Thornburg

Located 40 miles from Richmond and 60 miles from D.C., Thornburg is a quiet, rural neighborhood with various housing styles, an active community and an excellent location. “It’s nice how rural it is, but it’s still easy to get everything you need,” says Joanne Canny of the Fawn Lake Real Estate Company. “Of course, we’re halfway between Richmond and Washington, but we are also very close to a lot of smaller cities with a lot to offer.” Proximity to I-95 is key as Canny notes many working people commute into larger cities, “but we do have a few great medical facilities in the area so there are a lot of jobs here as well.” Residents never feel far from nature as Thornburg provides plenty of green space and forested area.

“In terms of housing there’s everything from gated communities to small ranchers to massive Colonials and the prices reflect that,” Canny claims. Older ranch-style homes in Thornburg begin around $300,000 and larger homes on 6.5 acres of land are in the $700,000 range. Seven-bedroom, renovated manors on 21 acres run up to over $1 million. The homes are scattered among densely wooded areas and many of the large yards feature mature evergreen trees. The unplanned neighborhood has winding roads that provide seclusion from busy streets; however, sidewalks are sparse for in-neighborhood exercise. Many of the homes are far off the street and have long driveways and garages, so on-street parking won’t be an issue. Thornburg is a great place for people who crave privacy, as the homes are spaced away from one another.

Kids enter Riverview Elementary, rated a B school by Niche, part of the Spotsylvania School District. They head to the B-minus-rated Thornburg Middle School before heading to the B-minus-rated Spotsylvania High School. Spotsylvania High is the only school in the area with an International Baccalaureate program. In addition, SHS was recognized as a Best Community for Music Education by the National Association of Music Merchants. Students at Spotsylvania averaged a higher written score on the SAT than the state and national average.

Locals love exploring the wilderness, and the Ni River Trail provides that opportunity. The Ni River Trail is a 2.7-mile biking and hiking trail loop. You will likely see folks with binoculars to spot local birds, including the American Bald Eagle. Patriots Park offers a 3.1-mile paved trail perfect for running or walking. The park also features a pair of outdoor basketball courts, plenty of multipurpose fields and an amphitheater for live performances. For fast-paced action, look no further than the Dominion Raceway. The track hosts NASCAR and SCCA races and is home to a host of musical acts all year long.

Pair all of the action with a glass of wine from Mattaponi Winery. Mattaponi is a family-owned winery that has been producing award-winning wines for over 30 years and features special events and food pairings throughout the year. For traditional Tex-Mex, Poco Loco serves up classics like pollo relleno and slow-roasted carnitas that go well with a house margarita. For everything from loaded potato skins to seafood fettuccine to chicken sandwiches, check out Crying Tiger Restaurant & Bar.

The Food Lion off Highway 1 is a convenient spot for residents to grab groceries for an entire week. The Publix near the intersection of Highway 1 and I-95 has a full deli and bakery. While shopping for groceries, residents can pick up anything they need for home at Target located in Cosner’s Corner shopping center. For even more retail options, Spotsylvania Towne Centre is located 12 miles north featuring a full shopping mall and a movie theater.

Written By

John Moyer

Photography Contributed By

Tyson Le

Video By

Matthew Bloch