Manassas

History

In 1851, a post office and railroad stop servicing the Orange and Alexandria Railroad (O&A) were established in the area then known as Tudor Hall, named for a nearby plantation home. Soon after, construction began on the Manassas Gap Railroad (MGRR), which was planned to run westward from the O&A at Tudor Hall to the Shenandoah Valley, by way of Manassas Gap. By 1854, the MGRR was completed between Tudor Hall and Strasburg. In the early 1860s, following the construction of the railroad junction, the village of Tudor Hall became known as Manassas Junction. In July 1861, the First Battle of Bull Run—also known as the Battle of First Manassas —was fought nearby, the first major land battle of the American Civil War. Manassas commemorated its 150th anniversary on July 21–24, 2011. The Second Battle of Bull Run (or the Battle of Second Manassas) was fought near Manassas on August 28–30, 1862. At that time, Manassas Junction was little more than a railroad crossing, but a strategic one, with rails leading to Richmond, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and the Shenandoah Valley. Despite these two Confederate victories, Manassas Junction was in Union hands for most of the war. Following the war, the crossroads grew into the town of Manassas, which was incorporated in 1873. In 1894, Manassas was designated the county seat of Prince William County, replacing Brentsville. Between July 16 and July 22, 1911, veterans from both sides of the war reunited in Manassas for a Peace Jubilee marking 50 years since the First Battle of Bull Run. On July 21, after meeting and shaking hands at Henry House Hill, they picnicked together on the former battlefield before re-uniting again at the then-fairly new Prince William County Courthouse to hear a speech by President William Howard Taft,…

Geography

Manassas is mainly served by I-66, U.S. 29, Virginia State Route 234 Business and Virginia State Route 28. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and (0.5%) is water. Since its origin the city has been crossed by key transportation routes which have led to the area being incorporated into major developments such as Interstate 66 and major rail lines, and serving as the government center for Prince William County. The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Manassas has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps. Average monthly temperatures range from in January to in July. The local hardiness zone is 7a.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  47,395
• Carolina Wren

  Thryothorus ludovicianus (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  38,878
• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  33,649
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  31,190
• Tufted Titmouse

  Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  30,672
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  30,590
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  30,237
• Carolina Chickadee

  Poecile carolinensis (Audubon, 1834) · Aves
  29,479

Largest nearby schools

• OSBOURN HIGH
  High · Manassas · 2,323 students · 17.5:1 ratio
• GRACE E. METZ MIDDLE
  Middle · Manassas · 1,102 students · 15.5:1 ratio
• MAYFIELD INTERMEDIATE
  Middle · Manassas · 840 students
• PENNINGTON TRADITIONAL
  Elementary · Manassas · 654 students · 17.7:1 ratio
• Baldwin Elementary
  Elementary · Manassas · 630 students · 17:1 ratio
• Richard C. Haydon Elementary
  Elementary · Manassas · 608 students · 16.9:1 ratio
• Jennie Dean Elementary
  Elementary · Manassas · 589 students · 15.9:1 ratio
• Weems Elementary
  Elementary · Manassas · 566 students · 15.3:1 ratio