Rapidan is a small
unincorporated community
An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...
in the Virginia counties of
Culpeper and
Orange
Orange most often refers to:
*Orange (fruit), the fruit of the tree species '' Citrus'' × ''sinensis''
** Orange blossom, its fragrant flower
*Orange (colour), from the color of an orange, occurs between red and yellow in the visible spectrum
* ...
, approximately 5 miles (8 km) northeast of the
Town of Orange. The community, located on both sides of the
Rapidan River
The Rapidan River, flowing U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed April 1, 2011 through north-central Virginia in the United States, is the largest tributary of the Rappahannock ...
, was established in the late eighteenth century around the Waugh's Ford
mill
Mill may refer to:
Science and technology
*
* Mill (grinding)
* Milling (machining)
* Millwork
* Textile mill
* Steel mill, a factory for the manufacture of steel
* List of types of mill
* Mill, the arithmetic unit of the Analytical Engine early ...
. The
Orange and Alexandria Railroad built a line through the town in 1854, a post office was built at the river crossing, and its name was changed to Rapid Ann Station. Milling remained a major industry in the area up through the mid-twentieth century.
["Rapidan Historic District." National Register of Historic Places registration form. February 1986. Form prepared by David Edwards and staff, Virginia Division of Historic Landmarks. Retrieved 15 November 2013. http://www.dhr.virginia.gov/registers/Counties/Culpeper/023-0052_Rapidan_Historic_District_1987_Final_Nomination.pdf]
Its strategic location along both a railroad and a river brought about several destructive raids during the
Civil War
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
. Willis’s mill (ca. 1772), which stood in the location of the current mill, was burned along with several homes and other structures, although the miller's house remained.
The village of Rapid Ann Station resumed its prominence as a regional shipping point after the railroad was rebuilt following the Civil War, particularly for lumber and wood products. Its name was changed once again in 1886 to the present-day Rapidan.
In 1987, the
Rapidan Historic District, encompassing 35 contributing buildings and 3 noncontributing buildings within 182 acres (74 ha), was designated a National Historic District, added to both the Virginia Landmarks Register (VLR) and the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). Contributing buildings include the
Waddell Memorial Presbyterian Church, listed separately on the VLR and NRHP. Although not within the Rapidan Historic District, the community of Rapidan is also home to an eighteenth-century middle-class farmhouse known as
Locust Grove (also known as Goodwin Farm), which was listed on the VLR and NRHP in 1985.
The community and surrounding counties are served by the Rapidan Volunteer Fire Department, officially formed in 1978.
File:Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Rapidan, Virginia.jpg, Emmanuel Episcopal Church
File:Lower Rapidan Baptist Church in Rapidan, Virginia.jpg, Lower Rapidan Baptist Church
File:Waddell Memorial Presbyterian Church in Rapidan, Virginia.jpg, Waddell Memorial Presbyterian Church
File:Rapidan Passenger Depot 3877.jpg, Rapidan Passenger Depot
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the
Köppen Climate Classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
system, Rapidan has a
humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.
Climate Summary for Rapidan, Virginia
/ref>
See also
* Rapidan Passenger Depot
*Battle of Brandy Station
The Battle of Brandy Station, also called the Battle of Fleetwood Hill, was the largest predominantly cavalry engagement of the American Civil War, as well as the largest ever to take place on American soil. It was fought on June 9, 1863, aroun ...
References
{{authority control
Unincorporated communities in Virginia
Unincorporated communities in Culpeper County, Virginia