Manassas, Virginia
Encyclopedia
The City of Manassas is an independent city
surrounded by Prince William County and the independent city of Manassas Park in the Commonwealth of Virginia
in the United States. Its population was 37,821 as of 2010. Manassas also surrounds the 38 acres (153,780.7 m²) county seat for Prince William County but that county property is not part of the city. Manassas either contains or is close to several important historic sites from the period 1850 - 70. The Bureau of Economic Analysis
combines the city of Manassas (along with Manassas Park) with Prince William County for statistical purposes. The City of Manassas is part of the Washington Metropolitan Area
and it is situated in the Northern Virginia
region.
– also known as the First Battle of Bull Run – the first major land battle of the American Civil War
, was fought near here. Manassas will commemorate the 150th anniversary of First Battle of Manassas
July 21–24, 2011.
Second Battle of Manassas
(or the Second Battle of Bull Run) was fought near here 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.
The crossroads grew into the town of Manassas following the war, incorporated in 1873. In 1892, it became the county seat
of Prince William County
, replacing Brentsville. In 1975, Manassas became an independent city.
In modern times, Manassas's development has been strongly influenced by its position as a suburb
of Washington, D.C.
It has developed major problems with traffic
and urban sprawl
.
The trials of John and Lorena Bobbitt
(John Wayne Bobbitt's for rape, Lorena Bobbitt's for malicious wounding) occurred at the Prince William County courthouse, which is in the city of Manassas. They lived in Prince William County at the time.http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,980009,00.html?iid=chix-sphere
On October 9, 2002, the eleventh of the Beltway sniper attacks
occurred outside Manassas city limits when 53-year old Dean Harold Meyers was shot pumping gas at a Sunoco
station on Sudley Road near Interstate 66 in Prince William County.
In October 2005, Manassas became the site of the first wide-scale Broadband over Power Lines (BPL) implementation in the United States
. The Manassas City Council voted unanimously to end this service in 2010.
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 10 square miles (25.9 km²), of which, 9.9 square miles (25.6 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (0.20%) is water.
Manassas uses a council-manager system of government. The current city manager is Lawrence Hughes.
of 2000, there were 35,135 people, 11,757 households, and 8,441 families residing in the city. The population density
was 3,537.0 people per square mile (1,366.1/km²). There were 12,114 housing units at an average density of 1,219.5 per square mile (471.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 72.05% White, 12.91% African American, 0.36% Native American, 3.43% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 7.89% from other races
, and 3.26% from two or more races. Hispanic of any race were 15.13% of the population.
In 2005 non-Hispanic whites were 56.8% of Manassas's population. 13.3% of the population was African-American. 0.5% were Native Americans. 3.8% were Asian. 25.6% were Latinos.
There were 11,757 households out of which 42.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.8% were married couples
living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.2% were non-families. 21.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.92 and the average family size was 3.39.
In the city the population was spread out with 29.6% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 35.8% from 25 to 44, 19.4% from 45 to 64, and 5.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 103.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $60,409, and the median income for a family was $70,141. Males had a median income of $43,646 versus $30,678 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $24,453. About 3.7% of families and 6.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.6% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.
In 2007, local Hispanic leaders estimated that the Manassas Hispanic community has grown to about 20,000 to 30,000 members. Other civic groups such as Help Save Manassas http://www.helpsavemanassas.org/
] were expressing concern about the number of illegal immigrants. An accurate count of illegal immigrants for Manassas is not available.
Manassas is part of Virginia's 10th congressional district
, represented by Republican Frank Wolf, elected in 1980.
The state's senior member of the United States Senate is Democrat Jim Webb
, elected in 2006. The state's junior member of the United States Senate is Democrat Mark Warner
, elected in 2008. The Governor of Virginia is Republican Bob McDonnell
, elected in 2009.
since the year 1999. The Total Crime Index for Manassas was 307.3 crimes committed per 100,000 residents in 2006. There were 223.5 crimes committed per 100,000 civilians for the year 1999, The National Average for the United States
is 320.9 crimes committed per 100,000 residents. The violent crime
levels in Manassas are higher than the Virginia
state average, which tends to be a pattern typical within urban
areas in the Southern United States
.
According to CNN MONEY Magazine, there are 5 Personal crime incidents per 1,000 residents, the best places average is 1.3 personal crimes per 1,000 residents. The rate for Property crime incidents for Manassas is 31 per 1,000 residents, the best places average is 20.6.
, a regional airline, maintains two hangars at Manassas Regional Airport
in Manassas. At one time Colgan Air was headquartered in Manassas. In 2009 the company announced that it was moving its headquarters to Memphis to be in proximity to the offices of Pinnacle Airlines Corp.
, Colgan Air's parent company. 100 jobs in Manassas were lost.
and VA-234 Business. I-66 and US-29 service Manassas, but neither pass through the city itself.
and the Manassas Gap Railroad
. The O&A owned the trackage from Alexandria through Manassas to points south, ending in Orange, Virginia
, while the MGRR was a new line being constructed from Manassas Junction through the Manassas Gap
westward.
The current trackage, which roughly follows these original routes, is now owned by the modern day Norfolk Southern system.
Amtrak
and the Virginia Railway Express
(VRE) supply both regular and commuter service to the city and surrounding area on the tracks owned by the NS. Three Amtrak routes, the Cardinal, the Northeast Regional and Crescent
, provide service. The Cardinal terminates in Chicago, the Northeast Regional in Boston, while the Crescent ends at New Orleans
. VRE is a very popular commuting option to Alexandria and Washington, D.C.
.
. There are five elementary schools in Manassas, one middle school, and one high school. On September 5, 2006, Mayfield Intermediate School opened, serving students in fifth and sixth grade.
Some schools in the Prince William County Public Schools
district have Manassas addresses; they serve areas outside of the Manassas city limits and are located outside of the Manassas city limits.
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
. Despite that some of these may in fact be just outside the city limits in Prince William County, NVCC and Strayer call these branches their "Manassas Campuses."
List of public schools in Manassas:
Independent city
An independent city is a city that does not form part of another general-purpose local government entity. These type of cities should not be confused with city-states , which are fully sovereign cities that are not part of any other sovereign state.-Historical precursors:In the Holy Roman Empire,...
surrounded by Prince William County and the independent city of Manassas Park in the Commonwealth of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
in the United States. Its population was 37,821 as of 2010. Manassas also surrounds the 38 acres (153,780.7 m²) county seat for Prince William County but that county property is not part of the city. Manassas either contains or is close to several important historic sites from the period 1850 - 70. The Bureau of Economic Analysis
Bureau of Economic Analysis
The Bureau of Economic Analysis is an agency in the United States Department of Commerce that provides important economic statistics including the gross domestic product of the United States. Its stated mission is to "promote a better understanding of the U.S...
combines the city of Manassas (along with Manassas Park) with Prince William County for statistical purposes. The City of Manassas is part of the Washington Metropolitan Area
Washington Metropolitan Area
The Washington Metropolitan Area is the metropolitan area centered on Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. The area includes all of the federal district and parts of the U.S...
and it is situated in the Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia consists of several counties and independent cities in the Commonwealth of Virginia, in a widespread region generally radiating southerly and westward from Washington, D.C...
region.
History
In July 1861, the First Battle of ManassasFirst Battle of Bull Run
First Battle of Bull Run, also known as First Manassas , was fought on July 21, 1861, in Prince William County, Virginia, near the City of Manassas...
– also known as the First Battle of Bull Run – the first major land battle of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, was fought near here. Manassas will commemorate the 150th anniversary of First Battle of Manassas
First Battle of Bull Run
First Battle of Bull Run, also known as First Manassas , was fought on July 21, 1861, in Prince William County, Virginia, near the City of Manassas...
July 21–24, 2011.
Second Battle of Manassas
Second Battle of Bull Run
The Second Battle of Bull Run or Second Manassas was fought August 28–30, 1862, as part of the American Civil War. It was the culmination of an offensive campaign waged by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia against Union Maj. Gen...
(or the Second Battle of Bull Run) was fought near here 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
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, and the Shenandoah Valley
Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
. Despite these two Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
victories, Manassas Junction was in Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
hands for most of the war.
The crossroads grew into the town of Manassas following the war, incorporated in 1873. In 1892, it became the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Prince William County
Prince William County, Virginia
-National protected areas:* Featherstone National Wildlife Refuge* Manassas National Battlefield Park* Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge* Prince William Forest Park-Government and politics:...
, replacing Brentsville. In 1975, Manassas became an independent city.
In modern times, Manassas's development has been strongly influenced by its position as a suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
It has developed major problems with traffic
Traffic
Traffic on roads may consist of pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles, streetcars and other conveyances, either singly or together, while using the public way for purposes of travel...
and urban sprawl
Urban sprawl
Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is a multifaceted concept, which includes the spreading outwards of a city and its suburbs to its outskirts to low-density and auto-dependent development on rural land, high segregation of uses Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is a...
.
The trials of John and Lorena Bobbitt
John and Lorena Bobbitt
John Wayne Bobbitt and Lorena Bobbitt were an American couple, married on June 18, 1989, whose difficult relationship gained worldwide notoriety for an incident in 1993 when Lorena severed John's penis with a knife...
(John Wayne Bobbitt's for rape, Lorena Bobbitt's for malicious wounding) occurred at the Prince William County courthouse, which is in the city of Manassas. They lived in Prince William County at the time.http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,980009,00.html?iid=chix-sphere
On October 9, 2002, the eleventh of the Beltway sniper attacks
Beltway sniper attacks
The Washington sniper attacks took place during three weeks in October 2002 in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. Ten people were killed and three others critically injured in various locations throughout the Washington Metropolitan Area and along Interstate 95 in Virginia...
occurred outside Manassas city limits when 53-year old Dean Harold Meyers was shot pumping gas at a Sunoco
Sunoco
Sunoco Inc. is an American petroleum and petrochemical manufacturer headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, formerly known as Sun Company Inc. and Sun Oil Co. ....
station on Sudley Road near Interstate 66 in Prince William County.
In October 2005, Manassas became the site of the first wide-scale Broadband over Power Lines (BPL) implementation in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The Manassas City Council voted unanimously to end this service in 2010.
Notable residents
- Jim BucherJim BucherJames Quinter Bucher was an infielder/outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Brooklyn Dodgers , St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox . A native of Manassas, Virginia, Bucher batted left-handed and threw right-handed...
, in- and outfielder in Major League Baseball - Jennie Dean, Manassas Industrial School
- Wilmer FieldsWilmer FieldsWilmer Leon Fields was a pitcher and third baseman in baseball's Negro Leagues. Wilmer was often referred to as "Red" or Wilmer "The Great" Fields.Fields was born in Manassas, Virginia....
, pitcher and third baseman in baseball's Negro Leagues - Brandon HoganBrandon HoganBrandon Hogan is an American football cornerback and return specialist for the Carolina Panthers. He started at cornerback at West Virginia University.-Early life:...
, football player - Chaney KleyChaney KleyChaney Kley was an American film and television actor.-Early life:Kley was born Chaney Kley Minnis in Manassas, Virginia. Kley attended the Thomas Jefferson High School in Denver, Colorado, and the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado. He gained a BFA in acting...
(1972–2007), American film and television actor - Jon KnottJon KnottJonathan David Knott is a former Major League Baseball outfielder.-Career:After graduating in 2001 with a Master of Business Administration degree from Mississippi State University, Knott was signed by Mal Fichman as an amateur free agent with the San Diego Padres. He made his major league debut...
, Major League Baseball outfielder - Jeremy LinnJeremy LinnJeremy Porter Linn , set an American record in the one hundred meter breaststroke category while winning the silver medal in that event at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia....
, swimmer who competed in the 1996 Summer Olympics - Mike O'MearaMike O'MearaMichael Sean Patrick "Mike" O'Meara is the host of The Mike O'Meara Show, previously a nationally syndicated radio show which returned as a podcast. Previously he was the co-host of the nationally syndicated The Don and Mike Show...
, radio personality - Harry J. ParrishHarry J. ParrishHarry J. Parrish was a longtime member of the Virginia House of Delegates at the time of his death, age 84. Born February 19, 1922, Parrish served as a Colonel in the United States Air Force from 1942 and 1946 before being elected to the town council of Manassas, Virginia in 1951...
(1922–2006), a longtime member of the Virginia House of Delegates - Leven PowellLeven PowellLeven Powell, also Levin, was a United States Representative from Virginia. He was born near Manassas in Prince William County, Virginia. He studied in private schools. He was deputy sheriff of Prince William County, Virginia, before he moved to Loudoun County in 1763, where he engaged in...
, also Levin, (1737–1810), a US Representative from Virginia - Ravi Shankar (poet)Ravi Shankar (poet)Ravi Shankar is an American poet. He was raised in Manassas, VA. He is the poet-in-residence at Central Connecticut State University and the founding editor of the online journal of the arts, Drunken Boat. His first book, Instrumentality, was published by Cherry Grove in May 2004, and was a...
- Joanna Mary Berry ShieldsJoanna Mary Berry ShieldsJoanna Mary Berry Shields was one of the seven members of the sophomore class of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, the first sorority founded by African American women...
, founder of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.; teacher - Christopher Trizna, motivational speaker
- Leeann TweedenLeeann TweedenLeeann Velez Tweeden is an American model.Tweeden was born in Manassas, Virginia. She graduated from Osbourn Park High School in 1991. Tweeden skipped college altogether and instead pursued a career in modeling...
, model - Ryan WilliamsRyan Williams (American football)Ryan Williams is an American football running back for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He played college football at Virginia Tech and was drafted in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft....
, running back for the Arizona Cardinals - Jalen Burnette, Rapper, Poet
- Joseph (JoePa) Pascale, Swimmer
- Pete Evick, Musician (Guitarist for Bret Michaels Band)
Geography
Manassas is located at 38°45′5"N 77°28′35"W (38.751415, -77.476396). The city is mainly served by I-66, US-29, Virginia State Route 234 Business, and Virginia State Route 28Virginia State Route 28
State Route 28 is a primary state highway that traverses the counties of Loudoun, Fairfax, Prince William, and Fauquier in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is a major artery through Northern Virginia.-Loudoun County:...
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 10 square miles (25.9 km²), of which, 9.9 square miles (25.6 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (0.20%) is water.
Manassas uses a council-manager system of government. The current city manager is Lawrence Hughes.
Adjacent county / Independent city
- Prince William County, VirginiaPrince William County, Virginia-National protected areas:* Featherstone National Wildlife Refuge* Manassas National Battlefield Park* Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge* Prince William Forest Park-Government and politics:...
- northwest, west, south, east - Manassas Park, Virginia - northeast
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 35,135 people, 11,757 households, and 8,441 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 3,537.0 people per square mile (1,366.1/km²). There were 12,114 housing units at an average density of 1,219.5 per square mile (471.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 72.05% White, 12.91% African American, 0.36% Native American, 3.43% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 7.89% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 3.26% from two or more races. Hispanic of any race were 15.13% of the population.
In 2005 non-Hispanic whites were 56.8% of Manassas's population. 13.3% of the population was African-American. 0.5% were Native Americans. 3.8% were Asian. 25.6% were Latinos.
There were 11,757 households out of which 42.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.8% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.2% were non-families. 21.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.92 and the average family size was 3.39.
In the city the population was spread out with 29.6% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 35.8% from 25 to 44, 19.4% from 45 to 64, and 5.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 103.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $60,409, and the median income for a family was $70,141. Males had a median income of $43,646 versus $30,678 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $24,453. About 3.7% of families and 6.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.6% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.
In 2007, local Hispanic leaders estimated that the Manassas Hispanic community has grown to about 20,000 to 30,000 members. Other civic groups such as Help Save Manassas http://www.helpsavemanassas.org/
] were expressing concern about the number of illegal immigrants. An accurate count of illegal immigrants for Manassas is not available.
Manassas is part of Virginia's 10th congressional district
Virginia's 10th congressional district
Virginia's Tenth Congressional District is a U.S. congressional district in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The residents of the 10th District are currently represented by Republican Congressman Frank Wolf, first elected to the 10th's seat in the U.S...
, represented by Republican Frank Wolf, elected in 1980.
The state's senior member of the United States Senate is Democrat Jim Webb
Jim Webb
James Henry "Jim" Webb, Jr. is the senior United States Senator from Virginia. He is also an author and a former Secretary of the Navy. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
, elected in 2006. The state's junior member of the United States Senate is Democrat Mark Warner
Mark Warner
Mark Robert Warner is an American politician and businessman, currently serving in the United States Senate as the junior senator from the Commonwealth of Virginia. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Warner was the 69th governor of Virginia from 2002 to 2006 and is the honorary chairman of...
, elected in 2008. The Governor of Virginia is Republican Bob McDonnell
Bob McDonnell
Robert Francis "Bob" McDonnell is an American politician who has been the 71st Governor of Virginia since January 2010. A former lieutenant colonel in the United States Army, McDonnell served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1993 to 2006 and served as Attorney General of Virginia from 2006...
, elected in 2009.
Crime
For the 21st century, the city of Manassas has had an overall increase in crimeCrime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
since the year 1999. The Total Crime Index for Manassas was 307.3 crimes committed per 100,000 residents in 2006. There were 223.5 crimes committed per 100,000 civilians for the year 1999, The National Average for the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
is 320.9 crimes committed per 100,000 residents. The violent crime
Violent crime
A violent crime or crime of violence is a crime in which the offender uses or threatens to use violent force upon the victim. This entails both crimes in which the violent act is the objective, such as murder, as well as crimes in which violence is the means to an end, such as robbery. Violent...
levels in Manassas are higher than the Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
state average, which tends to be a pattern typical within urban
Urban area
An urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets.Urban areas are created and further...
areas in the Southern United States
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
.
According to CNN MONEY Magazine, there are 5 Personal crime incidents per 1,000 residents, the best places average is 1.3 personal crimes per 1,000 residents. The rate for Property crime incidents for Manassas is 31 per 1,000 residents, the best places average is 20.6.
Economy
Colgan AirColgan Air
Colgan Air, Inc. is an American certificated regional airline subsidiary of Pinnacle Airlines Corp. The headquarters of Colgan Air are located in Memphis, Tennessee....
, a regional airline, maintains two hangars at Manassas Regional Airport
Manassas Regional Airport
Manassas Regional Airport , also known as Harry P. Davis Field, is a city-owned public-use airport located four nautical miles southwest of the central business district of Manassas, in a section of Manassas that was carved out of Prince William County specifically for the purpose of containing...
in Manassas. At one time Colgan Air was headquartered in Manassas. In 2009 the company announced that it was moving its headquarters to Memphis to be in proximity to the offices of Pinnacle Airlines Corp.
Pinnacle Airlines Corp.
Pinnacle Airlines Corp. is an American holding company headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, which is the parent company of three airlines: Pinnacle Airlines, Mesaba Airlines and Colgan Air...
, Colgan Air's parent company. 100 jobs in Manassas were lost.
Major highways
The major roads into and out of Manassas are VA-28Virginia State Route 28
State Route 28 is a primary state highway that traverses the counties of Loudoun, Fairfax, Prince William, and Fauquier in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is a major artery through Northern Virginia.-Loudoun County:...
and VA-234 Business. I-66 and US-29 service Manassas, but neither pass through the city itself.
Rail transportation
Manassas began life as Manassas Junction, so-named for the railroad junction between the Orange and Alexandria RailroadOrange and Alexandria Railroad
The Orange and Alexandria Railroad was an intrastate railroad in Virginia, United States. It extended from Alexandria to Gordonsville, with another section from Charlottesville to Lynchburg...
and the Manassas Gap Railroad
Manassas Gap Railroad
The Manassas Gap Railroad was an historic intrastate railroad in the Southern United States which ran from Mount Jackson, Virginia to the Orange and Alexandria Railroad at a junction called "Manassas Junction", which later became the city of Manassas, Virginia...
. The O&A owned the trackage from Alexandria through Manassas to points south, ending in Orange, Virginia
Orange, Virginia
Orange is a town in Orange County, Virginia, United States. The population was 4,721 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Orange County...
, while the MGRR was a new line being constructed from Manassas Junction through the Manassas Gap
Manassas Gap
Manassas Gap is a wind gap of the Blue Ridge Mountains on the border of Fauquier County and Warren County in Virginia. At an elevation of 887 feet above sea level, it is the lowest crossing of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the state....
westward.
The current trackage, which roughly follows these original routes, is now owned by the modern day Norfolk Southern system.
Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
and the Virginia Railway Express
Virginia Railway Express
The Virginia Railway Express is a regional/ commuter rail service that connects the Northern Virginia suburbs to Union Station in Washington, D.C., via two lines: the Fredericksburg Line from Fredericksburg, Virginia, and the Manassas Line from Broad Run/Airport station in Bristow,...
(VRE) supply both regular and commuter service to the city and surrounding area on the tracks owned by the NS. Three Amtrak routes, the Cardinal, the Northeast Regional and Crescent
Crescent (Amtrak)
The Crescent is a passenger train operated by Amtrak in the eastern part of the United States. It runs daily from Pennsylvania Station in New York City to New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal in New Orleans, Louisiana as train 19 and returns, on the same route, as train 20. Most of the route of...
, provide service. The Cardinal terminates in Chicago, the Northeast Regional in Boston, while the Crescent ends at New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
. VRE is a very popular commuting option to Alexandria and Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
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Schools
The city of Manassas is served by the Manassas Public SchoolsManassas City Public Schools
Manassas City Public Schools is a school division that serves the city of Manassas, Virginia, United States.-Elementary schools :* Baldwin Elementary School* Jennie Dean Elementary School* Richard C. Haydon Elementary School...
. There are five elementary schools in Manassas, one middle school, and one high school. On September 5, 2006, Mayfield Intermediate School opened, serving students in fifth and sixth grade.
Some schools in the Prince William County Public Schools
Prince William County Public Schools
Prince William County Public Schools is a Virginia school division with its headquarters in the Kelly Leadership Center in unincorporated Prince William County, Virginia, United States...
district have Manassas addresses; they serve areas outside of the Manassas city limits and are located outside of the Manassas city limits.
Also in the vicinity of Manassas are branch campuses of American Public University System
American Public University System
The American Public University System is a for-profit, online learning institution of higher education that is composed of the American Military University and the American Public University...
, George Mason University, Northern Virginia Community College
Northern Virginia Community College
Northern Virginia Community College, often abbreviated NVCC and colloquially as NOVA, comprises several locations in the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C., and is both the second largest multi-campus community college in the United States and the largest educational institution in the...
, ECPI College of Technology
ECPI College of Technology
ECPI University is a private, for-profit college that serves students in Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina through online and on-campus classes...
and Strayer University
Strayer University
Strayer University, formerly Strayer College of Baltimore, Maryland, is a private, for-profit educational institution. The Strayer University campuses are owned by Strayer Education, Inc. , headquartered in Herndon, Virginia....
. Despite that some of these may in fact be just outside the city limits in Prince William County, NVCC and Strayer call these branches their "Manassas Campuses."
List of public schools in Manassas:
- Baldwin Elementary School
- Dean Elementary School
- Haydon Elementary School
- Round Elementary School
- Weems Elementary School
- Joseph B. Johnson Learning Center
- Mayfield Intermediate School
- Grace E. Metz Middle School
- Osbourn High SchoolOsbourn High SchoolOsbourn High School is a secondary school for grades 9–12 located in Manassas, Virginia, United States and the sole high school of the Manassas City Public Schools system.-History:...
See also
- List of Famous People from the Washington Metropolitan Area
- Manassas (Amtrak station)Manassas (Amtrak station)The Manassas is located at 9431 West Street in Manassas, Virginia. It was originally built by the Southern Railway in 1914 and today serves as the penultimate station along the Virginia Railway Express Manassas Line, as well as a stop on three Amtrak trains.-Station in pop culture:The cover of the...
- Manassas Police DepartmentManassas Police Department (Virginia)The Manassas City Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency servicing 37,821 people living in City of Manassas, VA. Located at 9518 Fairview Avenue, the Manassas City Police Department serves a jurisdiction of approximately . In 2008, the Department employed 90 sworn police officers,...
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Manassas, Virginia