Dear Readers,
We are excited to present to you the second installment of our History and Heritage Feature Series, sponsored by Sentara. This special series celebrates the rich cultural heritage and history of Prince William County, Stafford County, Manassas, Manassas Park, and Fredericksburg.
We will delve into the historical events, landmarks, and personal stories that have shaped our communities. From in-depth articles on significant historical milestones to spotlights on notable landmarks and engaging oral histories from long-time residents, our series aims to connect you with the past in a meaningful and enlightening way.
We are proud to partner with Sentara, a name synonymous with community involvement and support. Sentara’s sponsorship helps make this series possible, allowing us to bring these important stories to you while highlighting their commitment to preserving our local history.
Join us as we explore the places, events, and people that tell the story of our region’s past. Understanding our history is crucial to building a better future and maintaining the rich traditions that define us.
Thank you for your continued support of local journalism.
Uriah Kiser
Founder & Publisher
Potomac Local News
Annaburg Manor Unveils First Phase of Renovations, Opens to Public
This Saturday, the City of Manassas will celebrate the ribbon cutting for the newly renovated Annaburg Manor, a historic estate built in 1892 by the Portner family. Once a nursing home and hospital, the manor was purchased by the city in 2019 with the vision of transforming it into a public park. After years of renovations, the first phase of the project is complete, opening the grounds to the public.
Mary Helen Dellinger, Curator at the Manassas Museum, spoke about the challenges the city faced while restoring the manor. “The single biggest challenge for us was that there were no architectural plans showing what the building looked like before. We don’t know what the inside of it looked like during Portner’s time; we only have pictures of the outside,” Dellinger explained. Changes made by previous owners complicated efforts to determine which parts of the house were original and which were later additions. To aid the process, the city worked with Portner’s descendants and used old photographs.
The restoration of Annaburg Manor was more of a renovation than a true historical restoration, according to Dellinger. “The home was in rough shape. There was mold, debris, and old systems that needed to be replaced,” she said. While they chose not to fully restore the home to its original 1892 condition, the team aimed to stay as faithful as possible to its historic design.
One notable feature of the renovation is the addition of a fountain to the manor’s grounds. While the original fountain was custom-cast and could not be replicated, a new fountain was installed that pays homage to the original water feature. “It’s not the exact sculpture that was there, but I think it’ll make the house look nice and is a nod to the original fountain,” Dellinger noted.
Beyond the structural renovations, the project aims to enhance the community’s green spaces. “One of the things we heard from the community was that there was nowhere in that area of town that was walkable,” Dellinger shared. Annaburg Manor is expected to provide much-needed green space where locals can relax and enjoy nature.
Looking ahead, there are plans for further development. While the public will initially only be able to tour the grounds, Dellinger hinted at future events and rental opportunities. “You’ll be able to rent the space for any kind of event,” she said, adding that the manor’s spacious porch would make it a picturesque wedding venue, with meetings and other gatherings possible inside the house.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, October 19, at 9201 Maple Street, Manassas.
On April 12, 2023, Annaburg Manor, 9201 Maple Street, will hold a public "meet and greet" event at noon. Annaburg is considered to be one of the most historical places in Manassas.
It is hosted by the City of Manassas Virginia Parks Culture & Recreation Department to connect the Manassas community with the archeologists working on the historic site. It is open to the public and does not require registration beforehand.
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In April 2022, the City of Manassas Museum hired the Fredericksburg-based Dovetail Cultural Resource Group to conduct the survey, which contains 1.76 acres of the Annaberg Manor property, specifically the west lawn. Manassas is currently developing the nearly four-acre property into a public park.
The manor house -- a summer home for Alexandria brewer Robert Portner dating back to 1892 -- is listed as a historic resource in the National Register of Historic Places.
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A new master plan will guide the development of the latest public park in Manassas, Annaburg Manor.
The nearly four-acre property with a Victorian-era home sits at the corner of Mathis and Portner avenues, an area that city leaders consider to be in the downtown neighborhood.
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The plan for Annaburg Manor, the next public park in Manassas, is coming together.
City residents attended an open house last weekend to learn more about the master plan for the new park, a required document that the City Council must approve before the park is built. It includes an open space on which to play or have a picnic, an event pavilion, a public garden, and a children's playground.
Since last fall, a working group that set out to design the park examined the types of recreational elements that would fit into the park, which, when built, will be located in a largely residential area just outside the city's downtown neighborhood.
