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 Fairfax County - Prince William County Posted by:  pixieslayer
N 38° 49.549 W 077° 29.784
18S E 283288 N 4300408
This marker gives a very brief history of Fairfax County and Prince William County.
Waymark Code: WMK06
Location: Virginia, United States
Date Posted: 08/02/2006
Views: 19
 
Marker Z-169: Fairfax CountyArea 417 square miles
Formed in 1742 from Prince William and Loudoun, and named for Lord Fairfax, proprietor of the Northern Neck. Mount Vernon, George Washington's home, is in this county. Official Fairfax County Website
In 1742, the population of Fairfax County was about 4,000 people, including about 1,000 slaves. If present day Fairfax County were a city, it would rank 10th in population, ahead of Atlanta and Boston, even though the area the county currently occupies has grown smaller over time. Fairfax County originally included Loudoun County, and Arlington County, along with the independent cities of Alexandria, and Falls Church. Fairfax County currently has a larger population than seven states - Alaska, Delaware, North and South Dakota, Montana, Vermont, and Wyoming.
Marker Z-169: Prince William CountyArea 345 square miles
Formed in 1730 from Stafford and King George, and named for William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland*, second son of George II. The first and second battles of Manassas took place in this county.
Official Prince William County Website
* William Augustus was the Duke of Cumberland who led the British forces at the Battle of Culloden, the last clash to be fought on mainland Britain and ending the Second Jacobite Rising. After his decisive victory, he ordered all of the Jacobite wounded and prisoners to be executed, earning him the nickname of "The Butcher". His actions following Culloden were the beginning of a decline in his popularity. Nearly 1000 Scots were transported to the American colonies after the defeat, and many settled in Virginia, including some of my ancestors. The county of Prince William was named when Prince William was 9 years old, 16 years prior to the Battle of Culloden.
Marker Number: Z-169
Marker Title: Fairfax County - Prince William County
Marker Location: US 29 westbound just before Manassas National Battlefield Park
County or Independent City: Fairfax County/Prince William County Line
Web Site: [Web Link]
Marker Program Sponsor: Conservation and Development Commission 1929
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