondary road funds. The County hereby ensures that this 20%
matching contribution will be provided for funds actually expended
[ on this project. Said contribution to be the type shown on Schedule
B, attached, and not to exceed the amounts shown thereon.

0 Adopted this 4th day of January, 1999

Rappahannock County, Virginia

c
[
( founty Administrator

c
[
[
[
c
Cost Estimate, Phase One

c TOTAL. Phase One $500.000

c * Planning/Design 60,000

* Footbridge over Thornton River 35,000

steps and walks 10,000

c * Main Street enhancements

initial V-DOT engineering 9,000
164,000

c pavement removal/ surfacing

bury utility lines/drainage
30,000
125,000

c * Pedestrian walkway 60,000

c * Street lighting/landscaping
* Historic district gateway signage/landscaping
50
'
ooo.

c * Parking (donated)
75,000

NC
[ * Initial planning for biking/hiking path 40,000

c * Transportation history (time donated) 3,000

[ * Grant administration (PD9; $5,000 in kind donated) 3,000

* Project management ($8,000 in kind donated
c by county) NC

[
c SCHEDULE A
[
1[
[
[
[
[
c 20% Matching Funds

TOTAL. Phase One $100.000

c * Private Donations:
Professional services; other labor $10,000
$25,000

0 Land for rights-of-way, parking

Landscaping, plants
$ 8,000
$ 3,000
Pledges $ 4,000

* Public-- County Contributions: $25,000

already reserved $10,000
project management $ 8,000
new money $ 2,000
grant administration (PD9) $ 5,000

* VDOT Secondary Road funds $50,000

c
SCHEDULE B
[
[
[
c
[

Appendix B

Copy of Newspaper Notice of Public Hearing

c
0

0
 i~appabatltlock J}letus·
[ P.O. Box 59, Washington,Va. 22747
H0-675-3338 • Fax 540-6i5-3088

[
[ January 15, 1999
Washington, Va. 22747

[
Mr. Robert 0. Cassada
Programming and Scheduling Division
Virginia Department of Transportation
1401 East Broad Street

c Richmond, Va. 23219

Dear Mr. Cassada:

0 All Sperryville Gateway meetings from March 1998

through current were covered and reported in the
Rappahannock News.
c A two week public notice appeared in the paper prior
to the Gateway projects sponsored by the Rappahannock
Board of Supervisors.
Additionally, the Rappahannock News supports this project
and the Sperryville Gateway efforts and endeavors.

Sincerely,

§-ad<-au£. tJ
Barbara C. Wayland
Executive Editor/General Manager

Fauqu1er Tlm~;-Dem,,crat • Clarke Times-Courier • Rappahann.,ck Nell's • Loudllun Time; - ~1nrnr • Easrern L,,udoun-Timcs • Reston Tim.:'
H<rnJ,,n Times_• \'ienna Times. Cenrrenll~ Time•<. rhonriiJ,. T ; ~o>< . \~ .-1 --- T ; ·- ·· · . " -' · ' · .. .,.. . . ~
0
I~ NOTICE
.RAPPAHANNOCK COUNTY
r BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
PUBLIC HEARING
The Rappahannock County Board of Supervisors shall hold a
public hearing on Monday. January 4, 1999, at 7:00 p.m. ~t the
courthouse in Washin~rton, VA, to consider a Transportation
Enhancement Improv~ment Project for the village of
Sperryville. as part of the Sperryville Gateway project. The
purpose of this meeting is to receive citizen comments on a
proposal to request the Commonwealth ~ransportation .Bo~rd
to establish a transportation enhancement unprovement proJect
for the Sperryville Gateway Project.
A copy of the proposal will be available for inspection from
Friday, December 18, at the County Administration Office,
290 Gay Street. Washington, VA 22747, from 8:30 to 4:30
l Monday through Friday. Any interested persons wishing to be
r heard on this issue may attend the hearing on January 4 or
submit written comments to the County Administrator by
that date.
~~
- ~~------------~==~
- . ;...:~ --··· -·- ··
.; WEDNESDAY, APRIL l, 1998
··- ·- ! .·· ... ·-- .

0 OuR VIEW

First steps
Sperryville's Gateway Com1nittee
--~:;·~~~iiigani"zationar,ne-eting a big ·success
i

; T h e committee which originally started out as the

0 .
·
Historic Sperryville Committee has, with the
hard work of a group of citizens there, now
· evolved into the Gateway Committee. That committee

c had its first meeting last week to organize and solicit

ideas from the community at large.
About 30 people showed up for the meeting - a
- good turn out - to address the committee. With
- money being allotted for the project, community inter-
. est and the possibility of other grant monies to also

c . help fund village projects, things are looking up for

. Sperryville.
The current face lift of the old schoolhouse by Faith
Mountain Company will soon be finished and the
[ business will open its doors. That will also help stimu-
. late the village economy.
Much remains to be decided and done, but this
weekend marks the dedication of the new historic
[ marker for Sperryville. A small step along the road to
, becoming a historic Gateway community.

[
0

Appendix C

Endorsement Letters

c
c
[
[
c
[
0

Official Endorsement Letters

c
c
[
[
[
[
VIRGINIA HISTORICAL .SOCIE1Y
[ The Center for Virginia History

January 8, 1999
[
c Mr. Robert 0. Cassada

c Programming and Scheduling Division

Virginia Department of Transportation
1401 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA23219
0 Dear Mr. Cassada:

I am pleased to write in support of the.Sperryville Gateway Project, which will not only benefit the
historic village of Sperryville, but further strengthen Virginia's position as a key destination in the field
of heritage tourism. Virginia's history is unique among that of aU American states. Spatming more
than four centuries, the Commonwealth's history parallels that of the nation. Now that the
Commonwealth has made heritage tourism a major priority as we move into the twenty-first century, it
is important that every opportunity be taken to enhance the historic resources of Virginia.

The Sperryville Gateway Project is clearly an important step in that direction. With a rich history
stretching back more than two centuries, the people of Sperryville have done a fine job of preserving the
historic character of their community, while promoting it as a tourism destination. They now need to
make their community more "user friendly" and accessible for visitors. Located close to the
Shenandoah National Park, they have the potential to draw even more interested visitors into their
community. It is inherent that they make their village as safe and pedestrian friendly as possible. If
they are able to do this, I have no question that Sperryville will become yet another key heritage tourism
destination in Virginia.

I am impressed with the plan of the Sperryville Gateway Project. Its backers have ensured that the
community's rural character will be maintained, as well as its historic nature. At the same time, the
project will do much to provide important economic benefits for the community in an effective and
meaningful way.

Speaking on behalf of the Virginia Historical Society, I urge you to support the Sperryville Gateway
Project.

Sincerely,

~cf./ht~I-
Charles F. Bryan, Jr. (/
Director ·

P.O. BOX 7311 RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23221-0311 (804) 358-490~ FAX (804) 355-2399
,_
0
PRESERVATION ALLIANCE OF VIRGINIA
700 Hams Street
Suttc 1(16
Charlottc:svtllc, \'uprua
22903
January 7, 1999
(804)9 ~84
FA.X (8t'l4) 984-5947
e-matl. Mr. Robert 0. Cassada
pav@vaprcscr\'atton O'll
Programming and Scheduling Division
Virginia Department of Transportation
OFflCERS
140 I East Broad Street
W. ()(lugj.s Wi!pUI. Jr., Al.-\
Pus,dmt Richmond, Virginia 23219
M~ Galla¢ter
r:;rr President
ut) B \\'ard. Jr.
Srt'rttary· Dear Mr. Cassada:
AddiSon B Thomp«'n
TrtiJ.IUrtr

a...,. B. Caner The Preservation Alliance of Virginia wishes to lend its support to the request for TEA-21
Pcut Prtsldtnl
funding for the Sperryville Gateway Project. This project will make transportation and
TRt:STE£5
pedestrian improvements to the Main Street area, rebuild a footbridge over the Thorton River,
\\'lllwn M. Beck
Henry J Bro,.ne. Al.-\
and undertake other transportation/bike/pedestrian planning initiatives.
Richard T. Coul\lre
S .-\!len Clwnhm. Jr
J11111us lL FIShburne Sperryville has a historic district with 78 properties listed on the National Register of Historic
Linda Glidden
John Paul HUlbwy, FAlA Places. It is not only a community with historic integrity and character but serves as the
Peter Hunt
E. Reneelnpru "gateway" to the Shenandoah National Park.
Joseph F Johnston. Jr.
~eA.Kqley
Patricia Webb Lege!~
lvor Massey, Jr. The proposed improvements will help to create a safe and pedestrian-friendly village and offer
Kalherine T. MOll>
F B. MonlaBUe increased amenities to the many travelers that visit Rappahannock County and the Park. This
Sally G. Oldham
Melhn 1.. Parker project meets many of the TEA-21 criteria, including historic preservation. We hope that this
Oliver .-\. Pollard. Ill
Donna J. Seifen application will be favorably considered!
Charles H. Scilheimer, Jr.

The Preservation Alliance of Virginia is a private, not for profit, grass roots statewide coalition
of more than 160 local and regional preservation organizations, 70 corporations and 800
individual members. The Alliance works in partnership with local groups and individuals
throughout the Commonwealth to encourage the protection, preservation and promotion of
cultural, architectural, historic and archaeological resources and the natural heritage of Virginia.

If you have any question, please do not hesitate to call.

Kat Imhoff
&tt:u1ivt DirttlOr Sincerely,
R~dN . Jones
Lt111ltzti"·' Coun.~el
Anne M. Thompscm
A.dmmislrOIIVt ...Ustslt.VJI

Kat Imhoff
Executive Director

0
Thr Ptr.<rt1'3tltlll Allwro·r r:• Vu~uu3 :, Jdt•U<"j•T ;utd itJfcm123tic.m llrtM'urk fvl"lu:<run<·prr.•rn•Jflc.m.
Tlrr AlhJJta· Mvrk." wtrlr mrmbrr urg.utiDtiUll.<, lrt."run~· prvprrty uWIJt'T'$, bu.~tiJt'$.~t'.~. lu...~ gu••rnuncnr.~, .1nd Uur-tr$lt'd ciftzr-n.~ tu
ptr.<rn•r Jlld ptumutr rbr .-ulrw;r/. IIJnJr;r/. lu.<tun<·. ;u,·hirrmmJ.! Jlld ;udrJru/ugt<~ brtir•gr ufrbr CummumvrJ!rA

c
 Office of Zoning 5'\10 ..b75-:5:5-42 Fu !i-40 ..(,7[, .. 12;)0
.John \V. ) 1cCarthy, Administrator Post Office !Box !i J'l
W.uhington, VA 22747

January 14, 1999

Mrs. Barbara Williams

Sperryville Gateway Committee
Sperryville, Va 22740

RE: TEA-21 Grant Application

0 Sperryville Gateway Project

Dear Mrs. Williams:

On behalf of the Rappahannock County Planning Commission, I

am wntmg to express our support for the proposed Sperryville
Gateway project and the pending TEA-21 Grant Application.
The preservation of Sperryville as a pedestrian-friendly
community while enlivening its tourist-related industries are
laudable goals, fully supported by the Rappahannock County
Comprehensive Plan.
We wish you every success in this endeavor.

0 Sincerely,

frlh {;.- _g~ 71~

c 4haron Pierce, Chair
Rappahannock County
Planning Commission

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 United States Department of the Interior
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
Shenandoah National Park
3655 U.S. Hwy . 211 E
Luray, Virginia 22835-9036

IN REPLY REFER TO:

A38

January 7, 1999

Mr. Robert 0. Cassada

Programming and Scheduling Division
Commonwealth of Virginia
Department ofTransportation
1401 East Broad Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219

Dear Mr. Cassada:

I welcome the opportunity to comment on a very constructive proposal submitted by

Rappahannock County.

Shenandoah National Park is very interested in the proposed Sperryville Gateway Project.
Coming from the east on U.S. Highway 211, as a large proportion of our visitors do, it is
the last village before Thornton Gap and the Park entrance. As with most communities
that serve as gateways to our National Parks, the development of this area can set a tone
for visitor enjoyment of the Park.

By virtue of conversations with members of the Rappahannock County Board of

Supervisors and meetings with the Gateway Committee, I have followed development of
this idea with great interest. I am very pleased with the proposal that you will be
evaluating, and we will do our part to assist the community in planning related to
connecting a path to a Park trail.

In my 30+ years with the National Park Service, I have had close-up experience with
many gateway communities. Some ofthem have developed in a manner in keeping with
the natural and recreational values ofNational Parks; many others, I am sorry to say, have
not. But rarely have I seen a community as well situated and suited to serve as a gateway
as Rappahannock County. It is a beautiful country with rolling farmland, forested hills
and spectacular views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. And the five miles ofhighway
between Sperryville and the Park boundary are still relatively pristine, with roadside
stands selling apples and local produce as well as a restaurant, market and some gift
shops.
[
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c I applaud the efforts of this small rural community in managing its considerable natural
and scenic assets in a way that will provide attractive amenities for visitors and
simultaneously preserve them for future generations.
[ Sincerely,

/j)

,//~4-c~.c:r~
· Douglas K. Morris
Superintendent

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 The Rappahannock Historical Society
P.O. Box 261
Wushington, VA 22747

December 29, 1998

Mr. Robert 0. Cassada

Programming and Scheduling Division
Virginia Department of Transportation
1401 E. Broad Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219

Dear Mr. Cassada:

I write to you to lend my enthusiastic support to the application from

Rappahatmock County for a TEA-21 grant to finance the Sperryville Gateway
Project.

As president of the Rappahannock Historical Society, I am very pleased that

the citizens of the Sperryville area have worked together to develop a plan that will
preserve and enhance the historic resources of the village. As you may know,
Sperryville is an officially designated .Historic District, .having b~en place~ on ?oth
the Virginia Historic Landmarks Regtster and the National Regtster of Htstonc
Places in 1983. This 200-year-old historic village has been an important crossroads
and transportation center since the early days of the Republic, and it seems most
fitting that the citizens of Sperryville now seek to preserve and enhance its v~luable
character through their grant proposal.

In addition to preserving the village's historic resources, the Sperryville

Gateway Project would have practical benefits for the town and the entire county.
The proposed Main Street enhancements would make the village a safer, more
pedestrian-friendly environment, benefiting both local residents and the many
tourists and visitors who visit the town. The village is an important gateway to
Shenandoah National Park and annually attracts thousands of visitors, who could
stroll its Main Street and frequent its shops and business in greater comfort and
safety if the proposed improvements are done.

The project holds potential economic benefits for the county in terms of
enhancing Sperryville as a business location and tourist center. It also promises
· significant benefits to the residents of the town in terms of improved traffic flow,

c better drainage and safer pedestrian walkways. The project will aid the toursist-
related businesses of the area and encourage further investment by business owners
in Sperryville. The proposed biking-hiking trail linking the village with the
Shenandoah National park would serve both local residents and tourists and seems
 l'v1r. Robert 0. Cassada
December 29, 1998
Page2

to be exactly the sort of project that fits the criteria of the Transportation
Enhancement Program.

Please add my endorsement to those of the many officials ·a nd residents of

Rappahannock County who urge your favorable consideration of this grant
proposal.

vVith kindest regards, I am

Sincerely,

0 Douglas K. Baumgardner

DKB/cdp

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 FROM.: Links and CHAINS PHONE NO. 540 987 9343 Jan. 25 1999 03:02PM Pi

c NATIONAL TRUST
J•• HTSTOlUC PUS.I!:RVA:rlON

January 22, 1999

Mr. Robert Cassada

Virginia Department of Transportation
Commonwealth ofVirginia
Richmond, VA

Dear Mr. Cassada:

I am pleased to endorse enthusiastically the. applitation ofRappahi:lnriock· Co~rity· for

Enhancement Fund improvements pursuant to the Sperryville Gateway Proposal.

As a resident of Castleton, just south of Sperryville, I am quite familiar with Sperryville.

This small town has already achieved listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Its
historic character and location oh route 522 immediately adjacent to route 211 give it great
potential for sharing its history. architecture. and small town flavor with visitors and
other
travelers along routes 211 and 522.

I have followed closely the work of the Sperryville Gateway Committee and am truly
impressed by the extent of community participation and the important results tha.t will come
when their recommendations are realized. The provision of sidewalks along .the main
street of
Sperryville is a necessity for pedestrian safety and for enjoyment oftbis historic community. A
footbridge between the old school house and main street is al.sO essential for safety and for
pedestrians to move easily from one part of the overa:ll lUstoric community to the other.

I have no doubt that the Sperryville Gateway Committee wilt use these physical
improvements to continue their work in the areas of promotion, organi.zatio~ and economic
restructuring. In this way they can achieve the economic base needed to keep the beauty and
historic character of this comm~nity intact, to the benefit of everyone who lives in or visits this
special part of Virginia.

With thanks.for your consideration,

Yours truly,

~~
Vice President
Programs, Sei-yices ·a nd Info~~on:·
: . . . .., . ·: ·...
... .
Protecting the Irreplaceable

c 1785 MASSA.CHtTU:TTS AV:ENU'B,

202.518 . 600tl •
NW. WA.SHINCTON,
.I'AX• 202.58&.6033 • TTY: 202 . 58tL6200 •
DC 20036.
WWW.NA.TIONALTJ.UST.Oli.C

c 01/25/99 14:51 TX/RX NO. 0410 p .001

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January 25, 1999

Mr. Robert 0. Cassada

Virginia Department of Transportation
Programming and Scheduling Division
1401 E. Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23 219

Dear Mr. Cassada:

The Rappahannock-Rapidan Planning District Commission would be pleased to administer

the Sperryville Gateway TEA-21 project for Rappahannock County if the project is awarded.

The Planning District Commission has a strong track record of experience preparing and
administering these grants, will have adequate staff time to manage the program and extensive
experience in state and local procurement regulations.

Please let me know if you have any questions about the Commission's willingness or
ability to administer this application if awarded.

Best regards.

t Iy, ,I'
S.mcere 1
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---····i\·-c,__(..l..·~
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.

Gary F. Christie
·-.. ~~

Executive Director
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CC: John McCarthy, County Administrator
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 FRANK R. WOLF COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
10TH D ISTRICT , VIRGIN IA SUBCOMMITTEES :
TRANSPORTATION-CHAIRMAN
WASHINGTON OFF IC E:
TREASURY-POSTAL SERVICE- GENERAL

~ongress of tbe Wniteb $tates

241 CANN ON B UIL DING
GOVERNMENT
WASH INGTON , DC 20515-461 0
12021225-5136 FOREIGN OPERATIONS-EXPORT
FINANCING AND RELATED PROGRAMS
CONS TITUENT SERVICES OFF ICES :

13873 PARK CENTER ROAD

1!Jouse of ~epresentatihes COMMISSION ON SECURITY AND
COOPERATION IN EUROPE
SU ITE 130
HERNDON, VA 20171
mmtasbington, 1::3<11: 20515-4610
17031 709-5800
1-18001-945-9653
(WITH IN VIRG IN IA )
January 13, 1999
1 10 NORTH CAMERON STREET
W1NCHESTEA, VA 22601
15401 667-0990
1-80CI-85G-3463
(WITHIN VIRGIN IA )

Mr. Robert 0. Cassada

Virginia Department of Transportation
1401 East Broad St
Richmond VA 23219

Dear Mr. Cassada:

c I write in support of the Sperryville Gateway Project. The $500,000 requested from
TEA-21 for Phase One of this project will allow Rappahannock County to preserve the village of
Sperryville while making it a primary stopping point for visitors to the Shenandoah National

c Park.

I believe that this project will benefit the residents of Sperryville and Rappahannock
[ County as well as people traveling through Sperryville for business or pleasure. The Sperryville
Gateway Project would improve Main Street, build a bike path from the town to the Shenandoah
National Park, and create a program to educate people about the transportation history of the
[ town.

c Again, I encourage your support for the Sperryville Gateway Project's request and
appreciate your consideration.

Best regards.
[

~!aQk.R.· Wol~
__ · Member of Congr . s
'
[ FRW:rae

[ · · ~- --· -

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c Mr. Robert 0 . Cassada

Programming and Scheduling Division
Virginia Department of Transportation
1401 East Broad Street
c Richmond, Virginia 23219

Dear Mr. Cassada:

c I am pleased to suppo;t the Sperryville Gatewr.y Project, which is located

c within the 31st District, which I am honored to repre~ent in the Virginia House of
Delegates. By supporting th·~ir funding request, the Historic Sperryville District can
make this village safer and more pedestrian fiiendly. Jt will encourage visitors to
c enjoy the beautiful town, while enabling them to appreciate the 78 properties located
there listed on the National Register.

[ Maintaining the rural character of a Virginia ar·;:a is crucia1, as more and more
of our land is being taken over l(u· other purposes. By encouraging tourism to

c Sperryville, we also will be CJH.:ouraging its economic vitality, and in turn deliver
important benefits to Rappahannock County as a whole.

c I believe that the grant l"unding which is being requested is intended for
projects such as this worthy cbjective, and I hope verj much that you will be
[ supportive.

c With best wishes.

Sincerely,
[
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 COMMONW E ALTH O F VI R GINIA

H OU SE O F DE L EGAT E S
RICHMOND

COMM ITTEE ASS I GNM E NTS :

F R ANK M . RU F F TRANSPORT 14.TI0N
P.O B OX 332 APP~OPR I I!IT IO NS
CLARKSVILL.E: . VIRG IN I A Z39Z7 CONSERVATION ANO N"'TURAL RESOURCES
AGR ICULTURE
S I XTV - F' I ~ST D I ST~ I CT

c January 7, 1999

Mr. Robert 0. Cassada

Programming and Scheduling Division

0 Virginia Department of Transportation

1401 E. Broad Street

c
Richmond, Virginia 23219

Dear Mr. Cassada:

0 I am writing to express my support of the grant application from

Rappahannock County seeking TEA-21 funding for the Sperryville Gateway
c Project.

c The people of Sperryville and Rappahannock County have worked for more
than a year to develop this project that meets real-world problems, while at the
same time preserves and enhances the valuable historical resources of this 200-

c year-old village.

Historically, Sperryville was an important transportation crossroads, at the

c foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the route that took stage coaches and
wagon trains across Thornton Gap to the Shenandoah Valley. In this village, the

c Conestoga wagon was built - a velticle that would play a crucial role in America' s
westward migration. The village was a critical crossroads during the Civil War,
playing host to both Union and Confederate armies as the tide of war ebbed and

c flowed over the region.

c Today, this historic village still bears witness to its important place in the
past, while struggling with modem problems of the present. To secure its future,
the residents of Sperryville have come together to fmd a way to protect its heritage

c and enhance its livability in the modem world. The result is the proposed
Sperryville Gateway Project, which will, if funded, provide the following benefits:

[
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 Mr. Robert 0. Cassada
January 7, 1999
Page2

• Development of a biking/hiking trail that would link the business and

residential area of the village to the Shenandoah National Park- a pathway that
0 not only would provide a safe and beautiful route to the park for local
residents, but that also would be a major attraction for tourists and weekend
visitors to the county.

• Improvement of a currently dangerous and difficult situation along Main Street

0 (Route 1001) that is marked by hea\y truck traffic, -speeding vehicles, and lack
of any safe place for pedestrians to walk. The project's plan to divert most

c trucks from Main Street (by keeping them on the primary highways, US Routes
211 and 522), to restore the street to its historic level and appearance, to create
safe pedestrian walkways, and to provide new drainage of rainwater, would be

0 a major benefit to residents and visitors alike.

• Historic preservation which would emphasize the important role of Sperryville

0 as an historic crossroads and transportation center. Among the historic assets
of the village are the buildings where the Conestoga wagon was first

c manufactured, and an ante-bellum hotel that served as a way station for

stagecoach travelers of the 191h century. This is precisely the sort of historic
preservation project envisioned by the Transportation Enhancement Program.

I commend the residents of Rappahannock County for coming together to

c envision this project for Sperryville, and for all those who have worked so hard to
put together their grant application. Coming from a county that has never before
sought such a grant, this project makes a compelling case for full funding, and I

c hope that you will see its merits as I do.

Sincerely,

OVljfno.l let-k..- Sij"'~

c Frank M. Ruff

c
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