Lovettsville

It's hard to call a town that has been around since 1732 a "newcomer," but with new growth, Lovettsville deserves a second glance. Once known as "the German Settlement," Lovettsville was a thriving, albeit rural, commerce hub for surrounding farms for 200 years. As larger urban centers came to compete, Lovettsville remained lackadaisically little and quintessentially quaint—until recent decades when the world seemed to stand up and take notice.

While initially drawn to Lovettsville's slower pace and rural serenity, homebuyers are also being pulled by its exceptional value. Somphane Jones, a Loudoun County local and a Realtor with Pearson Smith Realty, says, "You can get more for your money in Lovettsville right now. Homes are trending $50,000 to $100,000 less than other areas in Loudon, and there's a great opportunity to get in now. This area is growing, and as it does, real estate will increase in value."

Homes range in style from historic Victorians and Queen Annes to rambling custom-built homes and are priced from the $300,000s into the millions. In the Town of Lovettsville, a 2,400 square foot Craftsman bungalow with four bedrooms might go for $450,000—or for $600,000, you could score an early 2000s four-bedroom colonial with 3,000 square feet. Town houses with three bedrooms and 1,300 square feet are available around $300,000 or head out of town with $1 million or more, and you'll find luxury new-builds with four bedrooms, 6,000 square feet and a private 4-acre lot with stunning views of the Short Hill Mountains.

Schools are another big draw with Loudoun County Public Schools that earn an A-rating from Niche. At Lovettsville Elementary, little ones are backed by a strong PTO and active community involvement. Harmony Middle School is the only Loudoun County middle school designated as a Program Based Learning Design School, which incorporates a deeper approach to learning based on research and collaboration. If your teens finish at Woodgrove High School, they’ll enjoy Advanced Placement learning opportunities, along with a wide range of activities and clubs.

As the area grows, some things stay the same. In historic downtown, homes and businesses dating back to the 1800s still sit side-by-side on the edge of narrow streets. Follow the smell of roasting coffee, and you’ll find the Back Street Brews Coffee and Tea House, a historic home-turned-coffee shop with eclectic vintage décor, where locals catch up on the front porch over freshly brewed coffee, ice cream and pastries. Or find friends down the street at the 1836 Kitchen and Taproom, a local watering hole offering classic American pub fare and German classics like pretzels, bratwurst and schnitzel in a 1940s building that was once a funeral home, a cabinet maker's shop and a brewery.

Even new developments like the Lovettsville Town Square, built in 2016, respect the town's history. While housing modern retail and trendy restaurants, it features a main street feel and Bavarian architecture that nods to the town's German ancestry.

Spaces like the Town Square promise to make retail readily available, and the Lovettsville Cooperative Market will soon be a full-service grocery store featuring locally sourced goods. However, for substantial shopping, locals still head north to Brunswick, Maryland, or take advantage of the retail hubs in Leesburg and Purcellville to the south.

Activities, on the other hand, are always close. In addition to a library, a community center and a community pool, the newly opened Lovettsville Community Park is a 90-acre goldmine complete with an equestrian facility, a dog play area, an amphitheater, a fishing pond, soccer and baseball fields, and hiking trails.

Every fall, the beer meister strikes the bung on an oaken keg of beer and shouts, "O zapft's!" thus officially kicking off Oktoberfest. This family-friendly celebration brings revelers from all over for beer, brats and an Old-World good time. In May, Mayfest pulls the community together in the Town Green for games, live music, food trucks and local vendors.

Outside of town, you can take farm and culinary tours at Long Stone Farm—or make it a date night with their "Sunday Suppers," an adults-only multi-course dinner event. Want to bottle-feed a calf? Sign up at Sunny Knoll Eco-Farm. Or you can sip wine at the scenic Doukenie Winery and learn to ride horses at Twin Oaks Farm.

No matter where you go in Lovettsville, you'll find ways to experience the small-town charm, rural beauty and rich tradition that defines the area. Most importantly, you'll understand why members of this vibrant community love to call Lovettsville home.

Written By

Anna Strock

Photography Contributed By

David MacNeill

Video By

Curtis Newkirk