Brentsville With the construction of the county courthouse in 1822, Brentsville became the county seat. Long before, it was the crossroads of Indian trade paths and roads from the Potomac to the Blue Ridge Mountains. It remained the county seat until 1892, when it was moved to Manassas. Brentsville was occupied by both Confederate and Union soldiers throughout the Civil War. In 1974, the County Park Authority acquired the courthouse and established an 18-acre Historical Recreation Area. Excavations are currently underway.
Dumfries
Dumfries, the largest town in Prince William County, was chartered in 1749. It is named for a town in Scotland from where a locally prominent merchant hailed. It grew in wealth and importance as a major tobacco port, that rivaled New York and Boston but soil erosion and silting of the port caused Dumfries' demise. Today, Dumfries is known as the oldest continually chartered town in Virginia. It is home to the Weems-Botts Museum and is the keeper of much of our Nation’s early history.
Gainesville
Gainesville was once a changing point for stagecoach horses on the Fauquier & Alexandria Turnpike. In 1852, the Manassas Gap Railroad reached the area and the stop became Gainesville. The town was a shipping point for grain, timber and cattle and remained a major cattle shipping point into the early 1960’s. During the Civil War, nearby Thoroughfare Gap in the Bull Run Mountains served as a path for soldiers to reach the First and Second Battles of Manassas.
Haymarket
Haymarket, in northwest Prince William, owes its location to an abandoned Indian hunting path which became Old Carolina Road. It was used by settlers as a route from Pennsylvania to the Carolinas. Haymarket grew around the intersection of Carolina and Dumfries Roads. It was burned by Union troops in 1862. Since then, the town has been revived with a collection of quaint restored buildings and shops.
Manassas
According to legend, the name Manassas was derived from an Indian source or from Manasseh, a Jewish innkeeper at Manassas Gap. Manassas originated in 1852 at the junction of two railroads which linked Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. with the Shenandoah Valley and Richmond. During the Civil War, the junction’s strategic importance led to the battles of First and Second Manassas (Bull Run). The county seat since 1892, Manassas was rebuilt after the Civil War and remained a small town for most of the 20th century. It became a city in 1975. Known for Civil War history, Manassas also has a wonderful museum system and charming Old Town historic district.
Manassas Park
Located to the northeast of Manassas, Manassas Park began in 1955 as a county subdivision. In 1975, Manassas Park incorporated as an independent city. It was the last town in Virginia to become a city before the legislature placed a moratorium on such actions. This small town has an 18-hole golf course and water park. Route 28, the "Antique Corridor", also runs through the city.
Nokesville
The center of a farming community with cattle and dairy farms, Nokesville became a town and intermediate stop on the Orange & Alexandria Railway in 1865. In the late 1800’s-early 1900’s, Nokesville was the location of a religious movement called the German Baptist Brethren, which became known as the Church of the Brethren. In the 1950’s, it was cut off from passenger trains and remains a rural community today.
Occoquan
Occoquan is derived from a Dogue Indian word meaning "at the end of the water". Located on the river, Occoquan was a natural site for water-borne commerce. By 1765, it flourished as an industrial settlement with grist mills and tobacco warehouses. The Merchant’s Mill was the first automated grist mill in the nation. It operated for 175 years until destroyed by fire. During the Civil War, the post office passed letters and packages between North and South. Although fire and river silting have caused hardships for Occoquan, the town has survived and thrived. Today, it is a charming restored artist’s community with shops, outdoor dining, ghost walks and more.
Quantico
Rich in military history, Quantico is the only town in the U.S. that is completely surrounded by a Marine Corps Base. Quantico's military tradition dates back to the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, when the area was used by Virginia Naval elements. The area also spent time as a resort community called "Potomac". The town itself was incorporated in 1872, taking its name from a Douge Indian word meaning “by the large stream”. Today it is home to a notable Marine Corps Base, established in 1917.
