FREDERICKSBURG

City Hall
715 Princess Anne Street
Fredericksburg 540-372-1010
https://www.fredericksburgva.gov/

Chamber of Commerce
2300 Fall Hill Avenue
Fredericksburg 540-373-9400
 https://www.fredericksburgchamber.org/Home

Originally a busy colonial port, the independent City of Fredericksburg is located 50 miles from Washington, DC. The community is strategically situated between the nation’s capital and the Commonwealth of Virginia’s capital at Richmond, serving as the commercial and business hub of Prince William County. The city is steeped in Revolutionary and Civil War history, blending modern enterprises and first-rate amenities with the charm of days gone by and unique historic sites. Standing on Charles Street is the colonial home that George Washington purchased for his mother, who lived there until her death in 1789. Fredericksburg also played a major role in the Civil War as the scene of many important battles.

Services
Fredericksburg is home to one of the region’s finest full-service healthcare institutions, Mary Washington Hospital. This 318-bed acute-care facility offers three centers of excellence including the Cancer Center of Virginia, also located in Fredericksburg. In addition to providing a wide spectrum of medical and surgical specialties, the hospital is part of a comprehensive health care system that provides a full range of supportive programs and activities, well programs, and community outreach.

The public education system in Fredericksburg offers personalized attention through favorable pupil-teacher ratios and innovative special programs. Students of all ages as well as graduating seniors can take advantage of Germanna Community College and Mary Washington College, a state-supported, liberal arts four-year institution. Both institutions of higher learning are located in the city. Other national institutions within a 90-minute drive from the city include George Mason University, the University of Virginia, and the College of William and Mary.

Quality of Life
Delightful Fredericksburg represents a living tribute to some of the most interesting periods in American history. More than 350 original 18th and 19th-century buildings are showcased along the city’s impressive 40-block National Historic District. Old Town Fredericksburg invites residents and visitors alike to explore hundreds of shops, boutiques, cafes and restaurants. Collectors will want to take their time browsing through the four-block “antique row” near the river. In fact, Fredericksburg has capitalized on its historical background with a riverfront improvement project and the renovated downtown district.

In addition to historic sites and museums and colonial charm, the city is known for its outstanding entertainment and recreational amenities. Opportunities for outdoor adventure are abundant and diverse, many centered around the Rappahannock River that begins above Fredericksburg. The river is popular with locals for white-water rafting and canoeing, and residents enjoy the bike path that runs through the city and down to the river. City Dock Park provides two boat ramps, a picnic area and a pier for fishing. Old Mill Park and Riverside Park are also set along the Rappahannock. Alum Spring Park and Kenmore Park feature scenic picnic areas, tennis courts, sports fields and hiking trails. Hurcamp Park and the Gardens of Bradford Square nestle in the historic district. An active recreation department sponsors hundreds of programs and classes as well as an annual arts and crafts fair, amateur photography show and fine arts exhibit.

Many of the city’s neighborhoods are well-established with vintage homes that are predominantly Victorian or colonial in style and architecture. Smaller bungalow homes as well as townhouses add to the variety of available housing. Outside the city, land and housing are more affordable and new subdivisions have been constructed that meet the demands of the growing population.

One of the more recent options for commuters to the District of Columbia is the passenger rail service provided by the Virginia Railway Express. The train runs between Fredericksburg and Union Station with intermediate stops along the way. VRE has made the City of Fredericksburg and Stafford and Spotsylvania Counties much more accessible for commuters, stimulating a building boom of homes more affordable than in the close-in suburbs to the north. Those who are looking for an idyllic home that harmonizes colonial charm with first-rate cosmopolitan amenities will find the perfect setting in Fredericksburg.