Brentsville Historic District - Prince William County VA - U.S. National Register of Historic Places on Waymarking.com

Brentsville was founded in 1820 and became the seat of Prince William County, Virginia. It was established on 50 acres of land situated along a major east-west road (modern-day Bristow Rd.) between the port of Dumfries and the Shenandoah Valley. It stood on land that was originally granted to George Brent by King James II in 1687.

The courthouse and jail were completed in 1822 and were the focal point of the new village of Brentsville. Its grounds were a public lot and served as a center for town activities including public auctions and open markets. For several years, Brentsville was a thriving community. Three churches, fifteen taverns including one next to the courthouse, a schoolhouse, and about forty residences were built.

After the Civil War with the expansion of the railroads, the Prince William county seat was moved to the town of Manassas in 1893 because of its proximity to the junction. Growth in Brentsville slowed down and it became a quiet little town.

Prince William County Park Authority acquired the courthouse property in 1974 and established the Brentsville Courthouse Historic Centre which includes the courthouse, the jail, a one-room schoolhouse, a church, a relocated early-19th century log house and the tavern archaeological site. The buildings have been preserved and are being restored. Most of the rest of the structures in Brentsville date from the 1800s and early 1900s, including one of oldest churches still in use in Prince William.

The GPS coordinates point to a Virginia Historic Landmark marker near parking for the Brentsville Courthouse Historic Centre which is centrally located in the Brentsville Historic District. The grounds of the centre are open dawn to dusk. The buildings are usually open from 11 AM to 4 PM on Thursday through Monday, although times are subject to change. There is no admission.

Address:
     12229 Bristow Rd.
     Bristow VA 20136

Phone number:
     703-365-7895

See the above referenced site for more information.

References:

• NRHP Final Nomination Form: Brentsville Historic District
• Brentsville Courthouse Historic Centre
• On-site information

Street address: Bristow Rd. from Old Church Rd. to Isaac Walton Rd Bristow, VA USA 20136 County / Borough / Parish: Prince William County Year listed: 1990 Historic (Areas of) Significance: Architecture/Engineering, Event Periods of significance: 1925-1949, 1900-1924, 1875-1899, 1850-1874, 1825-1849, 1800-1824 Historic function: Domestic, Education, Government, Religion (Subfunction - Correctional Facility, Courthouse, Religious Structure, School, Single Dwelling) Current function: Domestic, Government, Recreation And Culture, Religion (Subfunction - Government Office, Outdoor Recreation, Religious Structure, Single Dwelling) Privately owned?: yes Primary Web Site: [Web Link] Secondary Website 1: [Web Link] Season start / Season finish: Not listed Hours of operation: Not listed Secondary Website 2: Not listed National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
Please give the date and brief account of your visit. Include any additional observations or information that you may have, particularly about the current condition of the site. Additional photos are highly encouraged, but not mandatory.

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