Dumfries

Dumfries is a small town in northern Virginia (southern Prince William County) with a population of around 5,000 people.  The original 60 acres for this town was provided by John Graham and he named the place after his hometown in Scotland. Dumfries became a chartered town in 1749.  That's right, 1749!

In fact, Dumfries is celebrating its 260th anniversary in 2009.  In it's early years, Dumfries was one of the biggest shipping ports in America.

The best place to learn everything there is to know about Dumfries is the Weems-Botts Museum. That is of course, if you don't mind ghosts. L.B. Taylor Jr. wrote about it in his book "The Ghosts of Virginia" So whether you are searching for ghosts, or Virginia history, this museum is the place to start. It is located at 3934 Cameron Street in Dumfries. The museum hours are Wednesday through Saturday 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

Note the images on this page are of Dumfries in Scotland, not Dumfries, VA. But, as discussed below, the town is named after Dumfries, Scotland.

Another place of historic significance in Dumfries is the bandstand in Merchant Park. It was erected by the Prince William County Historical Commission. The bandstand is a memorial to William Grayson. He was best know as one of Virginia's first senators.

Dumfries VA is located on Interstate 95 just a little south of Woodbridge. Prince William Forest Park is just to the west and Quantico Marine Corps Base is just south of the park. Montclair, a lovely lake community just west of Dumfries, used to use Dumfries for its mailing address. Montclair now has its own zipcode -- 22025. Dumfries is 22026.

Dumfries is part of Prince William County, a county packed full of American history. Triangle, just a little south of Dumfries, is home to the National Museum of the Marine Corps. Also to the south is The Quantico National Cemetery. Not too far away in Manassas is the Manassas National Battlefield Park. Also in Manassas is the nearest airport and the Old Dominion Speedway, home of a NASCAR sanctioned race.

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There are three other Incorporated towns in Prince William County, Occoquan, Haymarket and Quantico. The rest of the "towns" are called unincorporated communities.

The next time you are traveling in northern Virginia, stop in to see this quiet little piece of American history. Relax and enjoy the town of Dumfries.

Dumfries Facts and Figures

Area

Dumfries is located at 38°34'4''N 77°19'29''W. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.6 square miles. The population was 4,937 at the 2000 census.

There were 1,573 households out of which 46.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.8% were married couples living together, 19.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.8% were non-families. 16.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.13 and the average family size was 3.51.

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The median income for a household in the town was $43,672, and the median income for a family was $46,927. Males had a median income of $35,247 versus $24,451 for females. The per capita income for the town was $17,652. About 10.4% of families and 12.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.0% of those under age 18 and 7.1% of those age 65 or over.

The Town of Dumfries was formally established on 60 acres of land at the head of the harbor of Quantico Creek, provided by John Graham. He named the town after his birthplace, Dumfries, Scotland. The General Assembly established Dumfries as the first of seven townships in the county. Dumfries received its charter on May 11, 1749, making it the oldest continuously chartered town in Virginia.

When Dumfries became the second leading port in Colonial America receiving tobacco from the upland, it rivaled New York, Philadelphia and Boston. Dumfries peaked in size and importance in 1763. For about 15 years Dumfries was a thriving port when several factors brought about its demise: the Revolutionary War, erosion and siltation, and the shift in the main shipping commodity.

Alexander Henderson built a house which still stands on a hill in Dumfries, as well as owning various land in Prince William Forest Park. His favorite breed of canine, the Huskie, is still beloved in the community. Alexander was a merchant when the ports were booming in Dumfries. Alexander is famous for his son, the great United States Marine Corps commandant Archibald Henderson.


To learn more about Dumfries check out Dumfries Information.

Dumfries, Virginia Map & Directions: Map Above Shows Location of Current Houses For Sale; Google Map Below Will Give You Directions (click on marker for your personalized directions)

Dumfries Town Articles:

• Dumfries Midwifery and Pediatric Care Center
• Dumfries Elementary School
• Dumfries Neighborhood Library
• Dumfries Triangle Rescue Squad
• Dumfries Triangle Volunteer Fire Department
• The Jones Group

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