Manassas, Virginia

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"Manassas" redirects here. For other uses, see Manassas (disambiguation).
Manassas, Virginia
Independent city
City of Manassas
View of Old Town Manassas looking east on Center Street.
View of Old Town Manassas looking east on Center Street.
Flag of Manassas, Virginia
Flag
Official seal of Manassas, Virginia
Seal
Motto(s): 
"Historic Heart, Modern Beat"
Manassas is located in Northern Virginia
Manassas
Manassas
Coordinates: 38°45′5″N 77°28′35″W / 38.75139°N 77.47639°W / 38.75139; -77.47639Coordinates: 38°45′5″N 77°28′35″W / 38.75139°N 77.47639°W / 38.75139; -77.47639
Country United States
State Virginia
Pre-incorporation CountyFlag of Prince William County, Virginia.png Prince William County (None after Incorporation - Independent city)
Named forManasseh of Judah
Government
 • TypeCouncil-Manager
 • MayorMichelle Davis-Younger (D)[1]
 • City ManagerW. Patrick Pate[2]
 • Vice MayorPamela J. Sebesky (D)[1]
Area
 • Total9.90 sq mi (25.64 km2)
 • Land9.84 sq mi (25.49 km2)
 • Water0.06 sq mi (0.15 km2)
Elevation
305 ft (93 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total42,772
 • Density4,174.03/sq mi (1,611.60/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP codes
20108 (PO Box Only), and 20110[4]
Area codes703, 571
FIPS code51-48952[5]
GNIS feature ID1498512[6]
Website[1]

Manassas (/məˈnæs əs/;[8] formerly Manassas Junction)[9] is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 37,821.[10] The city borders Prince William County, and the independent city of Manassas Park, Virginia. The Bureau of Economic Analysis includes both Manassas and Manassas Park with Prince William County for statistical purposes.

Manassas also serves as the seat of Prince William County. It surrounds the 38-acre (150,000 m2) county courthouse, but that county property is not part of the city. The City of Manassas has several important historic sites from the period 1850–1870.

The City of Manassas is part of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area and is in the Northern Virginia region.

History[]

In July 1861, the First Battle of Manassas—also known as the First Battle of Bull Run—was fought nearby, the first major land battle of the American Civil War. Manassas commemorated the 150th anniversary of the First Battle of Manassas on July 21–24, 2011.[11]

Fencing at Manassas Battlefield

The Second Battle of Manassas (or the Second Battle of Bull Run) 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. In 1975, Manassas was incorporated as an independent city, and as per Virginia law, was separated from Prince William County.

The Manassas Historic District; Cannon Branch Fort; Liberia, a plantation house; and the Manassas Industrial School for Colored Youth are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[12]

Manassas is home to Annaburg Manor, built in 1892 by Robert Portner as a summer home. It is believed to be one of the first homes in the United States to have mechanical air conditioning.[13] Annaburg was purchased by the City of Manassas in July 2019 to be restored and preserved as a public park.[14]

Geography[]

Manassas, Virginia is located in USA Virginia Manassas
Fairfax County
City of Manassas
City of Manassas Park
Prince William County
Loudoun County

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 9.9 square miles (25.6 km2), of which 9.9 square miles (25.6 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km2) (0.5%) is water.[15]

Manassas has a council-manager system of government. As of October 2019 the city manager is William Patrick Pate; the mayor is Harry J. Parrish II; and the vice mayor is Pamela J. Sebesky.[1][2]

Climate[]

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.[16] Average monthly temperatures range from 33.3 °F in January to 76.7 °F in July. [2] The local hardiness zone is 7a.

Adjacent and nearby areas[]

  • Prince William County, Virginia – northwest, west, south, east
  • Manassas Park, Virginia – northeast

Demographics[]

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1880361—
189053046.8%
190081754.2%
19101,21749.0%
19201,3057.2%
19301,215−6.9%
19401,3027.2%
19501,80438.6%
19603,55597.1%
19709,164157.8%
198015,43868.5%
199027,95781.1%
200035,13525.7%
201037,8217.6%
2019 (est.)41,085[7]8.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[17]
1790-1960[18] 1900-1990[19]
1990-2000[20]

According to the census of 2020, the population of the City of Manassas was 42,772 which represented a 13.1% growth in population since the last census in 2010. The racial breakdown per the 2020 Census for the city is as follows:

  • 51.1% White
  • 14.2% Black
  • 7.8% Asian
  • 3.2% Native American (Including Alaska, Hawaii and Pacific Islands)
  • 24% Other

42.9% of the population was of Hispanic or Latino origin. This can be broken up ethnically as follows (2010 numbers):

  • 9.9% Mexican
  • 1.1% Puerto Rican
  • 0.2% Cuban
  • 20.2% other Hispanic or Latino

The population density for the city is 3,782.1 people per square mile, and there are an estimated 13,103 housing units in the city with an average housing density of 1,310.3 per square mile.[21] The greatest percentage of housing values of owner-occupied homes (34.8%) is $300,000 to $499,999, with a median owner-occupied housing value of $259,100. The city's highest period of growth was from 1980 to 1989, when 35% of the city's housing stock was constructed.[22]

The ACS estimated median household income for the city in 2010 was $70,211. 36% of the population has a college degree.[21] Almost as many people commute into the City of Manassas for work (13,316) as out (13,666), with the majority of out commuters traveling to Fairfax and Prince William counties for their jobs. Unemployment as of July, 2010 in the city is 6.3%, which was well below that of the United States at 7.9%. City residents are primarily employed in Professional, Scientific and Technical Services, and Health Care and Social Assistance.[23]

Politics[]

For many years, Manassas was one of the more conservative areas of Virginia, but in 2008, it swung dramatically to the Democrats, going from a 13-point victory for George W. Bush to an 11-point win for Barack Obama. It has supported Democratic presidential candidates by double-digit margins in the last four elections, partly due to the larger Democratic trend in Northern Virginia.

Presidential Elections Results[24]
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
2020 36.9% 6,256 61.0% 10,356 2.1% 356
2016 38.6% 5,953 54.7% 8,423 6.7% 1,035
2012 42.5% 6,463 55.8% 8,478 1.9% 259
2008 43.8% 5,975 55.2% 7,518 1.0% 134
2004 56.2% 7,257 43.1% 5,562 0.7% 84
2000 54.4% 6,752 42.4% 5,262 3.2% 396
1996 52.9% 5,799 39.9% 4,378 7.1% 783
1992 48.9% 5,453 32.7% 3,647 18.4% 2,054
1988 68.6% 5,980 30.5% 2,658 0.9% 81
1984 71.3% 4,613 28.2% 1,824 0.4% 29
1980 60.8% 3,009 31.6% 1,565 7.6% 378
1976 53.3% 1,992 44.0% 1,646 2.6% 99

Crime[]

During the second quarter of 2014, crime in the City of Manassas has decreased by 9 percent.[25] Calls for service from residents have decreased 27 percent from 2013 to 2014. Overall crime in the City of Manassas has steadily decreased over the years, as it has nationwide. About 1 in 5 reports taken during the 2nd quarter of 2014 was for a part 1 crime. The number of aggravated assaults reported in 2014 year-to-date and during the second quarter has increased by about half when compared to 2013 cases (+46%, +64%, respectively). Part 1 property crimes decreased by 19 cases during the 2nd quarter of 2014 (burglary, larceny, and auto theft). Overall, year-to-date totals indicate decreases in part 1 crimes (-14%) and all other offenses reported to police (-9%).[25]

Economy[]

The Manassas Regional Airport has 26 businesses operating out of the airport property. There are 415 based airplanes and two fixed-base operators, APP Jet Center and Dulles Aviation. The Manassas Regional Airport has land available for development.[26]

The city's third-largest employer is Micron Technology. Headquartered in Boise, Idaho, this manufacturer of semiconductors operates its wafer factory in Manassas, where it employs 1650 people directly, and several hundred others through vendor contracts. In December 2018, Micron began a $3 billon-dollar expansion project at the Manassas site, and it's expected to create 1,100 jobs by 2030.[27] Other major employers include Lockheed Martin (1500 employees) and the Novant Prince William Health System (1400 employees).

11% of people working in Manassas live in the city, while 89% commute in. 36% commute from Prince William County and 18% commute from Fairfax. Additionally 16,700 people commute from Manassas to the surrounding areas. In 2016, 3.3% of Manassas residents were unemployed.[28]

Transportation[]

Route 234 in Manassas

Major highways[]

The major roads into and out of Manassas are Virginia State Route 28, Virginia State Route 234 and Virginia State Route 234 Business. I-66 and US-29 service Manassas, but neither passes through the city itself.

Airports[]

Manassas Regional Airport is within the city limits. It is the busiest general aviation airport in Virginia, with more than 415 aircraft and 26 businesses based onsite, including charter companies, avionics, maintenance, flight schools and aircraft services.

Amtrak 50, the Cardinal, is arriving in Manassas station on a Friday evening. The train left Chicago last evening and is on its way to New York City. The station is shared with Virginia Railway Express and hosts the city's visitors center.

Rail transportation[]

Manassas began life as Manassas Junction, so named for the railroad junction between the Orange and Alexandria Railroad and the Manassas Gap Railroad. The O&A owned the railway from Alexandria through Manassas to points south, ending in Orange, Virginia, while the MGRR was an independent line constructed from Manassas Junction through the Manassas Gap westward. In addition Manassas was the site of the first large scale military use of railroad transportation.

These original routes are now owned by the Norfolk Southern railroad. Amtrak and the Virginia Railway Express (VRE) provide regular inter-city and commuter service to the city and surrounding area on the tracks owned by NS. Manassas station is served by VRE and three Amtrak routes: the New York City to Chicago Cardinal, Boston to Roanoke Northeast Regional, and New York to New Orleans Crescent.

The train station was also used for the cover photo of Stephen Stills' Manassas (album).

Education[]

Public education[]

The City of Manassas is served by the Manassas City Public Schools. There are five elementary schools in Manassas, two intermediate schools, a middle school, and a high school. In 2006, Mayfield Intermediate School opened, serving students in fifth and sixth grade. Due to growth, Baldwin Intermediate School opened in September 2017, also serving 5th and 6th graders.

Some schools in the Prince William County Public Schools district have Manassas addresses, though they are located, and serve areas, outside the Manassas city limits.

Seton School, a private Roman Catholic junior and senior high school affiliated with the Diocese of Arlington, provides Catholic education from its Manassas location.[29] The All Saints Catholic School at the All Saints Parish provides Catholic Education from pre-K through 8th grade. The All Saints Catholic School was a Presidential Blue Ribbon Award winner in 2009.[30]

Also in the vicinity of Manassas are branch campuses of American Public University System, George Mason University, Northern Virginia Community College, ECPI College of Technology and Strayer University. Though some of these are just outside the city limits in Prince William County, NVCC and Strayer call these branches their Manassas Campuses.

Public schools in Manassas:[31]

Private education[]

Most private schools in Manassas are associated with religious institutions, like All Saints Catholic Church[42] or St. Thomas Methodist Church.[43] But some private schools in the area are based in other non-traditional schooling ideologies, such as the Reggio-Emilia[44] approach or trademarked curriculum such as the F.L.EX.® Learning Program.[45]

Private schools in Manassas:

Notable people[]

In popular culture[]

  • A season 6 episode of the Discovery Channel series A Haunting, called Marked by Evil, takes place in Manassas in 2008-2011.
  • Portions of the music video for the Steve Winwood song "Back in the High Life Again" were filmed at the train station in Manassas.
  • In episode three of Marvel’s “What if…?”Manassas, Virginia is featured as Natasha Romanoff travels to a library.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d "Mayor & City Council: Manassas, VA - Official Site". www.manassascity.org. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b "City Manager's Office: Manassas, VA - Official Site". www.manassascity.org. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
  3. ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  4. ^ Manassas, VA ZIPs Retrieved November 22, 2009/April 6, 2012
  5. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  6. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  7. ^ Jump up to: a b "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  8. ^ "Definition of manassas". Dictionary.com. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
  9. ^ Contributed by The Hornbook of Virginia History. "Cities of Virginia". Encyclopedia Virginia. Retrieved 2014-01-21.
  10. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on January 6, 2014. Retrieved January 6, 2014.
  11. ^ "Manassas Civil War Commemorative Event, July 21–24, 2011". Historic Manassa, Inc. Archived from the original on 2011-05-05.
  12. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  13. ^ "Manassas 1892, Annaburg, Grand Summer Home". The Historical Marker Database. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
  14. ^ "Annaburg". manassasva.gov. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
  15. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  16. ^ "Climate Summary for Manassas, Virginia". Weatherbase.com. Retrieved 2014-01-21.
  17. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 6, 2014.
  18. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved January 6, 2014.
  19. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 6, 2014.
  20. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 6, 2014.
  21. ^ Jump up to: a b American Community Survey (ACS)
  22. ^ City of Manassas, Department of Community Development
  23. ^ Virginia Employment Commission, 1st Quarter, 2012
  24. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 2020-12-08.
  25. ^ Jump up to: a b "Welcome to Manassas, Virginia".
  26. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-02-09. Retrieved 2015-02-09.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  27. ^ "Construction, hiring begins for Micron's $3B expansion in Manassas".
  28. ^ Community Profile: Manassas Archived 2017-11-17 at the Wayback Machine, Virginia LMI
  29. ^ "Welcome to Seton School - Private Catholic High School". Seton School Manassas. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
  30. ^ "Home - All Saints Catholic School". All Saints Catholic School. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
  31. ^ "Manassas City Public Schools - MCPS Home". Manassas City Public Schools. 2017. Retrieved 2017-07-03.
  32. ^ "Baldwin Elementary / Homepage". www.mcpsva.org.
  33. ^ "Home". ellises.pwcs.edu. Retrieved 2021-08-05.
  34. ^ "Jennie Dean Elementary / Homepage". www.mcpsva.org.
  35. ^ "Haydon Elementary / Homepage". www.mcpsva.org.
  36. ^ "Round Elementary / Homepage". www.mcpsva.org.
  37. ^ "Home". mullenes.pwcs.edu. Retrieved 2021-08-05.
  38. ^ "Weems Elementary / Homepage". www.mcpsva.org.
  39. ^ "Baldwin Intermediate / Homepage". www.mcpsva.org.
  40. ^ "Mayfield Intermediate / Homepage". www.mcpsva.org.
  41. ^ "Metz Middle School / Homepage". www.mcpsva.org.
  42. ^ Jump up to: a b "About All Saints". All Saints Catholic School. Retrieved 2019-09-03.
  43. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Sunbeam Children's Center - St. Thomas UMC - church in Manassas VA". www.stthomasumc.org. Retrieved 2019-09-03.
  44. ^ Jump up to: a b "The Reggio Emilia Philosophy of Learning". The Compass School. Retrieved 2019-09-03.
  45. ^ Jump up to: a b "The Goddard School". campaign.goddardschool.com. Retrieved 2019-09-03.
  46. ^ "Ad Fontes Academy Private Christian School Northern Virginia". Ad Fontes Academy. Retrieved 2019-09-03.
  47. ^ "Home". All Saints Catholic School. Retrieved 2019-09-03.
  48. ^ "Preschool & Child Care | Manassas, VA". The Compass School. Retrieved 2019-09-03.
  49. ^ "Emmanuel Christian School Manassas Virginia". Emmanuel Christian School Manassas Virginia. Retrieved 2019-09-03.
  50. ^ "Harmony Montessori School - Manassas, VA". Yelp. Retrieved 2019-09-03.
  51. ^ "La Petite Academy of Manassas in Manassas, VA | 10023 Dumfries Road | La Petite Academy". www.lapetite.com. Retrieved 2019-09-03.
  52. ^ "STEM-inspired curriculum| La Petite Academy". www.lapetite.com. Archived from the original on 2019-09-03. Retrieved 2019-09-03.
  53. ^ "Welcome to Manassas Christian School". Manassas Christian School. Retrieved 2019-09-03.
  54. ^ "I-20 Certified School". Manassas Christian School. Retrieved 2019-09-03.
  55. ^ "Merit School of Manassas offers the best in early childhood education". The Merit School. Retrieved 2019-09-03.
  56. ^ Jump up to: a b "Welcome to The Merit School". The Merit School. Retrieved 2019-09-03.
  57. ^ "Merit School of Old Town Manassas". The Merit School. Retrieved 2019-09-03.
  58. ^ Jump up to: a b "All School Locations - Minnieland Academy". Retrieved 2019-09-03.
  59. ^ "Explore Prince William Regional Technology Academy in Manassas, VA". GreatSchools.org. Retrieved 2019-09-03.
  60. ^ "Welcome to Seton School - Private Catholic High School". Seton School Manassas. Retrieved 2019-09-03.
  61. ^ "About". Seton School Manassas. Retrieved 2019-09-03.
  62. ^ "Oh Danny Boy, the Pipes …". Retrieved 14 March 2018.
  63. ^ "Radio's Mike O'Meara". wcsh6.com. 2011-08-18. Retrieved 2012-05-14.[permanent dead link]
  64. ^ AUDIO: Radio Host Mike O'Meara Blasts Adam Carolla's Anti-Occupy Rant Archived 2012-02-05 at the Wayback Machine. National Confidential (2011-12-03). Retrieved on 2014-03-21.
  65. ^ "Virginia church turns to Hindu temple [newKerala.com News # 140512-191333]". Newkerala.com. Retrieved 2012-05-14.
  66. ^ White, Josh (22 January 2013). "Kevin Ricks, former Manassas teacher, sentenced to 20 more years in prison". The Washington Post. Retrieved 3 September 2019.
  67. ^ "Trayvon Martin shooter George Zimmerman has Manassas ties". The Washington Post. March 22, 2012.
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