Well before the American Revolution the Fredericksburg area was thriving community. Captain John Smith was the first European to explore the Rappahannock. George Washington grew up on the banks of the Rappahannock. Both Clara Barton and Walt Whitman tended the wounded here. In The Wound-Dresser Walt Whitman recalls his experience at Chatham after thr Basttle of Fredericksburg. 4,400 acres of battlefields have been preserved by the National Park Service.
Fredericksburg
The City of Fredericksburg was established by an act of the Virginia General Assembly in 1728. It was named for Frederick, Prince of Wales (1707-51), eldest son of King George II of Great Britain and father of King George III. Its older streets still bear the names of members of the British royal family.
Spotsylvania
The County of Spotsylvania was established in 1721 and named for Alexander Spotswood, Colonial Governor of Virginia. Spotswood’s ironworks, mining, and smelting operation at Germanna were important as the Colonial population grew out from Fredericksburg.
Colonial Era
The Fredericksburg area prospered as a port with a thriving agricultural industry, and was integral to the trade along the Rappahannock River. Fredericksburg’s trade with rural areas was the driving force behind its early prosperity and growth. A major port of entry for European exports, the city was a “break-in-bulk” site for importers and craftsmen and merchants grew from the opportunity to export their goods. By 1759, the city had to expand its boundaries, the intersection of Caroline and William streets dominated the city core.
Fredericksburg was a meeting ground for patriots leading up to the American Revolution. Draft resolutions declaring independence were drawn up at the Rising Sun Tavern. Days after the battle of Lexington, 600 area men armed themselves and gathered at the courthouse to join the Continental Army. Several notable political figures and war heroes emerged from the Fredericksburg area as founding fathers of the new nation, including George Washington, James Monroe, and John Paul Jones.
Early Nation & Antebellum
The Fredericksburg area grew from agrarian to a thriving commercial district. Though the port became less popular, Fredericksburg’s role as a “break-in-bulk” site continued to drive trade, and loosening of British restraints after the War of 1812 strengthened trade. Farmers transitioned away from tobacco-based economy and diversified their crops, which needed new grist and flour mills. In 1816 alone, 160,000 barrels of flour were handled in Fredericksburg, with products were shipped to such cities as New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. During the first half of the nineteenth century, Fredericksburg was the principal center of commerce for the region.
The Antebellum period saw significant internal improvements such as large-scale construction of railroads, turnpikes, waterway system, roads and the railroad. Unfortunately the city was bypassed on the railroad line from Washington, D.C. to Richmond, severely curtailing the prosperity of area merchants. The prosperity of the mills and speculation on increased trade stimulated growth.
Civil War & Reconstruction
Four major Civil War battles were fought in the area. During the May 1864 Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse, one of the bloodiest of the war, the armies of Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee came to a head at “Bloody Angle.” The three other major battles that occurred in Spotsylvania County were at Wilderness, Fredericksburg, and Chancellorsville. More than 60% of all Civil War deaths occurred within 10 miles of the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania
The period of reconstruction following the Civil War saw a struggling economy and slow growth. The collapse of the plantation system severely impacted the economy, and the area sought grow an industrial base instead. The 1872 arrival of the railroad helped industrial activities surge transforming the area. In 1908, the State Normal and Industrial School for Women (renamed Mary Washington College in 1938) was founded. This period also saw advancements in health care, the establishment of libraries, and social reforms.
World Wars to Today
Going into the Twentieth Century, manufacturing grew as the mainstay of the Fredericksburg area economy. Agriculture never returned to its pre Civil War levels; from rural Spotsylvania to Fredericksburg food and animal feed had to be imported to meet demand. The Embrey Dam was built as Virginia was electrified which helped the growth of large factories south of town. Although times were tough, many of these factories were able to keep their doors open during the tumultuous 1930s. The Civilian Conservation Corps helped make the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park accessible to visitors, it also built roads and bridges and stabilized earthworks.
There are a few notable modern era residents of the greater Fredericksburg area. James Farmer, a Civil Rights leader and one of the Freedom Ride Organizers, was a professor at Mary Washington College. Danny McBride an actor, writer and comedian grew up in Spotsylvania attending Cortland High.