Editing Stafford County, Virginia (section)

==History==
For thousands of years, various native cultures succeeded each other in their territories along the [[Potomac River]] and its [[tributaries]]. By the time of English colonization, there were 32 [[Algonquian languages|Algonquian]]-speaking [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|American Indian]] tribes in the present-day coastal [[Tidewater (geographic term)|Tidewater]] Virginia area, including those of the [[Patawomeck]] and numerous tribes that were part of the [[Powhatan Confederacy]]. The former small tribe, still centered in Stafford County, was recognized by the state of Virginia in 2010.

The Indians' first recorded encounter with Europeans in this area was in 1608, with [[John Smith (explorer)|John Smith]] of the [[Jamestown Settlement]]. During a time of recurring tension between the early English colonists and local natives, the colonists led by [[Samuel Argall]] captured [[Chief Powhatan]]'s daughter, [[Pocahontas]], while she was living with her husband, Kocoum, at the [[Patawomeck]] town of [[Passapatanzy]]. The colonists took her from Passapatanzy, located in the eastern part of what is now Stafford County, to a secondary English settlement, known as [[Henricus]] (or Henrico Town). During her captivity there, [[Alexander Whitaker]] converted Pocahontas to Christianity. She took the name "Rebecca" at her baptism. Rebecca/Pocahontas married English colonist [[John Rolfe]] on April 5, 1614, in [[Jamestown, Virginia|Jamestown]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dhr.state.va.us/hiway_markers/marker.cfm?mid=3340|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120724101355/http://www.dhr.state.va.us/hiway_markers/marker.cfm?mid=3340|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 24, 2012|title=John Rolfe Highway Marker|access-date=June 9, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=2218|title=Kidnapping of Pocahontas Marker|access-date=June 9, 2016}}</ref> Their [[mixed-race]] descendants were among the [[First Families of Virginia]].

The English colonial government of Virginia imposed its own order on the land and peoples. In 1664 it established Stafford County from territory previously part of [[Westmoreland County, Virginia|Westmoreland County]]<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite web|url=http://genealogyresources.org/Stafford.html|title=Stafford County Virginia Records|access-date=June 9, 2016}}</ref> (which had been created from [[Northumberland County, Virginia|Northumberland County]] in 1653). It was named after [[Staffordshire]], England.
As originally delineated, Stafford County included a much larger area than its current borders. As population grew, the following counties and jurisdictions were created: [[Arlington County, Virginia|Arlington]], [[Fairfax County, Virginia|Fairfax]], and [[Prince William County, Virginia|Prince William]] counties, and the [[Alexandria, Virginia|City of Alexandria]].<ref name=autogenerated1 /> It is part of the area now considered [[Northern Virginia]].

[[George Washington]] spent much of his childhood in the lower part of the county at his family's home [[Ferry Farm]] (which at the time was part of King George County), along the [[Rappahannock River]] across from [[Fredericksburg, Virginia|Fredericksburg]]. [[Colonial Forge High School]] was built on a tract of land owned in colonial times by his father [[Augustine Washington]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cfhs.org/SACS_Draft_05_06.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060629133239/http://www.cfhs.org/SACS_Draft_05_06.pdf |archive-date=June 29, 2006 |url-status=live|title=Colonial Forge School Improvement Plan Report|publisher=Colonial Forge High School (See page 4)|access-date = September 4, 2007}}</ref> [[George Mason]], another [[Founding Fathers of the United States|Founding Father]], also lived in Stafford during his formative years.<ref>Connor Jr., Albert Z. (2003). ''A History of Our Own'', Virginia Beach: The Donning Company Publishers.</ref>

[[Aquia Church]], built in 1757, is unusual among local structures for having been designed on the plan of a [[Greek cross]] rather than the more standard Roman Cross design. In addition, Aquia Church has a rare three-tiered pulpit; it has been designated as a [[National Historic Landmark]]. The [[Episcopal Church (United States)|Episcopal]] church continues to be active today.<ref>[http://www.simplyfredericksburg.com/visit/church/church.shtml Information about historical churches, including the Aquia Episcopal Church] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060318010810/http://www.simplyfredericksburg.com/visit/church/church.shtml |date=March 18, 2006 }}, Simply Fredericksburg</ref>

Stafford County industry and resources were important to the colony and early nation. During the [[American Revolutionary War|Revolutionary War]], the Stafford [[ironworks]] furnished arms for the colonial rebel soldiers.<ref>[https://www.amazon.com/dp/0738518484 DeOnne C. Scott, ''Stafford County (VA)'': ''Images of America''], Amazon.com</ref> [[Aquia Creek sandstone]], quarried from [[Public Quarry at Government Island|Government Island]], was used to build the [[White House]] and the [[United States Capitol|U.S. Capitol]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Krishnamurthy|first1=Kiran|title=Sandstone in Washington Buildings came from Island on Aquia Creek|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-2002-09-30-0209300244-story.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151013004649/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2002-09-30/news/0209300244_1_aquia-creek-government-island-small-island|url-status=live|archive-date=October 13, 2015|access-date=August 1, 2016|work=[[The Baltimore Sun]]|date=September 30, 2002}}</ref>

During the [[American Civil War]], the county was part of the battlegrounds, occupied repeatedly by more than 100,000 troops for several years. In 1862, before and after the [[Battle of Fredericksburg]], some 10,000 slaves left area plantations and city households to cross the [[Rappahannock River]], reaching the Union lines and gaining freedom. This exodus and Trail of Freedom is commemorated by historical markers on both sides of the river, in Fredericksburg and in Stafford County.<ref name="trail">[http://rrhthistory.umwblogs.org/trail-of-freedom/#comment-11452 "Trail of Freedom"], Rappahannock River Heritage Trail, University of Mary Washington blog</ref> The [[Battle of Aquia Creek]] took place in the [[Aquia Harbour, Virginia|Aquia Harbour]] area.<ref>{{cite news
   |url=http://www.nps.gov/hps/abpp/battles/va002.htm
   |title=Battle Summary: Aquia Creek
   |year=2014
   |work=Heritage Preservation Services
   |access-date=February 7, 2014
}}
</ref> Both the [[Union Army]] and [[Confederate Army]] struggled to control the strategic [[Potomac Creek Bridge]] at various times during the war.

[[Falmouth, Virginia|Falmouth]], a town bordering Fredericksburg, was the home of late-19th century American Impressionist artist [[Gari Melchers]]. His house, [[Gari Melchers Home|Belmont]], still stands and is listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]].

===20th century to present===
[[File:Stafford County Courthouse 1929 - 3.jpg|thumb|Stafford County Courthouse in 1929]]
Stafford County has developed to be one of the core counties of the [[Washington metropolitan area]] and Northern Virginia, the seat of government and numerous major defense installations. [[Marine Corps Base Quantico]] occupies northern areas of this county. The FBI Academy, FBI National Laboratory and NCIS HQ are located on the Stafford side of MCBQ. Many residents commute north to work there and in other defense and federal facilities, as well as private companies, in Washington and its environs on Interstate Highway 95, U.S. Route 1, and by [[Virginia Railway Express]]. Stafford County is a suburban county and home to many Washington D.C. commuters and workers which work for the Federal Government. It is also home to many military families due to its proximity to MCBQ. These facts contribute to the high-income of families in Stafford County, and the high amount of home-ownership, and college graduates. Stafford County is also one of the few counties in America where black households make more than white households. In recent years Stafford County has experienced major suburbanization, and growth as more and more workers move to the suburbs for their families. Thus, many developers are currently active in Stafford County in housing and retail projects.

In the early morning hours of May 9, 2008, a [[Mid-May 2008 tornado outbreak sequence|tornado]] touched down in the southern part of the county, severely damaging about 140 suburban homes.<ref>{{cite news
   |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/09/AR2008050900062.html
   |title=Area in 'a Daze' After Tornadoes
   |date=May 10, 2008
|newspaper=The Washington Post
   |access-date=May 10, 2008
| first1=Michael
| last1=Laris
| first2=Aaron C.
| last2=Davis}}
</ref><ref>{{cite news
 |url        = http://fredericksburg.com/News/Web/tornado
 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140223025151/http://fredericksburg.com/News/Web/tornado
 |url-status   = dead
 |archive-date = February 23, 2014
|title      = 2008 TORNADO COVERAGE
 |year       = 2008
 |work       = Fredericksburg.com
 |access-date = February 7, 2014
}}</ref>

The county was severely affected by "[[Snowmageddon]]," the massive blizzards of December 2009 and February 2010. Stafford received some of the heaviest snow in the D.C. metropolitan area, with about 25 inches of snow in December, and 19 inches in February.<ref>{{cite news
 |url        = http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2010/122010/12312010/597539
 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140223022954/http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2010/122010/12312010/597539
 |url-status   = dead
 |archive-date = February 23, 2014
|title      = Monster snow storm top story for 2010: Record snowfalls was top local story of 2010
 |date       = December 31, 2010
|work       = Fredericksburg.com
 |access-date = February 7, 2014
}}</ref><ref>{{cite news
   |url=http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-371834
   |title=Snow blizzard hits Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia
   |date=December 19, 2009
|work=CNN
   |access-date=February 7, 2014
}}
</ref>