Many of the older structures remaining in Purcellville reflect the Victorian architecture popular during the early twentieth century.

Although the first land grant in the area was issued by Lord Fairfax of Cameron in 1740, it was not until 1764 that Purcellville's first known settler, James Dillon from Bucks County, Pennsylvania, arrived.

The early ox cart track which wound westward from Leesburg towards the Blue Ridge, known later as the "Great Road," served as the town's nucleus, although farms existed in the area, and Ketoctin Baptist Church had been founded nearby by 1752.

A railroad link on the Alexandria, Loudoun, and Hampshire line (forerunner to the Washington and Old Dominion Railroad) connecting the town to Leesburg and points east was built prior to the Civil War, and travel to points further west were continued by stagecoach through Purcellville.

Although both Union and Confederate armies passed through Purcellville during the Civil War, the town witnessed limited fighting with the most notable action occurring at the skirmish of Heaton's Crossroads.

Its right-of-way serves as the Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Regional Park, which has its western terminus at the station.

[4] In the 20th century, a series of disastrous fires, the first in 1900 and then two more in 1914, virtually wiped out the business district, depriving the town of what remained of its earliest architectural heritage.

In the latter 20th century, widening of Virginia State Route 7 has led to increased suburban development in and around the town and Purcellville's traditional dependence upon agriculture as its primary source of income has since diminished as more and more residents are employed outside of the community .

As of 2024[update], the Purcellville Town Council is composed of Mayor Stanley J Milan, Sr, Vice Mayor Erin Rayner, Council members Christopher Bertaut, Carol Luke, Kevin Wright, Caleb Stought, and Mary Jane Williams.

[12] The Purcellville Police Department is a state-accredited 24-hour law enforcement agency, comprising 21 sworn officers and 2 civilian personnel.

The Police Department is located at 125 Hirst Road in Purcellville and is one of four full-service law enforcement agencies primarily serving in Loudoun County.

It also has an auxiliary unit, the Purcellville Citizen Support Team, that performs street patrols and assists officers in accidents and civil events like parades.

Their apparatus includes a class A attack pumper/medium duty squad (Rescue Engine 602), class A attack pumper(Engine 602), 3,000 gallon tanker (Tanker 602), 102 ft ladder truck (Tower 602), a brush truck (Brush 602), a jeep designed in house for off-road fires (Brush 602B), a Ford Excursion for transportation of personnel (SERV 602), a 2011 Ford F250 for transporting equipment and snowplow during the winter (Utility 602) and a 2011 Chevy Tahoe designated Command 602.

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters.