Prince William County Office of Historic Preservation

06/12/2026

Camp registration spaces are filling fast! If you camper loves history, consider registering them for a full-day PWC History Camp this summer!

Days Past Summer Camp
07/20-07/24 9AM-5PM
Ages 8-13; $240 per camper

Take a step back into the past and explore how life has changed in Prince William County over the last three centuries. Campers will explore a wide array of hands-on activities connected to Brentsville’s historic buildings including a farmhouse, school, courthouse, and jail, and enjoy trips to other local history sites throughout the week that will introduce them to the ways people have lived in Prince William County from Native Americans to the present day!

Visit https://pwcparks.org/summercamp for more info about available camps and registration.

Image Caption: Campers milking a wooden cow at Frying Pan Farm Park.

06/10/2026

A few more spaces remain for Rippon Lodge Historic Site's Summer Camp! From June 22-June 26, Colonial Times and Revolution explores Virginia’s colonial and Revolutionary War history. Camp includes and outdoor activities, crafts, foodways, field trips, and special guests.

Camp runs from Monday through Friday; 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., $240 per child. Children should bring their own snacks, lunch, and beverages. Advanced registration required at https://pwcparks.info/historicprograms

06/10/2026

For three weeks in October 2002, residents of the DC metropolitan area experienced a series of random shootings that became known as “the Beltway Sniper” attacks. The investigation that ultimately led to the capture of two men, John Allen Muhammed and Lee Boyd Malvo, involved law enforcement officers from multiple local and federal agencies. The ensuing criminal cases of both snipers resulted in both Muhammed and Malvo’s convictions. In a panel moderated by Sharon Pandak, former County Attorney, two individuals with essential knowledge of the Beltway Sniper case discuss the details of this groundbreaking effort to both catch and prosecute the snipers. Panelists include former Prince William County Chief of Police Charlie Deane and recently retired Judge James Willett.

This is a recorded presentation seen at the 11th Annual Prince William/Manassas History Symposium held at the Manassas Museum on Saturday, March 21, 2026.

View the recorded presentations seen at the 11th Annual Prince Will...

06/09/2026

JOIN US NEXT MONDAY, JUNE 15, AT 10 AM FOR OUR FIRST MUSEUM FAMILY MONDAY OF 2026

Before television and computers, children and adults found entertainment in hands-on games and simple amusements. Ben Lomond Historic Site will host participants and provide instruction in some of the most popular pastimes of the era, including dominoes, cribbage, tops, graces, checkers, Shut the Box, Captain’s Mistress, and more. Participants will also make a simple toy to take home. Adults must be able to participate with children.

Admission is $5 per person ages 4 and up. Tickets can be purchased in advance at www.pwcparks.info/hptickets.

Ben Lomond Historic Site, 10321 Sudley Manor Drive, Manassas, VA 20109
703-367-7872

06/08/2026

On January 25, 1820, a petition was accepted to move the county seat of Prince William County from Dumfries to a more centralized location to the west. Fifty-six acres were selected from the Brent Town tract off the Valley Road at the confluence of Broad Run, Cedar Run, and Kettle Run to establish a new town called Brentsville to serve as the new seat.

The town, surveyed by Thomas Nelson Jr., was divided into seventy lots for homes and businesses, a three-acre tavern lot, and a three-acre public lot to house the new courthouse, jail, and clerk's office. The boundaries of the town were marked with cornerstones denoted as A, B, C, and D. Most of these cornerstones were lost to time, but in the back corner of Brentsville Courthouse Historic Centre, cornerstone A still survives. Thanks to our friends at the Prince William County Historical Society, it recently got some much needed attention! The stone was overgrown and broken in two and it has since been cleared out and repaired.



Captions: Top- The town plat of Brentsville, surveyed by Thomas Nelson Jr. ca. 1820. Bottom - Cornerstone A at Brentsville Courthouse Historic Centre with clamps holding the stone together while the epoxy dries.

06/07/2026

On this day June 7, 1942, the Battle of Midway was coming to a close. The battle was a major defeat for Japan and their Naval forces. American bombers and attack aircraft destroyed much of the Japanese fleet. With this defeat Japan no longer could continue to invade much of the Pacific and never recovered from this battle for the rest of the war.

The American forces also lost heavily. The Aircraft Carrier "Yorktown" was torpedoed and sunk during this battle.

06/05/2026

In 1798, escalating diplomatic tensions with France led to a state of undeclared war today known as the Quasi-War. Congress reauthorized the US Navy, expanded the US Army, and turned to the leaders of their old Continental equivalents from the Revolution to once again take charge. However, the ranks and junior officer positions were filled with new men, including many from Prince William. Capt. Richard S. Blackburn (of Rippon Lodge) had recruited his company of artillery in the area in 1794, Capt. Peter Grayson (son of Rev. Spence Grayson) commanded a company of the 4th Infantry, while Capt. Garnet Peyton would command a company of the new 8th Infantry with 1st Lt. John Williams of Dumfries as his second in command. A company of cavalry was recruited in Northern Virginia, and 2nd Lt. Carter B. Fontaine brought men from Prince William to join it.

When the crisis was ended without any land engagements in 1800, although the rapidly recreated US Navy fought many battles at sea, most of these soldiers went home as their enlistments expired. This image from the Hamilton papers shows the uniforms of Infantry, Artillery, and Cavalry/Light Dragoons as designed in 1798, still harkening back to those of the earlier generation.

06/04/2026

Brentsville's Union Church is getting a fresh coat of paint, just in time for summer wedding season!

Looking for a small, intimate wedding venue? The Union Church is just one of Prince William County's historic sites where you can add special charm or romantic ambiance to your future celebration, party, wedding, or reunion. For more information about our rental program, visit https://pwcva.gov/rentals.

Image Caption: The Brentsville Union Church during painting, June 2026.

06/03/2026

Join Rippon Lodge Historic Site for its summer camp starting Monday, June 22nd. Colonial Times and Revolution is a five-day camp full of fun, field trips, crafting and more focusing on colonial life before and during the Revolutionary War.

Join Rippon Lodge Historic Site for its summer camp on June 22nd. Colonial Times and Revolution is a five-day camp full of fun, field trips, crafting and more focusing on colonial life before and during the Revolutionary War.

Monday to Friday, June 22 to June 26, 9:00 am. to 4:00 pm.; $240 per child, ages 9-13. Children should bring their own snacks, lunch, and beverages. Space is limited. Advanced registration required at https://pwcparks.info/historicprograms

06/03/2026

Prince William County citizens played a major role in the fight for American independence 250 years ago. The Revolutionary War profoundly shaped the lives of all residents—from bold political leaders and battlefield soldiers to average citizens of every race, gender, and economic status.

To commemorate this significant milestone, Prince William Historic Preservation is excited to release exclusive gear featuring the official Prince William County VA250 logo! Commemorative t-shirts are $15 and collectible pins are $3. Visit our gift shops at Rippon Lodge Historic Site, Ben Lomond Historic Site, and Brentsville Courthouse Historic Centre to purchase!

Want to dive deeper into our county's role in the American Revolution? Visit the official Virginia 250 Prince William County Website to find local events, historical facts, and upcoming celebrations at https://www.va250.org/prince-william-county/.



Image Caption: A mannequin showcasing the PWCVA250 shirt and pin in the study of Rippon Lodge Historic Site.