About
Our Story
The Tillett Charitable Foundation was established in 2021 by William P. Tillett. Loudoun County has a long and proud agricultural history, and the Tillett family has been a part of that rich history for well over a century. Mr. Tillett founded the Foundation – and funded it with a gift of over 7.5 acres of Loudoun County property – to help promote and preserve those environmental and agricultural aspects of farming that made it the backbone of not only Loudoun County, but America as a whole.
Above all else, the Foundation strives to identify and fund various organizations and projects that improve the world we live in through education, outreach, land preservation, and engagement with the natural beauty of Loudoun County and the surrounding communities.
William P. Tillett
William P. Tillett is not only known for his agricultural background, he is widely recognized in Loudoun County as well as the entire Northern Virginia region for his expertise in auctioneering. Since graduating from the Superior School of Auctioneering in Decatur, Illinois in 1963, Mr. Tillett assisted local folks with public sales. After running estate sales for 16 years, he decided to open his own 160 foot auction barn in April 1980. The Tillett's Auction Barn on Belmont Ridge Road was the place to be for a fun-filled evening of deals and bargains. Mr. Tillett has since retired from farming and auctioneering, but locals still reminisce about the good old days of bidding and walking away with a treasure. The original sign that was affixed to the auction barn has since been restored and is now displayed at the Loudoun Heritage Farm Museum in Sterling.
The Waxpool General Store was owned by Mr. Tillett’s family and operated by his great grandfather, S.E. Munday, Sr., from about 1890 to the early 1940’s. It was situated at the intersection of Waxpool Road and Belmont Ridge Road in Ashburn, VA for more than 100 years. The general store was a meeting place for residents to catch up on the latest news, purchase goods, retrieve their mail, vote, and even get a haircut.
Mr. Tillett and his brother, Edgar, had dreams of someday turning the store into a museum. In December 1999, they donated the store and its contents to the County of Loudoun. The storefront of the old general store was recreated with original siding and windows and now proudly stands inside the Loudoun Heritage Farm Museum. Much of the contents of the original store are displayed inside the exhibit including the countertops, shelves, and scale.
In March of 2026, the Tillett Charitable Foundation donated $200,000 to the Loudoun Heritage Farm Museum. The funds will be used to expand the museum’s existing exhibition space.