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Purcellville, Virginia, is located about 45 miles northwest of Washington, D.C., near the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The
town is the second largest incorporated town in Loudoun County and is the hub of Western Loudoun.
The community was first settled by Quakers from Pennsylvania in 1764. The village was named Purcel's Store in 1822 with Valentine Purcell as Postmaster. The name was changed
to Purcellville in 1852. It was incorporated in 1908.
The present population is about 8,000. The town is served by many stores and businesses, a branch of the county library system, an active community center, dedicated volunteer
fire and rescue personnel, and several churches. Emerick Elementary serves Kindergarten through 5th grade. Blue Ridge Middle, Harmony Intermediate and Loudoun Valley High Schools serve Purcellville residents as well
as students from all communities west of Leesburg. Purcellville is 9 miles west of historic Leesburg, the county seat, and within 25 miles of Dulles Airport. The Dulles corridor is a rapidly developing light
industrial and technological center. It includes the State-organized Center for Innovative Technology. Major shopping centers and cultural attractions are less than an hour away in Winchester and metropolitan
Washington. Skiing, hiking, camping, and fishing are within easy drives. Chesapeake Bay and ocean beaches are a few hours away. Two major rivers, the Shenandoah and the Potomac, can be reached in half an hour.
Purcellville is home to Patrick Henry College. Branches of several other colleges and universities, including Northern Virginia Community College, George Washington University, and
Strayer College are located in Eastern Loudoun.
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