Editing Woodbridge, Virginia (section)

==History==
Woodbridge was initially a village composed largely of plantations and later farms and industrial complexes. Formally dating to at least 1731 when Prince William County was formed out of the [[Stafford County, Virginia]]. Initially, the first Prince William County Courthouse was erected in Woodbridge owing to its location halfway between [[Dumfries, Virginia]] and [[Alexandria, Virginia]], the two largest Cities which were then in Prince William County.<ref name="historicprincewilliam.org"/> With the incorporation of [[Fairfax County, Virginia]], Woodbridge ceased to be the center of the county and municipal function eventually shifted westward into [[Brentsville, Virginia|Brentsville]] and eventually to [[Manassas, Virginia|Manassas]] where it is today.

Later, the Woodbridge postal delivery area became the hub that included Dale City and Lake Ridge, which had previously been forged as a planned community in the 1960s and 1970s. The area takes its name from [[Thomas Mason (1770–1800)|Thomas Mason]]'s 1795 wooden toll bridge built to supplant the existing ferry, carrying the [[King's Highway (Charleston to Boston)|King's Highway]] traffic across the [[Occoquan River]]. Mason's [[Woodbridge (plantation)|Woodbridge Plantation]] was located in the area of the present day [[Belmont Bay]] [[golf course community]]. The original bridge from which the area takes its name was washed away in 1807 following a heavy storm.<ref name="archive.gunstonhall.com"/> Subsequently, industrial and economic development shifted toward [[Occoquan, Virginia|Occoquan]] the next nearest river crossing. The bridge would not be replaced until the 20th century when an iron truss bridge was built. This bridge failed in 1972 during [[Hurricane Agnes]] and was eventually replaced by the current structure.

[[File:Repairs begin at Occoquan Bridge (7790636102).jpg|thumb|Remains of the Route 1 Bridge following Hurricane Agnes]]

The [[Freestone Point Confederate Battery]] and [[Rippon Lodge]] are listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]].<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref>
;Tent city
Since {{Circa|2003}}, numerous people have been trespassing in a {{convert|10|acre|adj=on}} [[tent city]] adjacent to the [[Potomac Mills (shopping mall)|Potomac Mills]] mall. It is tolerated by the private landlord. In 2018, part of the residents were directed to leave.<ref>{{cite web|title=wusa9.com|website=wusa9.com|url=http://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/prince-william-county/residents-of-woodbridge-homeless-camp-kicked-out/65-524244509|access-date=2018-03-01}}</ref>