Dover, Virginia

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Dover is an unincorporated community in Loudoun County, Virginia, USA. Dover is located east of Middleburg at the intersection of U.S. Highway 50, Champe Ford Road (629 South), and Cobb House Road (629 North). The Little River begins following Route 50 at this point.

<Note the following information comes from me, Michael Hollinger, the closest thing to a resident of Dover - as my father-in-law (Fred Warren) purchased (from Stoke) the land on which the Champe Ford Monument sits in 1963, and I purchased some land down the road in 2004. I did an historical investigation of the area, but I no longer have the county documents I used to amass this knowledge. I have no idea how to footnote this information, seeing as much as anybody could be an expert on such an obscure thing>

Dover as a geographical entity is somewhat over-rated, seeing as the bend in Route 50 it refers to consists of only few houses, but it has a long pedigree as a named area, appearing (for reasons I have yet to understand) on state and national maps. Most likely, it understanding as a geographical entity stems from the fact that the Little River Turnpike (first toll road in America) and Aldie-Ashby's Gap Turnpike terminated approximately together here, 1.3 miles west of Aldie.

[edit] Historical Interest

There are four VA historical markers at the site, commemorating John Champe "Revolutionary War Hero", and three Civil War marks, including one mentioning the Battle of Aldie.

Its two distinguishing features are Stoke (a prominent house that boasted Teddy Roosevelt as a "frequent" guest) and the Champe Ford Memorial (an obelisk commemorating John Champe, handpicked by George Washington to re-capture Benedict Arnold after his defection to the British side. He came very close to succeeding, but at the last moment, Arnold changed plans and the whole endeavor had to be called off. His house was at the crossing of the Little River where the monument sits today, but the house itself had collapsed (according to Col. Harrison of Stoke) "sometime in the (19)20s." He only realized the connection when reading an old journal, and realizing that one of his old buildings had to have been Champe's residence.

Dover Mill, built in 1810 and demolished in 1923 (the stones were reused to build Middleburg Bank) was the original mainstay. Built by the Hixson family, it was a profitable enterprise before the Civil War, but never was able to recover from essentially being on the front lines for several years of war.

Dover Mill was also a known landmark for people wishing to travel to the village of Landmark (now uninihabited), by traveling down what is now Champe Ford Road.

Dover Academy was a girls school in the mid 1800s as well. The house was eventually purchased by the McCormicks (related to McCormick Spice Company) and is currently owned by a McCormick Descendant (Jamie McCormick).

[edit] Other Current Structures

Pheseant's Eye was built by the Hixsons as their main resident in the 1820s. There are a few other old houses, as well as Dover Nursery and new farmhouse at the "intersection." (Term used advisedly, as there isn't even a stoplight, nor is there need for one.)

The Amazing Race (9.3) shows many of the contestants passing '629' in the dead of night on their way to Dulles Airport. That is probably the only time Dover has appeared on national television.

Michael Dell maintains a residence south of Dover on Landmark School Road. Other notable residents include Virginia Warner (daughter of Sen. John Warner) and billionaire Jacqueline Mars of Mars Candy.

[edit] External links

• Maps and aerial photos Coordinates: 38.9764987° -77.6744377°
  • Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
  • Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
  • Topographic map from TopoZone
  • Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA

| History of John Champe and a view of the obelisk that marks Dover