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Bush Tabernacle and Fireman's Field
Welcome to Fireman’s Field – Purcellville’s “Field of Dreams”
The 13-acre Fireman’s Field park is located in the heart of the Purcellville Historic District and contains the last remaining vestiges of “Dillon’s Woods,” the Town’s most significant remaining urban forest populated with trees ranging in size from small dogwoods to majestic centuries-old white oaks.
The park includes two baseball fields with the main one selected as the site of the Babe Ruth League World Series in 2013, the sixth time the youth baseball organization has chosen Purcellville as a World Series destination.
Today, Fireman’s Field along with the historic Bush Tabernacle and the Dillon's Woods, are the site of numerous events, concerts, receptions, antique fairs, roller skating parties and is home to the annual Loudoun Grown Expo, Music and Arts Festival, Wine and Food Festival, and sports activities. The Fireman’s Field property is listed on the state and national registers of historic places.
For information about Fireman's Field, please contact the Town of Purcellville Parks and Recreation Division Manager, Amie Ware via the contact form.
For information about the Bush Tabernacle, visit www.BushTabernacle.com.
For information about the Purcellville Cannons, visit www.PurcellvilleCannons.com for more information!
History of the Bush Tabernacle
Constructed by local builder Arch Simpson, the 8,500-square-foot building was originally built to house the “Bush Meetings” that were conducted by the Prohibition and Evangelical Association of Loudoun County, Virginia. Measuring roughly 80 x 160 feet, the distinctive eight-sided, frame building was also used for a variety of community gatherings and recreational activities.
Purcellville’s first “temperance” picnic was held in June 1877 by the Good Templars of Loudoun County. The annual bush meetings began the following year in 1878 and every August an annual gathering of speakers, entertainers and evangelists would draw thousands of people. These sessions took place under a tent until participants erected the wooden structure that later became a skating rink.
The Depression brought an end to the Purcellville bush meetings, though an evangelical meeting was held in the Purcellville Town Hall in 1930. The next year, a group of churchmen brought the famous ex-baseball player and evangelist, Billy Sunday, to the auditorium for a series of sermons.
Read more about the history of the Bush Tabernacle: http://www.novahistory.org/Purcellville_Rink/Purcellville_Roller_Rink.html
When constructed, the Tabernacle building was said to have the capacity for 3,000 people. In 1939, the building was converted into a roller skating rink. In the mid- to late-1940s, the building and ground were acquired by the Purcellville Fire Department. In 2008, the Town of Purcellville purchased the grounds and the tabernacle building from the Purcellville Fire Department. After a major renovation, the building continues to serve the community of western Loudoun as a favorite gathering place.
For information about Bush Tabernacle, visit www.BushTabernacle.com.
For information about Fireman's Field, contact the Town of Purcellville Parks and Recreation Division Manager, Amie Ware via the contact form.
Fireman’s Field park, including the Historic Bush Tabernacle, is owned by the Town of Purcellville. The Town worked with the previous owner, the Purcellville Volunteer Fire Company, to place a permanent conservation easement on the 13-acre property through the state Department of Historic Resources, a crucial step that will protect the property in perpetuity.
Constructed in 1903 to host the annual “bush meeting” of the Prohibition and Evangelical Association of Loudoun County, the Tabernacle is one of only three such bush meeting structures remaining in the Commonwealth. A major renovation by the Town in 2009 included several green, environmental design elements such as an innovative geothermal HVAC system, metal roof with recycled materials, LED and high-efficiency lights that use less electricity, added insulation to lower the HVAC demand, and water conserving fixtures. These green features along with the repairs and alternations will contribute to the successful operation of the Tabernacle for many years to come.
Learn more about Fireman's Field and the Bush Tabernacle:
Fireman's Field - Fact Sheet
Fireman's Field - Map
Information containing great historic facts and photos:
Northern Virginia History