The Culpeper Project

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The Culpeper Project

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A long-term photographic study of Culpeper, Virginia—documenting its people, places, everyday life, and history through contemporary and archival images, building a visual anatomy of the town and county over time.

10/08/2026

Earlier this week the evening light was settling across Mountain Run Lake when I noticed this fisherman alone on the dock, working on his fishing line while another pole stretched out across the water.

I shared a view of Mountain Run Lake from the sky not long ago. This time, the view was from the shoreline. Nothing particularly remarkable was happening, but it's the kind of ordinary moment that makes up life in a place.

Consider following The Culpeper Project for more photographs documenting life in Culpeper, VA.

10/04/2026

Culpeper County High School celebrated Homecoming 2026 this past week. More than sixty years ago, Homecoming looked a little different.

Culpeper County High School Homecoming, October 1964.

The Culpeper County High School marching band makes its way down Davis Street ahead of the 1964 Homecoming game against the Orange Hornets.

There is so much Culpeper history tucked into this photograph—from the old storefronts and signs to the cars lining Davis Street and the spectators watching the band pass through downtown.

Does anyone remember when Culpeper County High School stopped holding its Homecoming parade on Davis Street? If you participated in one of these downtown parades—or remember watching them—we’d love to hear what you remember.

Photograph by Ken Gassman, October 1964.

Consider following The Culpeper Project for more historical photographs by Ken Gassman.

09/30/2026

Horse on Dove Hill Road, south of town, January 8, 2025

Consider following The Culpeper Project for more documentary style photographs in Culpeper County.

09/27/2026

Mountain Run Lake, Autumn 2025

Autumn has officially arrived in Culpeper County, even if the landscape hasn't gotten the message quite yet.

It'll be another month or so before Mountain Run Lake and the surrounding countryside begin to look like this again.

Where do you think the best fall view in Culpeper County is?

Consider following The Culpeper Project for more photographs documenting Culpeper County, Virginia.

09/23/2026

Rockwater Park, Culpeper.

September 15, 2026.

From Culpeper, Childhood Lived, an ongoing photographic record of childhood in Culpeper County.

Consider following The Culpeper Project for ongoing photographs documenting Culpeper County, Virginia.

09/20/2026

People of Culpeper is an ongoing portrait series documenting the people who help shape the story of Culpeper.

People of Culpeper #4

Skip & Lou Price

Culpeper Connection: Lou was born and raised in Culpeper on her family’s dairy farm. Skip and Lou opened Village Frameworks & Gallery in Lou’s hometown on September 24, 1990. After 36 years in business, they retired and closed the gallery on August 28, 2026.

Occupation: Retired owners, Village Frameworks & Gallery

In retirement, Skip and Lou plan to spend more time on the family land where they live, become more involved with the Culpeper Baptist Church, and eventually take a road trip across the country to spend time with their son in Utah.

How has Culpeper affected your life?

“It has become a part of us.”

Is there anything else you would like to share?

“God has blessed us with so many friends through our business.”

If you enjoy this kind of work, consider following The Culpeper Project for more photographs documenting life in Culpeper County, Virginia.

09/16/2026

Summer officially comes to an end next week.

Kayaks line the shore at Lake Culpeper Adventures at the The Ole Country Store of Culpeper, July 28, 2026.

Consider following The Culpeper Project for ongoing photographs documenting Culpeper County, Virginia.

09/13/2026

Culpeper Dairy Queen, early 1960s

The first photograph, from the Ken Gassman collection, shows Culpeper’s Dairy Queen at the corner of Routes 29 and 229 in the early 1960s. The Dairy Queen was built at this location in 1953.

The second photograph shows Culpeper’s Dairy Queen today, at its current location on Ira Hoffman Lane.

Ken remembers the flowers planted in front of the old Dairy Queen particularly well, noting how unusual it was at the time to see such elaborate flowerbeds in front of a commercial business. His mother admired them and often commented on how pretty the flowers were. Her appreciation for them is part of the reason Ken made this photograph.

There are still pieces of the Dairy Queen’s history I’d love to document with your help: Does anyone remember who owned or operated the old Dairy Queen over the years? How long did it remain at the corner of Routes 29 and 229, and does anyone remember when Dairy Queen moved to its current location on Ira Hoffman Lane?

I’d also love to hear any memories you have of visiting the old Dairy Queen.

Thank you to Ken Gassman for sharing this photograph and his memories with The Culpeper Project. Jump down to the comments for more of Ken’s memories of the old Dairy Queen, along with a photograph I made of where I suspect the old Dairy Queen once stood. If you remember the exact location and I’ve got it wrong, please correct me!

Consider following The Culpeper Project for ongoing photographs documenting Culpeper County, Virginia.

09/09/2026

A classic Rolls-Royce parked on the corner of Culpeper and East Street in downtown Culpeper, January 30, 2024.

Consider following The Culpeper Project for ongoing photographs documenting Culpeper County, Virginia.

09/06/2026

During the final week of Village Frameworks & Gallery, I came across a print that I couldn't leave behind.

The photograph, made by Timothy H. O'Sullivan in August 1862, shows a freight train on the Orange & Alexandria Railroad in Culpeper. O'Sullivan would go on to become one of the Civil War's most influential documentary photographers, and his work is now preserved by The Library of Congress.

I've spent the last few years documenting Culpeper as it exists today. Holding this print is a physical reminder that photographers have been creating a visual record of this community for well over 160 years. The places have changed, the people have changed, and the cameras have changed—but the act of preserving moments for the future remains much the same.

I'm grateful this print found its way into my collection, and grateful that I found it during the final week of a business that spent decades preserving art for others.

Please consider following The Culpeper Project as I continue documenting the people, places, and history of Culpeper.

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Culpeper, VA
22701

Website

http://www.theculpeperproject.com/, https://www.flickr.com/photos/204382294@N02/

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