This issue starts with a Culpeper man who helped push royal power out of Virginia, then moves to a quiet place of remembrance, a mid-July events calendar, a farmers market note, Bloom & Berry, and a Dinner Club invitation.
And while this week leans into local history, Culpeper HQ is not meant to live only in the past. The heart of this project is sharing the stories of people living, working, building, cooking, creating, serving, and showing up in Culpeper right now.
We’re still building out our interview system and waiting on the first round of completed interviews, but in the coming months, you’ll start seeing more stories from local residents, business owners, makers, volunteers, neighbors, and the quietly interesting people who make this place feel like itself.
Culpeper HQ exists to help people know who to know, what to do, what stories are hiding nearby, and where to show up if you want this place to feel a little more like yours.
Feature Story
The Culpeper Man Who Helped Push a King Out of Virginia
Before Culpeper had a train depot, a national cemetery, or a charming downtown, it had Edward Stevens: a Culpeper man, a Revolutionary War battalion, and one very firm answer to royal authority.
This week’s feature looks at Stevens, the Culpeper Minute Men, and the local fingerprints left on a much larger American story.
Culpeper has its own “Don’t Tread on Me” flag story.
The Culpeper Minute Men carried a distinctive rattlesnake flag bearing both “Liberty or Death” and “Don’t Tread On Me.” So yes, one of America’s most recognizable Revolutionary-era symbols has a very local chapter, complete with Culpeper grit, colonial drama, and a snake that was absolutely not here to make friends.
Partner Spotlight
A Dinner Where Virginia History Gets a Place Setting
GATHER is bringing its first dinner to historic Salubria Manor, and this one is built for people who like their evenings with a little story, a little ceremony, and a very good reason to linger at the table.
Provision & Forage is a five-course dinner from Chef Frida Johansson, built around Virginia ingredients, thoughtful pairings, and the food stories early Virginians carried, discovered, cooked, and shared.
It is part dinner, part place-based storytelling, and part “why don’t we do things like this more often?” evening.
This Week in Culpeper: Warbirds, Tomatoes, History Walks, and Weekend Plans
Mid-July in Culpeper is not easing quietly into the calendar. This week has historic aircraft at the airport, tomatoes getting the fine-dining treatment, downtown history walks, library programs for kids and teens, live music, a winery anniversary, and one very reasonable excuse to sip something near a vineyard.
A few highlights:
Wheels & Warbirds lands at Culpeper Regional Airport on Saturday with historic aircraft, classic cars, live music, free admission, and the kind of “come look at this” energy that works on kids, dads, grandpas, and aviation-curious adults alike.
Culpeper Downtown Farmers Market is back Saturday morning, which means peaches, flowers, greens, baked goods, and at least one tomato that will make you overconfident about dinner.
SummerSupperSomm Heirloom Tomato Dinner at DuCard Vineyards is the week’s big food splurge: four courses, dessert, wine pairings, and heirloom tomatoes getting their proper Virginia summer spotlight.
Downtown Culpeper History Walking Tours run Saturday and Sunday for anyone who wants to rediscover the streets they thought they already knew.
And if you’re looking for a short drive with a little polish, Salon 1776 at Montpelier brings history, cocktails, and a respectable reason to say, “I’m going to a lecture,” without sounding punished.
We pulled a short list for the email, but the full calendar has more: library programs, museum exhibits, winery happenings, live music, family picks, and a few midweek surprises worth knowing about.
See the full Culpeper HQ events calendar, including markets, live music, family programs, winery happenings, local history, and a few worth-the-drive picks.
Secondary Story
The Quiet Place on U.S. Avenue
Culpeper National Cemetery does not ask much of you. It sits quietly on U.S. Avenue, holding rows of white stones and one of the town's most meaningful reminders of service, memory, and sacrifice.
Farmers Market Is Back Saturday, and Bloom & Berry Is Worth the Stop
The Culpeper Downtown Farmers Market returns Saturday, July 11, from 7:30 AM until noon.
And if your market basket needs a little backup, Bloom & Berry Natural Market recently opened on Main Street with natural grocery items, grab-and-go options, and plenty worth discovering.
It is the kind of local shop Culpeper needs more of: thoughtful, useful, and rooted in the idea that good food and good community belong close together.
Dinner Club Is Where Culpeper HQ Gets Off the Screen
Culpeper HQ is partly about stories, but it is not supposed to stay trapped in your inbox.
Our first Dinner Club is Thursday, July 16 at 6:30 PM. You take a quick quiz, we match you with a table of six, and the restaurant is revealed the morning of the dinner.
