Prince William County

In 1608, Captain John Smith and his band of frontiersmen rode a barge along the Potomac River, the first white men to touch the unnamed wilderness that is now known as Prince William County. The county was formed in 1731 and was named for William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, second son of King George II. The territory, which included Fairfax, Arlington, Alexandria, Loudon and Fauquier, was reduced to its present size in 1759.

Today, Prince William County encompasses 348 square miles and includes the independent cities of Manassas and Manassas Park. With these cities, the area is 360 square miles. The current estimated county population is 274,915 and has grown 90% since 1980.