Prince William County Community Guide
Prince William County is located on the Potomac river in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
The county is part of the Washington Metropolis Area. The county seat is Manasses.
Prince William County is growing quickly in population. As of 2012, the county’s population was 421,164.
The county is a very wealthy area of Virginia, listed as one of the highest income counties of the United States.
History
The area known today as Prince William County was first recorded by John Smith, who wrote of a village named Pemacocack, inhabited by a Powhatan tribe of Native Americans, located on the west bank of the Potomac River.
Prince William County was created in 1731 by the General Assembly of Virginia. The county was named for Prince William, Duke of Cumberland, the third son of King George II.
Prince William County is home to Rippon Lodge, built in 1747 by Richard Blackburn. George Washington was a good friend of Blackburn, and is believed to have visited the house often.
Manasses, the county seat of Prince William, is the site of the Battle of First Manassas, which took place in 1861 during the Civil War.
Today, visitors to the county can visit the Manassas Museum to find out more about the county’s rich history.
The Land
Prince William County covers an area of 348 square miles, 11 of which are water.
With 25,000 acres of green space and 160 miles of trails and parks, the county provides plenty of opportunity to enjoy nature.
Both Prince William and Manassas National Parks are part of Prince William County.
What to Do
Visitors to Prince William County are given plenty of opportunity to enjoy restaurants, wineries, golf courses, and movie theaters.
Restaurants
Prince William County offers a wide variety of dining and places to eat. The county has several farmer’s markets, and many of their restaurants cook with fresh and local ingredients.
Absolute BBQ http://www.eatabsolutebbq.com/
Adam’s Pizza Subs http://www.adamspizzaandsubs.com/
Ashton Family Diner http://www.ashtonfamilyrestaurant.com/
Blue Ridge Seafood http://www.blueridgeseafood.com/
Cupcake Heaven and Cafe http://www.cupcakeheavenandcafe.com/
Dixie Bones BBQ http://www.dixiebones.com/index.html
Wineries
Prince William County has multiple wineries for visiting and tasting.
Winery at La Grange http://www.wineryatlagrange.com/
Pearmund Cellars http://www.pearmundcellars.com/
Cork and Fork Wine and Beer http://www.corkandfork.co/
Paradise Springs Winery http://www.paradisespringswinery.com/
Olde Dominion Wine Shoppe http://www.olddominionwine.com/
Golf
Golf provides an excellent avenue for getting outside and enjoying nature. Prince William County has several well managed golf courses.
Prince William Golf Course http://www.princewilliamgolf.com/index.php
General’s Ridge Golf Course http://www.generalsridge.com/index.php
Forest Greens Golf Course http://www.forestgreens.com/index.php
Lake Ridge Park Golf and Marina http://www.worldgolf.com/courses/usa/virginia/woodbridge/lake-ridge-park-golf-marina.html
Movie Theaters
From foreign films to mainstream cinemas, Prince William County offers the full range of movie theaters.
Manassas 4 Cinemas http://www.manassas4cinemas.com/
Rave Cinemas http://www.ravemotionpictures.com/
AMC Theaters http://www.amctheatres.com/
Culpeper County
Culpeper County is located in the central part of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Culpeper County covers an area of 382 square miles. The population in Culpeper County was last recorded in 2010 as 36,689.
The county seat is Culpeper. Culpeper is also the only town in Culpeper County.
Culpeper County is one with a large discrepancy between the rich and the poor. Much of the wealth is inherited by families over generations, but much of the Culpeper populaition lives below the poverty line.
History
Culpeper County was first established in 1749 as a break off of Orange County.
Culpeper County is named for Thomas Colepeper, the colonial governor of Virginia from 1677-1683.
May 1749 marks the first convening of the Culpeper County Court.
At 17, George Washington served as the county’s first surveyor. Part of his job was to design the county’s courthouse complex.
The Culpeper Minute Men fought valiantly during the Revolutionary War.
Several battles took place in Culpeper County during the Civil War, including The Battle of Cedar Mountain and The Battle of Brandy Station.
The Land
Culpeper County is close to the Blue Ridge Mountains, accessible to all kinds of hiking and outdoor activities.
The county is very close to the well known hike, Old Rag, and Skyline Drive.
Commonwealth Park, a famous site for equestrian events, is located in Culpeper County. Actor Christopher Reeve had his paralyzing accident at Commonwealth Park.
Activities
Culpeper County has a wide variety of activities, restaurants, and things to do.
Restaurants
Culpeper has restaurants and eateries for every pallette.
Dolcery Desserts http://www.dolcerydesserts.com/
Country Cookin http://www.countrycookin.com/
Ledo Pizza http://www.ledopizza.com/
Thyme Market http://www.thymeinfo.com/
Foti’s Restaurant http://www.fotisrestaurant.com/
Inn at Kelly’s Ford http://www.innatkellysford.com/
Wineries
Gray Ghost Vineyards http://www.grayghostvineyards.com/
Old House Vineyards http://www.oldhousevineyards.com/
Prince Michel Winery http://www.princemichel.com/
Unicorn Winery http://www.unicornwinery.com/
Shopping
From antique stores to storefront boutiques, Culpeper makes the experience of shopping almost as enjoyable as the products.
Apple’s Closet http://applesclosetconsignment.com/
Designer’s Choice http://www.designerschoice4you.com/
Found: Antiques, Vintage, Today http://foundantiquesandvintage.com/
The Cameleer http://www.thecameleer.com/
The Green Roost http://www.shopgreenroost.com/
The Farmer’s Wife http://www.thefarmerswifemarket.com/
Movie Theaters
Culpeper’s main movie theater is a Regal stadium with four theaters, offering enough options to ensure that moviegoers will get to see the film of their choice.
http://www.regmovies.com/