Mission
Supported by the Community
For the Community
To be a gathering place for cultural, educational, and social activities and programs to enrich the lives of the people within the community.
Vision
To provide the widely scattered citizens of Loudoun and Fauquier Counties a place for cultural and civic amenities enjoyed by those in more urban areas. While at its founding, the town of Middleburg had only 606 citizens, due to its strategic location halfway between the county seats of Loudoun and Fauquier, Middleburg serves as the commercial, agricultural, and social hub for a much larger constituency.
Who We Are
In the mid-1940's, a group of civic minded citizens came together to make Mrs. Howell E. Jackson’s dream come to fruition: to make Middleburg the social hub of Loudoun and Fauquier County. To this day, Middleburg Community center's mission has been to offer a gathering place for cultural, educational, and social activities to enrich the lives within our community.
As one of Loudoun County’s oldest non-profits, we rely 100% on private donations to keep our doors open. We work with over 70 local nonprofits and businesses to make all of our community events and programs possible.
From small meetings upstairs to grand galas in the ballroom, the indoor facility can accommodate up to 400 people. Our facilities offer an elegant space featuring 24" soaring ceilings in the Grand Ballroom, 12,000+ square feet of facility space, private gardens and grounds, and one of kind design and architecture that stand the test of time - taking your event to the next level.The five acre property backs up to the Salamander Resort and includes a public pool, shaded picnic grounds, two playgrounds, open field, and secluded herb garden and patio - as well as ample private parking and all walkable to towns finest eateries and establishments.
Over the years, the center has hosted the Kennedy's, Liz Taylor, and Hank Williams, just to name a few. The citizens of Middleburg have fostered a pristine public space for everybody to enjoy. Whether you're looking to host an event, or just take a walk in the park, we hope to see you here soon.
Middleburg Community Center
History
-est.1948-
On May 18, 1946 a group of civic minded citizens came together to make Mrs. Howell E. Jackson’s dream of making Middleburg the social hub of Loudoun County and Fauquier County come to fruition. With the help of the generous citizens of Middleburg, The Middleburg Community Center opened in January 1948. With a grand ball room, bowling alley and swimming pool as the main attractions the Middleburg Community Center hosted nearly 500 events including picnics, balls, bowling, swimming, movies, and tractor shows during its first full year of operation.
With more than two million people participating in the events over the years The Middleburg Community Center remains the community supported social hub it was intended to be, hosting a myriad of special private events, educational classes, meetings, fundraisers and community events.
The dream of Mrs. Howell E. Jackson, of Middleburg’s Bull Run Stud Farm, was to provide the widely scattered citizens of Loudoun and Fauquier Counties a place for cultural and civic amenities enjoyed by those in more urban areas. While the town of Middleburg had only 606 citizens, due to its strategic location halfway between the county seats of Loudoun and Fauquier, Middleburg served as the commercial, agricultural, and social hub for a much larger constituency. The founding Certification of Incorporation states that the purpose is “to conduct a Community Center as a place of meeting for those engaged in all type of welfare work, education, recreation and any and all activities of a similar character; (and) to encourage community spirit and civic work.” The bevy of activity over the next few years shows that “community spirit and civic work” were already well underway in Middleburg.
Architectural renderings were prepared, reviewed, and revised by the late local architect William B. Dew, Jr. Construction commenced on the site of Mrs. D.N. Lee’s stables at 300 West Washington Street, but the project was not without challenges as building costs exceeded the original estimate, sky rocketing from $.50 to $.60 per cubic foot. In the summer of 1947, questionnaires catalogued the activities of interest to 459 families a total of 1,757 persons from Haymarket to The Plains, and from Aldie to Bluemont. They wanted movies, theater, dancing, bowling, swimming, baseball, lectures and entertainment, cooking classes, arts and crafts, playgrounds, a place for organizations to meet and for people to relax. Between 1946 and 1949, $470,499.37 was raised from generous benefactors, such as the Jacksons and from individual gifts of $1.00 and up.
In its first full year of operation, the Middleburg Community Center was the site of events, ranging from conferences, exhibits, concerts and meetings. The bowling alley and swimming pool were the hub of winter and summer social life. Nearly 71,000 participants engaged in activities at the Community Center in 1949 alone, while the town’s population still hovered just over 600. By the end of 1999, the cumulative number of the Community Center visitors reached 2,742,032, while the town population remained comfortably below 700. Not all of these visitors came for rest and relaxation. Over the years the Middleburg Community Center has occasionally sheltered those temporarily dislodged from their homes by acts of nature, such as the severe flooding of 1972.
The Center continues to be governed by a rotating volunteer Board of Directors today, who give generously of their time and energy. While revenue-generating events produce some operating income, it is the gifts of local citizens, organizations, and businesses that sustain the Center. Generous community support has provided more than $2,000,000 over the years, almost one dollar for each of the participants in Community Center Events.
When you next pass by the graceful edifice at 300 W. Washington Street, take pause to reflect on what the Middleburg Community Center represents. It is a monument to all of those who conceived, created, and continue to maintain and manage this stronghold of community spirit, the citizens of Middleburg and its surrounding countryside, past, present and future.