Editing Middleburg, Virginia (section)

==History==
[[File:Unidentified cabin, Middleburg vicinity, Loudoun County, Virginia. Porch.jpg|thumb|left|Cabin near Middleburg, Loudon, by Frances Benjamin Johnston, ca. 1930s. Photo shows African American man and woman, outdoors, standing at the corner of a house near the chimney]]
The town was established in 1787 by Revolutionary War officer and statesman [[Leven Powell]]. He purchased the land for Middleburg at $2.50 per acre in 1763 from Joseph Chinn, a first cousin of [[George Washington]]. It had been called "Chinn's Crossroads" and was then called Powell Town.  When Leven Powell declined to have the town named after him, the town was called Middleburgh, and later, simply Middleburg.  The village is located midway between the port of [[Alexandria, Virginia|Alexandria]]<ref>From Middleburg Virginia book by Kate Brenner & Genie Ford, viewed at  [https://books.google.com/books?id=zZ1HJiseKQAC&q=Alexandria Google Books preview page 7]</ref> and [[Winchester, Virginia|Winchester]], Virginia, on the [[Ashby Gap]] [[trading route]] (now followed by [[U.S. Route 50 in Virginia|U.S. Route 50]]).

In 1863, Middleburg witnessed [[Battle of Middleburg|two skirmishes]] during the [[Gettysburg Campaign]] of the [[American Civil War|Civil War]].

From the early 1900s, Middleburg began welcoming visitors who participated in foxhunting and steeplechasing. The village soon earned a reputation as the "Nation's Horse and Hunt Capital", attracting prominent visitors from across the U.S. Middleburg is the home of the {{convert|15000|sqft|m2|adj=on}} [[National Sporting Library]] research center for horse and field sports, which publishes ''[[Thoroughbred Heritage]]'' on the Internet. A new addition is being made to include an art gallery and museum.

In 1961, activists of the [[Civil Rights Movement]] pressed [[John F. Kennedy]] on local [[Segregation in the United States|segregation]] issues during his residency outside town. That year, he and [[Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis|Jackie]] had rented Glen Ora.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://househistree.com/houses/glen-ora|title=The Story of the Glen Ora Estate|website=HouseHistree.com | access-date=February 1, 2021}}</ref>

The [[Middleburg Historic District (Middleburg, Virginia)|Middleburg Historic District]], comprising the 19th-century center of town, is listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]]. The oldest building in town, the [[Red Fox Inn & Tavern]],<ref name=nrhpinv1>{{cite web|last=Virginia Historic Landmarks Commission Staff|title=National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form: Middleburg Historic District|url=http://www.dhr.virginia.gov/registers/Counties/Loudoun/259-0162_Middleburg_Historic_District_1982_Final_Nomination.pdf|publisher=National Park Service|access-date=September 19, 2011|date=December 1981|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304065445/http://www.dhr.virginia.gov/registers/Counties/Loudoun/259-0162_Middleburg_Historic_District_1982_Final_Nomination.pdf|archive-date=March 4, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> was originally established in 1728 by Joseph Chinn as Chinn's Ordinary and is billed as the oldest continually operated inn in the U.S.  The oldest known house still in use as a residence, "Middleburg House," was built in 1779.    Also listed on the National Register of Historic Places are [[Benton (Middleburg, Virginia)|Benton]], the [[Burrland Farm Historic District]], [[Green Pastures (Middleburg, Virginia)|Green Pastures]], [[Huntland (Middleburg, Virginia)|Huntland]], [[Mill House (Middleburg, Virginia)|Mill House]], [[Gen. William Mitchell House]], [[Much Haddam]], [[Unison Historic District]], and [[Welbourne (Middleburg, Virginia)|Welbourne]].<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref><ref name="nps">{{cite web|url=http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/listings/20140103.htm|title=National Register of Historic Places Listings|date=January 3, 2014|work=Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 12/23/13 through 12/27/13|publisher=National Park Service|access-date=February 14, 2014|archive-date=February 19, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140219220038/http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/listings/20140103.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>