Virginia Electric and Power Co. (now Dominion Energy) starts construction on the Lake Anna Reservoir. R. E. Lee High School, painted by Phyllis Williams, was destroyed by fire in 1941. Formed by an act of Congress in 1927, the national military park preserves portions of the battlefields of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, the Wilderness, and Spotsylvania Court House. Major employers include the University of Mary Washington (named for the mother of George Washington, who lived here), Mary Washington Healthcare, and GEICO. The land on which the city was founded was part of a tract patented in 1671. The park, which encompasses land and sites related to the four major Civil War battles, is established as Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania County Battlefields Memorial National Military Park. Among the major arterial roads is U.S. Route 17, providing northwestsoutheast transportation across the region. History Corner | Fredericksburg, VA - Official Website Danny McBride grew up in Spotsylvania County. It is named for Alexander Spotswood, former royal lieutenant governor of Virginia. More than 85,000 men wounded; 15,000 killed--most in graves unknown. Their goal is to connect people to our communitys history. Beginning in 2006, the City of Fredericksburg, in partnership with the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR), sponsored a multi-phase survey (PDF) of all buildings within the current Fredericksburg Historic District and within a potential boundary expansion of the district. Roughly bounded by Rappahannock River, Hazel Run, Prince Edward and Canal Sts., This page was last edited on 4 June 2023, at 17:51. [17] This innovation became widely used by rock guitarists. [citation needed] As of the fall of 2014, the area ranked 146th out of 272 markets surveyed, with a total market population of more than 325,000. 15.5% of the population and 10.4% of families were below the poverty line. New York, NY 10036, Email: info@gilderlehrman.orgPhone: (646) 366-9666. Central Park is a shopping complex in Fredericksburg, Virginia, with 166 businesses. The site, settled in 1671, was laid out in 1727 and named for Prince Frederick Louis, father of King George III of England. The Corporate Towne of Fredericksburg is founded from a portion of Spotsylvania by act of the Virginia General Assembly. Set foot into some of the most interesting periods in America's past with a stroll amoung more than 350 originial 18th and 19th century buildings in Fredericksburg's 40-block National Historic District. The site, at what is now Lake Anna State Park, is the third-largest gold mine in the country between 1830 and 1849. Less than six months later fighting returned to the small town. Washington Heritage Museums is an organization with several hundred members. In 1732 George Washingtons father, who owned Ferry Farm across the Rappahannock (where according to tradition George cut down the cherry tree), bought three lots in the town and became one of its trustees. There are grand residences on lower Caroline Street and remnants of industrial buildings on upper Caroline. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/place/Fredericksburg-Virginia, Official Site of the City of Fredericksburg, Virginia, United States, Fredericksburg: Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park, George Washington Birthplace National Monument. Lake Anna State Park, a 2,058-acre tract off State Route 601 on the Spotsylvania shore of Lake Anna, opens. Spotsylvania celebrates its 250th year with speakers, presentations, a luncheon and a parade in the courthouse area. [32] Only Arlington County, Alexandria, and Falls Church in Northern Virginia had a higher percentage of votes for Obama. The war was far from over, especially for the residents of Fredericksburg. Four major airports serve Fredericksburg and the surrounding area. Confederate troops retreated west toward Chancellorsville. Musician Link Wray of Fredericksburg developed the power chord of modern rock guitar in 1958 during his first improvisation of the instrumental piece "Rumble", a single released by Wray & His Ray Men. About | Fredericksburg United Methodist Church - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more. The doors of the first store in Spotsylvania Mall swung open on Feb. 18, 1980. The Washington Woolen Mill, a large three-story building, was converted to use as a hospital during the war. The church steeples that defined the town's Civil War skyline still preside over sanctuaries of worship. Neither the city of Fredericksburg nor the surrounding counties reached the 1860 level of population again until well into the 20th century. During the Revolution, the Marquis de Lafayettes army on the way to Yorktown is joined by the Spotsylvania Militia near Elys Ford. Create a Website Account - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more. . Many unidentified soldiers were buried in mass graves. - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, File photos by Robert A. Martin / The Free LanceStar. There were 8,888 housing units at an average density of 845 per square mile (326/km2). Daytime temperatures for much of the year average slightly higher than in Washington, D.C. due to the southerly aspect, although the inland location and distance from the urban heat island present in the nation's capital make for significantly cooler low temperatures. Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center opens as the first hospital in the county. It tells the stories of the Fredericksburg community and regions, from the Virginia Indians pre-contact to the Black Lives Matter Movement. Many of the towns residents fled into neighboring Spotsylvania County, and thousands of the areas slaves crossed the Rappahannock River to freedom. Other stores coming to the mall were Leggetts, Montgomery Ward and J.C. Penney. Central Rappahannock Regional Library System is established. In the 2008 presidential election, voters in Fredericksburg gave Barack Obama a total of 63.6% of the vote. William Paul, brother of American naval hero John Paul Jones, set up the first tailor shop there. The Fredericksburg area is steeped in history. It featured the first opposed river crossing in American military history as well as the Civil War's first instance of urban combat. The Free Lance was first published in 1885, and competed with two twice-weekly papers in the city during the late 19th century, the Fredericksburg News and The Virginia Star. The city of Fredericksburg annexes 4.6 square miles of Spotsylvania along State Route 3 for $4.1 million. It developed as a port with a busy English trade (mostly of tobacco and iron products). Sylvania Industrial Corp. opens, manufacturing cellophane. The Fredericksburg Police Department[29] tracks crime information under the state-level system of the Uniform Crime Reporting program. sheriff, Commissioner of Revenue, Commonwealth Attorney) list candidates with a party label. In early May 1863 Union and Confederate forces clashed again at Maryes Heights. The land on which the city was founded was part of a tract patented in 1671. FXBG.com has a comprehensive list for tourists of area historic attractions within the City of Fredericksburg and the counties of Spotsylvania and Stafford, Virginia. The mission of The George Washington Foundation is to enhance the public understanding and appreciation of the lives, values, and legacies of George Washington, Fielding and Betty Washington Lewis, and their families. In November 1862 Union troops arrived and occupied the town. In 1833 the Mary Washington Monument was erected but not finished. The per capita income for the city was $21,527. Fredericksburg turned into a "City of Hospitals." The battle's outcomea crushing Union defeatimmeasurably strengthened the Confederate cause. Strategically situated midway between Washington and Richmond, it was a major objective of both sides during the American Civil War and changed hands seven times. In 2004, the college changed its name from Mary Washington College to the University of Mary Washington. Top 8 Historic Sites in Fredericksburg, VA To Visit A few miles to the west of where the Battle of Chancellorsville had been fought one year earlier, the Battle of Wilderness marks the first battle of Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grants Overland Campaign and the first clash between the troops of Grant and Gen. Robert E. Lee. On December 31, 2015, the newspaper and associated website were purchased by Berkshire Hathaways BH Media Group. Visitors take a tour of the 10-lane, 25-meter pool facility at the new Spotsylvania Family YMCA in 2003. It moves into the former FMC plant, which is now an industrial park. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). The river's constant flow drove economic recovery in the war's aftermath. Spotsylvania holds tours, exhibits and an arts festival in observation of the centennial of the Battle of Chancellorsville. A 7-mile (11-km) looped hiking path connects the prominent sites in the park. The Fredericksburg Baptist Church has an active community and also contains a museum and archive documenting the churchs history. Six months before Yorktown, the Marquis de Lafayette and a division of Continental soldiers hurried through these urban blocks and headed south, to confront Lord Cornwallis and his British Regulars coming up from the Carolinas. A Virginia Railway Express station opens in Spotsylvania off U.S. 17, marking the first extension of the commuter rail line since its 1992 opening. Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Wilderness, and Spotsylvania--this is America's battleground, where the Civil War roared to its bloody climax. This built environment, which spans nearly three centuries, exerts a strong sense of continuity. It was published as the basis of two books, David W. Blight's A Slave No More (2007), and John Washington's Civil War: A Slave Narrative (2008), edited by Crandall Shifflett. Hines (left) and James R. Pendleton (right) glank Gov. Fredericksburg (Independent City), Virginia Genealogy [12] Siouan tribes occupied much of the area of the Piedmont. Currently the home is owned by the National Park Service and is part of the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania Military Park. The Fredericksburg City Cemetery was established in 1844. Founded in 1964, Miller & Smith, one of the D.C. region's largest privately-owned real estate companies, exhibits the power of partnership and collaboration in real estate development. Erin Kenderish (top left), youth service programmer for the Central Regional Rappahannock Library, holds a class at the new branch location in Spotsylvania Towne Centre Mall in 2018. It was named for Frederick, Prince of Wales (1707-51), eldest son of King George II of Great Britain and father of King George III. The City of Fredericksburg is committed to advancing the diversity, equity, and inclusion and engaging in important conversations in our community to ensure our past is told in an inclusive manner, reflective of ALL voices. The Second Battle of Fredericksburg left more destruction in the town. [2] "Chatham Manor", National Park Service, US Department of the Interior, last modified July 16, 2013, http://www.nps.gov/frsp/chatham.htm. The city adopted its present city manager/council form of government in 1911. [citation needed]. William Street and the middle section of Caroline Street are still the focus of the business district. A town bombarded and looted. Its older streets still bear the names of members of the British royal family. These battles are preserved, in part, as the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park. After the attack, that site becomes known as the Bloody Angle. by Elena Coln-Marrero, Christopher Newport University Class of 2014. For two years Fredericksburg and its residents were engulfed by the American Civil War. Businessman and WWII veteran Sidney L. Shannon Jr. founds Shannon Airport just south of Fredericksburg in Spotsylvania. The Ron Rosner Family YMCA, a branch of the Rappahannock Area YMCA, opens off Smith Station Road. The city has become the regional healthcare center for the area. Stafford County, Virginia - Wikipedia As of the census[28] of 2020, there were about 29,000 people, 8,102 households, and 3,925 families residing in the city. [14] In the 1770s, Fielding Lewis, owner of Kenmore Plantation and brother-in-law to George Washington, also operated an arms factory for the Continental Army. In the city, the population was spread out, with 17.8% under the age of 18, 23.8% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 18.4% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. History U: Courses for High School Students, http://www.nps.gov/frsp/photosmultimedia/sr.htm, http://www.fredericksburgbaptistchurch.org/, http://history.librarypoint.org/mary_ball_washington. Many Fredericksburg-area residents commute to work by car, bus, and rail to Washington, D.C., and Richmond, as well as Fairfax, Prince William, and Arlington counties.[8][9][10][11]. Temperatures hit 85 degrees, and by days end, 482 people had used the facility. James Monroe Museum and Memorial LibraryThe James Monroe Museum and Memorial Library, located in historic downtown Fredericksburg, Virginia, holds the country's largest collection of artifacts and documents related to the fifth president of the United States. It only takes a walk around Downtown to find yourself jumping from one period to the next. The building was constructed by Thomas Pritchett in 1780. On the collegiate level are the University of Mary Washington Eagles. Among those left in the town were some of Mathew Bradys photographers poised to capture the remnants of battle. Today, the sauce is the most popular of the companys condiments. Alterations, new construction, and demolition must always respect Fredericksburg's historic character. Historic District | Fredericksburg, VA - Official Website WFLS, WWUZ, WVBX, and WNTX are owned by Alpha Media. The grounds and wood from the home would be used the following winter by Union troops as a base during the Second Battle of Fredericksburg. The Fredericksburg Area Museum, housed in historic Town Hall/ Market House (c. 1816), has been part of the fabric of community life throughout the Fredericksburg area for nearly three decades. The company eventually began serving the sauce in Chick-fil-As nationwide. The 1960s brought renewed growth and development, fueled by the construction of Interstate 95, which eased commuting and trade. In August of that year, the court meets at the home of Henry Willis in Fredericksburg. The last cellophane sheets are spun at the FMC plant. The Civil War brought destruction. During the Civil War, Fredericksburg was strategically important because of its port location midway between Washington and Richmond, the opposing capitals of the Union and the Confederacy. The corner of William and Charles Streets, in front of the former Planter's Hotel, is documented in advertisements and records as the site of at least twelve separate auctions of enslaved persons between 1847 and 1862. War-related buildup at defense facilities for World War II added to the area's population in the 1940s. Miller & Smith: The Power of Real Estate Development - Patch At its peak, the plant employed 2,600 people. Compiled by the Fredericksburg Architectural Review Board and its staff, this publication includes an overview of the city's history, a section on how historic overlay zoning works, guidelines for renovations as well as new construction in a historic context, a review of Fredericksburg's architectural history, a glossary of architectural terms, and more. Spotsylvania, officially designated a Bicentennial Community, celebrates the nations 200th birthday with a three-day event featuring reenactments, a parade, politicians, dog and horse shows, a beauty pageant, gospel singing and a pie-eating contest. This oil portrait of the Marquis de Lafayette is exhibited in the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond. Large broadcast companies like Clear Channel Communications and Cumulus Broadcasting are not active in the local market; almost all of its stations remain locally or regionally owned.