SPERRYVILLE RIVER DISTRICT IN RAPPAHANNOCK COUNTY, VIRGINIA
Founded in early 1820, Sperryville River District is less than a 15- minute ride along Route 211 to the middle entrance of Skyline Drive which winds through the Shenandoah National Park and offers pristine, picturesque views that span a distance from the Shenandoah Valley in the west to the Virginia Piedmont in the east. Just a short walking distance from the Historic Main Street, the River District area is nestled at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains where the North and South forks of the mighty Thornton River converge. The River District includes one of 30 Civil War Trail Markers located within Rappahannock County, VA, and was once a major thoroughfare and gateway for both Union and Confederate troops. N 38° 39' 29.4, W 78° 12' 59.6
As you enter the River Lane off of Water Street, the large building to your left, was originally an apple packing house, where freshly-picked Rappahannock apples were sorted, packed into boxes, and shipped for resale. The sorted apples (deemed not fit for sale in grocery stores and fruit stands) were sent to the juice plant beside the packing house - the location of Wasmund's Malt Room, to be turned into juice. The finished juice was stored in the cinderblock building next to the juice plant that's now the Copper Fox Distillery and home to Wasmund's Wh***ey. Not all packed apples were sold immediately, so a cold storage building was constructed in 1938. In this three-story, 50,000 square foot warehouse, apples were stored in refrigeration until sold. The “Rappahannock Cold Storage Cooperative” was organized and operated by several local apple growers and is now home to Copper Fox Antiques. The motivation behind refrigerating apples is that heat is the enemy of the picked apple. "A day in the field is like a week in cold storage" was a commonly preached saying in the apple industry. Today, Sperryville River District is home to a group of fine artists, and craftsmen who offer a variety of engaging activities that include shopping, antiquing, tastings, art galleries, distilled and brewed alcoholic beverages, a seasonal farmers market, and annual community-driven events. You can enjoy a short walk from the top of the lane, to visit the several quaint village shops and thriving local businesses nestled charmingly along the banks of the Thornton River.
