Yowell Meadow Park

Ask anyone who’s been around Culpeper for more than 20 years, and they’ll tell you the same story: What is now Yowell Meadow Park hasn’t always looked so beautiful. In fact, until the late 1980s, the property was nothing more than an eyesore, a floodplain that wasn’t good for much. Then, in 1988, the town embarked on a major fundraising drive to build athletic fields, a playground, walking path, pond and nature trail. Some residents didn’t approve of the idea, but others were very enthusiastic. In the end, the town went ahead with the plan, and the rest is history.

Today, Yowell Meadow Park is the town’s biggest recreation spot, hosting everything from youth sporting events and 5K road races to car shows and the Fourth of July fireworks celebration. In recent years, town leaders have installed a skateboard park, planted a memory garden and refurbished the playground. Yes, the park still floods on occasion, but the vast majority of the time it serves as a favorite place for many people in the community.