The Piedmont Virginian

With Growth Brings Change

From the Editor

Just west of Northern Virginia, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge, lies the Piedmont: a beautiful oasis with mountain views, charming small towns steeped in a rich history, and quiet rural areas where traffic jams usually involve livestock or tractors. 

The Piedmont’s storied past and vast beauty are celebrated by the artists, restaurants, winemakers, and others that occupy this amazing region—a place appreciated and revered by those who live here and those who visit. 

The Piedmont Virginian: an elegant magazine with a specific goal. 

In  the spring of 2008 — 15 years ago, now  —  my daughter was 9 years old and I had a bachelor’s degree in pre-vet and a completely unrelated and remarkably unsuccessful freelance writing and graphic design business. 

I saw a help wanted ad — there was a new magazine in Warrenton and they needed someone to sell advertising — and I thought, “I can do that.”  Spoiler alert: I can’t. But I can do other things. 

So off I went to meet Walter Nicklin, founder of The Piedmont Virginian, in the little office on the second floor of the Fauquier Times building on Culpeper Street. It was a job interview, so I was wearing a business suit, hose, and heels. My future employer was not wearing a business suit. The most remarkable part of his outfit was khaki cargo shorts with duct tape covering a hole. Those who know Walter will appreciate this.

Walter is a Warrenton native who spent much of his childhood in Rappahannock County and a historian and writer with an unparalleled love for our area. He became one of the owners of the Rappahannock News, which became Rappahannock Media. But before that, Walter started an elegant magazine with a specific goal.

In his words, “The Piedmont Virginian is a richly produced journal of information and appreciation of nature, place, people, and ways of life in the northern Piedmont of Virginia. Affinities, not simply geography, create the Piedmont’s unique regional identity. We are inspired, and aim to inspire others, by giving voice to this special—even magical—place, in the hopes that it remains so.” 

I was, and still am, inspired by his mission, and I have learned so much in the last 15 years. 

Today, I have a real career with Rappahannock Media, my daughter is 24 years old and engaged, Walter has retired, and Rappahannock Media, now owned by Dennis Brack and a group of other community-minded partners, has also undergone remarkable growth with the acquisition of multiple magazines, newspapers, and news websites across the northern Virginia area. 

With so many publications, the financial influence of the pandemic, and staff resources, choices had to be made. We are no longer publishing a print version of The Piedmont Virginian as a stand alone magazine. 

But, we didn’t want to let it, and its mission, go entirely. 

So, twice a year, we are including a mini version of The Piedmont Virginian as an insert in Warrenton Lifestyle. 

While the aim of Warrenton Lifestyle is to celebrate the people and businesses of Fauquier County in general, The Piedmont Virginian has a bit more of a specific angle: cultural, historical, and environmental preservation of the area. We think the two will blend nicely, and readers of both will enjoy the combined content. 

Our first mini-issue content is available here. We hope you continue to enjoy our content and support our mission.

Thank you,
Pam Kamphuis