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[photo]
Orange Commercial Historic District
Photo courtesy of Virginia Main Street Program

Downtown Orange showcases a diverse collection of historic commercial buildings in a number of architectural styles that were popular in the United States from the 1830s through the 1940s. These buildings reflect the development of Orange from its earliest days as a courthouse town and railroad stop, to its era of rebuilding after the devastating fire of 1908, to the transformation of the town during the modern era of the automobile.

In August 1734, Orange County was created and named for the new son-in-law of King George II of England, Prince William of Orange. Shortly after that time, in 1749, the unincorporated town of Orange Court House began serving as the county seat. In the early 19th century, Orange Court House experienced diversification of its agricultural base, with wheat and tobacco as the keystones, and improved its transportation routes to eastern markets, particularly with railroads and turnpikes. Added to the governmental activities of the courthouse and post office, commercial activity brought prosperity to the town and spurred the establishment of social organizations. Many religious institutions that had been organized earlier now began building permanent houses of worship in town. The fourth courthouse built to serve the county was constructed in 1859 and remains at the same location.

During the Civil War, several of the buildings in Orange Court House, particularly St. Thomas' Episcopal Church, were utilized by Confederate troops. In 1862, as Federal troops drew near to the courthouse town, the Orange clerk of the court was given permission to remove all the court's records to a place of safety. Orange County still retains all of its records back to its founding in 1734. After the war, Orange residents returned to their homes and resumed their agrarian way of life, with adjustments in farming techniques and crops to account for the 6,000 men and women who no longer worked as slaves, but as free people. Many of these residents chose to live in Orange Court House and its neighboring town, Gordonsville.

[photo] In 1992 Orange became a designated Virginia Main Street community
Photo courtesy of Virginia Main Street Program

In 1872, Orange Court House finally achieved town status. In 1890, the official name of the town was shortened to Orange. Orange, located in a transportation hub, experienced commercial growth throughout the remainder of the 19th and into the 20th century with the establishment of banks, wholesale stores, merchant mills, an ice factory and such improvements as paved streets, electric lights and a library. Yet, during the first few decades of the 20th century, Orange's population and its dominance as a railroad center began to decline. One of the most defining moments in the history of the modern-day town of Orange occurred on November 8, 1908, when a fire swept through the eastern half of the town, destroying all buildings in the area.

The advent of the automobile brought new opportunities to Orange entrepreneurs. By 1930, the town's accessible location and its core of early automobile owners, the Orange Automobile Club, made Orange a regional center for automobile sales and services. Practically any make of automobile could be purchased in Orange from the 32 automotive businesses centered in the town, including three dealerships along what was once Orange's Wall Street. Orange's manufacturing base also grew and diversified, fed by the highways, to include: food processing, silk processing, metal fabrication, printing and building contractors.


[photo]
Historic Orange train depot
Photo courtesy of Virginia Main Street Program
At the start of the 21st century, the town of Orange is healthy and vital, exemplifying the charm and advantages of Virginia's small towns. In 1992, Orange became a designated Virginia Main Street community and later, in 1999, the Orange Commercial Historic District was listed in the National Register. The downtown's small business recruitment techniques, community events and other Main Street activities are models for other towns and small cities in Virginia. The Orange Downtown Alliance, Inc. has spearheaded revitalization efforts. Many jobs have been created downtown, and many downtown buildings have been rehabilitated

Orange Commercial Historic District is located at the intersection of U.S. Rte. 15 and State Rte. 20. runnly roughly along Madison and Main sts. The Orange Downtown Alliance, Inc. is located at 130 West Main St., Suite 201, and is open from 9:00am to 5:00pm, Monday-Friday. For more information about shopping, dining and events in downtown Orange call the Orange Downtown Alliance at 540-672-2540.


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