The Story
Located on the Rappahannock River, Fredericksburg developed as the frontier of colonial Virginia.
Fredericksburg was named after Frederick, Prince of Wales, son of King George II. Its streets were named after members of the royal family. In 1781, Fredericksburg was incorporated as a town with a court, council, and mayor. It then became an independent city and separated from Spotsylvania County.
During the 19th century, there were mills for grinding flour, processing and weaving cotton, and other manufacturing along the Rappahannock River. By 1837, a railroad linked the town to Richmond.
During the Civil War, Fredericksburg was strategically important because of its port location midway between Washington and Richmond, the opposing capitals of the Union and the Confederacy. During the Battle of Fredericksburg, the town sustained significant damage from bombardment and looting by the Union forces. Nearly 10,000 enslaved people left the area to gain freedom by crossing into Stafford County and joining Union lines.
After the war, the area never reached the 1860 population level again until the late 20th century.