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Just west of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the Shenandoah Valley, but only an hour from DC, lies this gem of the Shenandoah Valley.
With the 177 square miles of rolling countryside, forested, mountain slopes, and the Shenandoah River banks are nestled the towns of Berryville, Boyce, the village of Millwood and White Post, all in Clarke County. With a population of 14,300, the citizens of Clarke County are uniquely proud of their community's rural and agricultural heritage. 111,360 acres are in AOC, Agricultural, Open Conservation space. Remarkably, approximately 18,000 acres, of the Clarke County's land, are placed in permanent, open-space preservation through gifts of Conservation Easement.
In addition to preserving its agricultural heritage and spaces, Clarke County is also dedicated to ensuring the excellent education of its students and the promotion of history, music, and the arts. Clarke County is home to Historic Long Branch House, museum and farm. Long Branch is a beautiful 1811 restored manor house on 400 acres at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains which is furnished with period pieces and antiques. It features fabulous gardens and spectacular views and hosts the annual Hot Air Balloon and Wine Festival in October and holiday tours and parties in December. Clarke County is also home to the State Arboretum of Virginia at 400 Blandy Farm Lane, in Boyce, Virginia. Blandy Experimental Farm is a 700-acre University of Virginia research facility situated in the northern Shenandoah Valley. It is ten miles east of Winchester and sixty miles west of Washington D.C. In this magical state arboretum of Virginia are more than 8,000 trees and woody shrubs. The collections include more than half the world's pine species, the Virginia Native Plant Trail, the Boxwood Memorial Garden, a spectacualr grove of more than 300 ginko trees, an extensive herb garden and much more. Blandy Farm is visited by numerous elementary schools in and out of Clarke County, to educate and promote reasearch on plants, plant biology, ecology, evolution, the environmental sciences and the way all of these are effectd by humans.
The Burwell-Morgan Mill, established in 1785, is the oldest operable merchant mill in the Shenandoah Valley and it is right here in Clarke County! In the mid 19th century the mill operated 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, processing more than 60,000 bushels of wheat per year. The comminity of Millwood grew around this commercial center. The Mill is open now, as an art gallery and tourist site April through October, Thursday through Sunday. Just across the street from The Mill is Locke's Store, an old fashioned deli with a fabulous wine collection, prepared meals and catering services.
The Clarke County Court House, designed and built in 1836, is at 102 N. Church Street in Berryville. Downtown Berryville is a very quaint, yet vibrant town complete with shopping, restaurants, a park, and The Barns of Berryville, where many performances are held throughout the year.
Clarke County is also home to Holy Cross Abbey at 901 Cool Spring Lane, in Berryville. The Abbey is a Trappist monastery. One of the houses included in the abby was built in 1784 and the abbey is supported by its bakery and is known for it's Christmas fruitcakes and other baked goods. The gift shop, and information center are open to the public seven days a week.
Above are just a few of the reasons to move to Clarke County. Come and visit and let Clarke County Properties assist you in finding your new home.
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