Prince William County is a suburban community located 25 miles southwest of Washington, D.C., and 80 miles north of Richmond, Virginia. The county encompasses 348 square miles and stretches from the Potomac River to the Bull Run Mountains. Click here for a map.
Prince William was established in 1731 and named after Prince William Augustus of England. The First and Second Battles of Manassas (Bull Run) played significant roles in the Civil War. From the end of the Civil War until after World War II, the county's rural population grew slowly. Between 1950 and 1960 the population doubled and more than doubled again in the 1960s as housing developments were constructed. The current population is estimated at 309,351 (as of June 15, 2002), which is approximately 915 persons per square mile. The county has grown 43.4 percent since 1990 when the population was 215,686. The average annual increase since 1990 is approximately 7,670 persons and the average annual growth rate is 2.95 percent. The county is projected to grow to more than 400,000 persons by 2020. Today the county is a suburban community linked to the Washington metropolitan area, yet has an appreciation for its own history, natural features, and rural roots. Click here for more on the Manassas Battlefield.
Records indicate that free, public schools were established in the county is 1869 and operated by magisterial districts until 1923 when the Prince William County School Board was created. Prince William has had 20 school superintendents since 1869.
