Manassas, Virginia

Manassas (/məˈnæsəs/[7]), formerly Manassas Junction,[8] is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States. The population was 42,772 at the 2020 Census.[9] It is the county seat of Prince William County, although the two are separate jurisdictions.[10] Manassas borders 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" 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"
Location of Manassas in Virginia
Location of Manassas in Virginia
Manassas is located in Northern Virginia
Manassas
Manassas
Manassas is located in Virginia
Manassas
Manassas
Manassas is located in the United States
Manassas
Manassas
Coordinates: 38°45′5″N 77°28′35″W
Country United States
State Virginia
Pre-incorporation County 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]
 • City CouncilTheresa Coates Ellis (R)
Sonia Vásquez Luna (D)
Tom Osina (D)
Ralph J. Smith (D)
Mark D. Wolfe (D)
Area
[3]
 • 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
 • Density4,300/sq mi (1,700/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

Manassas contains several historic sites dating from 1850 to 1870. Manassas surrounds the 38-acre (15-hectare) county courthouse, which is located on county property.

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

The Second Battle of Bull Run (or the Battle of Second Manassas) 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.

Manassas is home to Annaburg, 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.[12] Annaburg was purchased by the City of Manassas in July 2019 to be restored and preserved as a public park.[13]

The Manassas Historic District; Liberia, a plantation house; the Manassas Water Tower; the Cannon Branch Fort; the Mayfield Fortification; the Manassas Industrial School for Colored Youth; and Annaburg are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[14]

Geography

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]

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 (0.7 °C) in January to 76.7 °F (24.8 °C) in July. The local hardiness zone is 7a.

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
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%
202042,77213.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[17]
1790-1960[18] 1900-1990[19]
1990-2000[20] 2010-2020[21]

2020 census
Manassas city, Virginia – Racial and Ethnic Composition
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity Pop 2010[22] Pop 2020[21] % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 17,994 14,816 47.58% 34.64%
Black or African American alone (NH) 4,905 4,914 12.97% 11.49%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 99 65 0.26% 0.15%
Asian alone (NH) 1,861 2,703 4.92% 6.32%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 41 19 0.11% 0.04%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 125 317 0.33% 0.74%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) 920 1,593 2.43% 3.72%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 11,876 18,345 31.40% 42.89%
Total 37,821 42,772 100.00% 100.00%

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 (34.6% Non-Hispanic White)
  • 14.2% Black (11.5% non-Hispanic 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 (Many from El Salvador and Guatemala)

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.[23] 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.[24]


The ACS estimated median household income for the city in 2020 was $86,227.[25] 36% of the population has a college degree.[23] 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 in the city as of February, 2022 was 2.5%, which was below that of the United States at 3.8%.[26] Of the 21,221 working age residents, 20,620 were employed. City residents are primarily employed in Professional, Scientific and Technical Services, and Health Care and Social Assistance.[27]


The ACS estimated mean travel time to work for the given population in 2021 was approximately 34.7 minutes. This travel time is about 25 percent higher than the figure for Virginia (28.2 minutes) and about 1.3 times the figure for the entire United States (26.8 minutes).

Regarding the means of transportation to work:

73% of individuals drive alone to work.

12% carpool with others.

4% use public transit.

2% walk to work.

8% work from home.[28]

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.[29]

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 1,650 people directly, and several hundred others through vendor contracts. In December 2018, Micron began a $3 billion-dollar expansion project at the Manassas site, and it's expected to create 1,100 jobs by 2030.[30] Other major employers include Lockheed Martin (1500 employees) and the Novant Prince William Health System (1400 employees). In 2019 High Purity Systems, a locally based high-tech contracting company, announced plans to invest $8.5 million in new facilities to triple production capability, marking the continued expansion of high-tech firms in the area.[31]

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.[32]

In 2017 the city created new "streetscape standards" and announced plans for the Mathis Avenue Streetscape Project, aimed at developing Mathis Avenue from Sudley Road to Liberia Avenue into a more pedestrian-friendly, walkable area with significantly improved traffic congestion. The plan is estimated to cost the city $7.3 million and to be completed by 2024.[33]

Arts and culture

First Friday festivals occur on the first Friday of every month, when the city showcases local art and organizes themed activities. The city museum opened in 1973 in preparation for the city's centennial and is currently undergoing a renovation and expansion to be completed in fall 2023.

Parks and recreation

Government

Manassas has a council-manager system of government. As of October 2021 the city manager is William Patrick Pate; the mayor is Michelle Davis-Younger; and the vice mayor is Pamela J. Sebesky.[1][2]

Presidential election results
United States presidential election results for Manassas, Virginia[40]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 6,256 36.87% 10,356 61.03% 356 2.10%
2016 5,953 38.63% 8,423 54.66% 1,035 6.72%
2012 6,463 42.52% 8,478 55.78% 259 1.70%
2008 5,975 43.85% 7,518 55.17% 134 0.98%
2004 7,257 56.24% 5,562 43.11% 84 0.65%
2000 6,752 54.41% 5,262 42.40% 396 3.19%
1996 5,799 52.91% 4,378 39.95% 783 7.14%
1992 5,453 48.89% 3,647 32.70% 2,054 18.41%
1988 5,980 68.59% 2,658 30.49% 81 0.93%
1984 4,613 71.34% 1,824 28.21% 29 0.45%
1980 3,009 60.76% 1,565 31.60% 378 7.63%
1976 1,992 53.30% 1,646 44.05% 99 2.65%

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.[41] 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.[42]

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:[43]

  • Baldwin Elementary School[44]
  • Jennie Dean Elementary School[45]
  • Richard C. Haydon Elementary School[46]
  • George C. Round Elementary School[47]
  • Weems Elementary School[48]
  • Baldwin Intermediate School[49]
  • Mayfield Intermediate School[50]
  • Grace E. Metz Middle School[51]
  • Osbourn High School[52]

Infrastructure

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.

Between 2019 and 2021 APP Jet Center, a jet servicing company, built three new hangars fit for larger private planes along with extensive renovations to their existing hangars.[53][54]

Amtrak 50, the Cardinal, arriving in Manassas station, which 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' album Manassas.

Notable people

See also

Notes

    References

    Media related to Manassas, Virginia at Wikimedia Commons

    1. "Mayor and Council: Manassas, VA - Official Site". www.manassascity.org. Retrieved January 8, 2023.
    2. "City Manager's Office: Manassas, VA - Official Site". www.manassascity.org. Retrieved April 3, 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 January 31, 2008.
    6. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
    7. "Definition of manassas". Dictionary.com. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
    8. Contributed by The Hornbook of Virginia History. "Cities of Virginia". Encyclopedia Virginia. Retrieved January 21, 2014.
    9. "Manassas city, Manassas city, Virginia". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
    10. "How much do you know about your county?". County Explorer. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
    11. "Manassas Civil War Commemorative Event, July 21–24, 2011". Historic Manassa, Inc. Archived from the original on May 5, 2011.
    12. "Manassas 1892, Annaburg, Grand Summer Home". The Historical Marker Database. Retrieved July 25, 2021.
    13. "Annaburg". manassasva.gov. Retrieved July 25, 2021.
    14. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
    15. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
    16. "Climate Summary for Manassas, Virginia". Weatherbase.com. Retrieved January 21, 2014.
    17. "Census of Population and Housing from 1790". US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
    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. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved January 6, 2014.
    21. "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Manassas city, Virginia". United States Census Bureau.
    22. "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) -Manassas city, Virginia". United States Census Bureau.
    23. American Community Survey (ACS)
    24. City of Manassas, Department of Community Development
    25. "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Manassas city, Virginia; Stafford County, Virginia; Loudoun County, Virginia; Fairfax County, Virginia; Fairfax city, Virginia; Prince William County, Virginia". www.census.gov. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
    26. "Bureau of Labor Statistics Data". data.bls.gov. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
    27. Virginia Employment Commission, 1st Quarter, 2012
    28. "Manassas city, VA - Profile data - Census Reporter". September 18, 2023. Archived from the original on September 18, 2023. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
    29. "Manassas, VA - Official Site - Available Land for Development". Archived from the original on February 9, 2015. Retrieved February 9, 2015.
    30. "Construction, hiring begins for Micron's $3B expansion in Manassas". December 6, 2018.
    31. "High Purity Systems invests $8.5 million into Manassas expansion". WTOP News. September 18, 2019. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
    32. Community Profile: Manassas Archived 2017-11-17 at the Wayback Machine, Virginia LMI
    33. https://files4.1.revize.com/manassasva/Community%20Development/transportation/Mathis%20Build%20Grant%20Application.pdf
    34. "Sumner Lake Community Clubhouse & Pool - Overview, Competitors and Decision Makers from United States". data-lead.com. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
    35. "Welcome to Manassas, Virginia". www.manassasva.gov. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
    36. "Central Park Aquatics". www.teamunify.com. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
    37. "Baldwin Park 9101 Prince William St Manassas, VA Parks - MapQuest". www.mapquest.com. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
    38. "Vertical Rock Indoor Climbing Center (Manassas) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go". Tripadvisor. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
    39. "Dean Park". CITY OF MANASSAS - Parks, Culture & Recreation | POWERED BY RECDESK. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
    40. Leip, David. "Manassas City, VA". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
    41. "Welcome to Seton School - Private Catholic High School". Seton School Manassas. Retrieved March 14, 2018.
    42. "Home - All Saints Catholic School". All Saints Catholic School. Retrieved March 14, 2018.
    43. "Manassas City Public Schools - MCPS Home". Manassas City Public Schools. 2017. Retrieved July 3, 2017.
    44. "Baldwin Elementary / Homepage". www.mcpsva.org.
    45. "Jennie Dean Elementary / Homepage". www.mcpsva.org.
    46. "Haydon Elementary / Homepage". www.mcpsva.org.
    47. "Round Elementary / Homepage". www.mcpsva.org.
    48. "Weems Elementary / Homepage". www.mcpsva.org.
    49. "Baldwin Intermediate / Homepage". www.mcpsva.org.
    50. "Mayfield Intermediate / Homepage". www.mcpsva.org.
    51. "Metz Middle School / Homepage". www.mcpsva.org.
    52. "Osbourn High School / Homepage". www.mcpsva.org.
    53. "APP Manassas Completes Full Renovation and Begins Hangar Expansion". APP Jet Center. September 25, 2019. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
    54. "APP Manassas Completes Hangar Expansion". APP Jet Center. August 1, 2021. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
    55. "Oh Danny Boy, the Pipes …". Retrieved March 14, 2018.
    56. "Radio's Mike O'Meara". wcsh6.com. August 18, 2011. Retrieved May 14, 2012.
    57. 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.
    58. "Virginia church turns to Hindu temple [newKerala.com News # 140512-191333]". Newkerala.com. Retrieved May 14, 2012.
    59. White, Josh (January 22, 2013). "Kevin Ricks, former Manassas teacher, sentenced to 20 more years in prison". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
    60. "Trayvon Martin shooter George Zimmerman has Manassas ties". The Washington Post. March 22, 2012.
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