City Tour of Manassas VA

According to legend, the name Manassas was derived from an Indian source or from Manasseh, a Jewish innkeeper at Manassas Gap. Manassas originated in 1852 at the junction of two railroads which linked Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. with the Shenandoah Valley and Richmond.

In 1861, the First Battle of Bull Run (also known as the First Battle of Manassas), the first major land battle of the American Civil War, was fought near here. The Second Battle of Bull Run (or Second Manassas) 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, DC, 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 developed by its position as a suburb of Washington, D.C.

Manassas Links
City of Manassas
Historic Manassas
Manassas City Public Schools
Greater Manassas Chamber of Commerce