Thomas & Talbot Estate Properties
Madison Street
Middleburg VA
2011

Before cars ruled the road, streets were set up for travel by horseback. And with high fuel prices, they could be again! Now you can be prepared with a quaint horsehead hitching post at your entrance or patio. Millions of these ornate posts were originally manufactured of cast iron in the 1800's and embedded into concrete right next to streets for actual use for tying up horses. After cars took over and horses disappeared from the road, streetside horse hitching posts became a traffic hazard. Those hitches not run over were moved away from the street and back near home and business entrances or to the patio where they became unique decorative ornaments. Hitching posts were still very popular through the 1950's and sold mainly through mail order catalogs alongside lawn jockeys and other ironwork. Almost all horse hitches were originally painted black, but some were painted with different colors or two-tone to match the surrounding decor.

https://visitmiddleburgva.com/

Welcome to Middleburg
Middleburg, Virginia, is a charming Southern destination known as the nation’s horse and hunt capital. Set against the backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Middleburg offers the best of small-town America: local art, historic landmarks, fine cuisine and one-of-a-kind boutiques. Middleburg is a place where you can enjoy world-class equestrian competitions, award-winning local wines and nationally recognized community events. Visit and discover the spirit of Middleburg.

Middleburg was established in 1787 by American Revolutionary War Lieutenant Colonel and Virginia statesman John Leven Powell, who purchased the property from Joseph Chinn, a cousin of George Washington. Powell changed the name from “Chinn’s Crossroads” to Middleburg because the town was the halfway point between Alexandria and Winchester along the popular Ashby Gap trading route, along what is today Rte. 50.