City of Manassas: history, amenities

Manassas is an Old Town with a New Attitude.

That’s the new slogan for this city 30 miles southwest of Washington, D.C., and only a short drive from the countryside.

Famous for its role in the Civil War, Manassas balances a mixture of urban amenities and historic interest. This 10-square-mile city provides residents with the best of two worlds.

Fifty years ago, Manassas was still a sleepy little dairy town, according to former Mayor Marvin L. Gillum. When International Business Machines located there in the 1960s, it marked the beginning of the city’s growth.

Manassas had a population of 1,804 in 1950, according to local statistics. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated 36,638 city residents lived in the city in 2006.

Rapid growth forced the Manassas government to spend millions of dollars on infrastructure, especially during the late 1980s when a new police station, city hall and museum were built.

The need to control its own destiny led Manassas, once the seat of Prince William County government, to become an independent city in 1975.

Today, Manassas boasts a number of large employers, including Lockheed Martin, Prince William Health System and Micron Technology.

Aside from the economic impact, the city’s growth has meant significant changes in the make-up of the Manassas population.

Between 1990 and 2000, the percentage of Hispanic residents in the city rose from 4.7 to 15.1 percent, according to census statistics. Since 2000, it has risen to more than 25 percent.

Proximity to transportation has also made Manassas a popular home for commuters working in Washington, D.C. The Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission’s bus services and Virginia Railway Express make stops in Old Town. The recently completed VRE/city parking deck in Old Town accommodates both commuters and visitors alike. The garage has five-levels and 520 spaces.

Old Town, once a series of abandoned buildings, has become a source of pride and joy, attracting visitors from around the region to its restaurants, shops and cultural attractions.

The district is mostly made up of late 19th- and early 20th-century brick buildings. Because of zoning restrictions, the newer buildings have been built to resemble the historic ones in order to preserve the feel of the downtown area.

As recently as 1995, 33 buildings were vacant in Old Town. It was during that year that the late Loy E. Harris, a local insurance broker, opened his Opera House Gourmet in the downtown. Harris soon purchased other buildings in the area.

Other businesses leaders followed his example, and Old Town was transformed into what it is today — a historic district providing an old-fashioned setting for restaurants, barbershops, coffee shops, a book store, a jeweler, a candy shop, a clock store and other businesses.

Efforts by the city and the nonprofit Historic Manassas Inc. have helped further enhance Old Town’s success. In 2002, the city completed its $2 million City Square Project, centered on the new Loy E. Harris Pavilion. A renovated former candy factory became the home for the area’s Center for the Arts.

To keep pace with the county’s growing west end, Manassas leaders recently launched Manassas Next, a government inititiative to improve the quality of life for residents and businesses alike.

Some of those efforts include making Old Town into a state-recognized Arts & Entertainment District, enhancing streetscapes and prodivding the initial funds needed to start a Science and Technology Program in the city school system.

The recent commitment to Old Town is but a part of the city’s attachment to history and tradition, much of which is preserved by the Manassas Museum System.

Visitors to museum locations will learn of the Union and Confederate armies that waged war across the area during the 1860s or of how Jennie Dean, a local education advocate, gained a reputation as a leading black progressive in the turn-of-the-century South.

Tradition in Manassas is not only preserved in Old Town projects and museum exhibits, it also lives in the city’s churches, which continue to thrive. Attendance has increased significantly at Manassas Trinity Episcopal Church, while All Saints Roman Catholic Church, located in the west of the city, is the largest Catholic parish in Virginia.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
• City Hall: Manassas City Hall, 9027 Center St., is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Call 703-257-8200.

• Schools: The Manassas school system is made up of five elementary schools: Baldwin, Haydon, Weems, Dean and Round; Grace E. Metz Middle High School, Mayfield Intermediate School and Osbourn High School. For information, call the School Board office at 703-257-8800.

• Recreation and Parks: The city’s Recreation and Parks Department coordinates the use of school and city park facilities, which include a skateboard park, tennis courts, softball and baseball leagues in the summer and an open gym program in the winter.

Residents may swim at Stonewall Park pool. To swim at the pool before 6 p.m., children from ages 3 to 5 pay $3; ages 6 to 17, $5; and adults from ages 18 to 59 pay $6. Senior citizens and children under 3 can swim for free.

After 6 p.m., children ages 3 to 5 pay $2; ages 6 to 17, $3; and adults ages 18 to 55 pay $4. Senior citizens and children under 3 swim for free.

In total, there are 11 public parks throughout the city, not including school parks. For more information about city recreation programs or park facilities, contact the Parks and Recreation Department at 703-257-8237.

• Medical: Prince William Hospital, 8700 Sudley Road, is a full-service hospital. Call 703-369-8000.

• Travel: Interstate 66, U.S. 29 and U.S. 50 provide access to Washington, D.C.

Commuters also may take Virginia Railway Express trains from Manassas to Washington, D.C. The city has two stations, one in Old Town and the other next to the airport. Call VRE at 703-684-0400 or 703-684-1001.

Buses from the Manassas area to the West Falls Church Metro station and to Washington, D.C., are available through PRTC. Call 703-730-6664.

• Taxes: The Manassas real estate tax rate is $1.015 per $100 of assessed value and there is a 10-cent fire levy. The personal property tax is $3.25 per $100 assessed value. Decals for vehicles and motorcycles may be purchased at City Hall.