Dumfries in Prince William County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Prince William County Court House
Dumfries
— 1760 - 1822 —
Erected 1941.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Government & Politics • Notable Buildings • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1822.
Location. 38° 34.058′ N, 77° 19.72′ W. Marker is in Dumfries, Virginia, in Prince William County. Marker is at the intersection of South Fairfax Street and Duke Street, on the right when traveling east on South Fairfax Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Dumfries VA 22026, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Weems-Botts House (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); a different marker also named Weems-Botts House (about 300 feet away); Mason Locke Weems and George Washington (about 400 feet away); William Grayson Bandstand Memorial (about 500 feet away); Dumfries Methodist Church Bell (about 500 feet away); Revolutionary War Patriots and War of 1812 Veterans (approx. 0.2 miles away);
this page online
More about this marker. This marker was erected by a private citizen in 1941. The Prince William County Historical Commission identified the need and arranged for repairs by a local mason. The marker was redicated on June 2, 2007.
Regarding Prince William County Court House. Dumfries, Virginia’s history began as early at 1690 when Richard Gibson erected a grist mill on Quantico Creek. The town of Dumfries was established on 60 acres of land provided by John Graham. He named the town after his Scottish birthplace Dumfrieshire.
After much political maneuvering, 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.
Dumfries was a prime location for the county court house during this era. In its early days, Dumfries was the second leading port in Colonial America, rivaling New York, Philadelphia and Boston, mainly through shipping out tobacco received from nearby farms. Dumfries
Ironically, the staple crop that made it such a prime port led to Dumfries’ downfall. Tobacco farmers effectively cleared the land of timber in order to grow more cotton and tobacco. Rainfall washed off the topsoil, depleting the soil and clogging Quantico Creek with silt. The original Dumfries wharf is now almost three miles upstream from navigable waters. Additionally, the main commodity shifted from tobacco to wheat and sugar, which shifted shipping demand to other port cities. After the Revolutionary War, the Dumfries economy collapsed.
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. The list includes all five Prince William County Courthouses in sequence from first through the fifth. Note that there are two markers for the second courthouse.
Also see . . . Town of Dumfries Official Website. (Submitted on September 3, 2007, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia.)
Photographed By Kevin White, August 30, 2007
3. Prince William County Court House Marker
View of the marker, with the Alexander Henderson house in the background. Beginning around 1787, this house was home to Alexander Henderson, a prominent area merchant, his wife Sara and their 10 children. One of these children, Archibald, served in the United States Marine Corps for 53 years, over 38 of those as the fifth Commandant of the Marine Corps (1820-1859).
Photographed By Kevin White, August 30, 2007
4. The Marker, with a view in the Southerly direction
Photographed By Lee Lansing, Jr.
5. Artist's rendering of the Courthouse
Illustration by Lee Lansing, Jr., obtained from the Town of Dumfries Website (see links).
Credits. This page was last revised on May 30, 2020. It was originally submitted on September 3, 2007, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia. This page has been viewed 3,010 times since then and 49 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 30, 2020, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 3, 4, 5. submitted on September 3, 2007, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia. • J. J. Prats was the editor who published this page.
