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.

Stafford County Public Schools will host its 14th annual Band Together to Fight Hunger Program on November 4, 2024. The event will be held at Mountain View High School at 7 p.m.

In 2005, Mountain View High School welcomed its first Band Director, Doug Armstrong, a Virginia Tech graduate who helped establish Hokies for the Hungry, a fundraiser supporting the local food bank in Blacksburg, VA. Inspired by this, Armstrong created Band Together to Fight Hunger in Stafford County to help the community. The annual event gathers five high school marching bands—Mountain View, Colonial Forge, Stafford, Brooke Point, and North Stafford—to perform their shows.

Approximately 397 students will participate this year. Admission to the event is a donation of non-perishable food items. The event holds a concession stand, offers a 50/50 lottery, and sells “shout-outs” that family members can use to send messages to their band students. T-shirts and sweatshirts are also available for purchase. All proceeds from concessions, lottery, merchandise, and shoutouts go to the Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank.

Coordinated by band parents from all five schools, alongside Deirdra Hazeley, Coordinator of Visual and Performing Arts, and Hunter Berry, Director of Engagement for Stafford County Public Schools, the event serves as a season finale for the marching bands. Each performs its halftime show, followed by a combined performance with a guest conductor. Over the past 13 years, the event has provided more than 350,000 meals to the food bank, with 2023 marking a record 56,786 meals.

For 2024, the goal is set at 50,000 meals. Donations may also be made online.

Mountain View High School is located at 2135 Mountain View Road.

Have you got an event coming up? Whether it’s a community gathering, business workshop, charity fundraiser, or festival, you can easily promote it on our Potomac Local News Events Calendar — and the best part? It’s completely FREE!

Simply submit your event through our quick and easy form to get it in front of thousands of local readers. Events posted on our calendar can also be featured in our weekly newsletters, reaching an even broader audience across Prince William County, Stafford, Manassas, and Fredericksburg.

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Take advantage of this great opportunity and get the community’s attention for your event today!

The annual Independent Book Festival returns to Fredericksburg on October 12, running from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Riverfront Park. Founded in 2015 by local authors James Noll and Chris Jones, the festival offers writers a platform to promote their work, attend panels, and network with other authors.

Noll, who began his independent publishing journey in 2013, visited over 24 events in a single year—including comic cons, horror cons, and book festivals—in an effort to learn about the industry. “The travel was exhausting, but I realized nobody was hosting a book event in Fredericksburg,” said Noll. “So, I decided to make it happen.” He partnered with local writers Amy Bayne and Chris Jones to launch the festival. Though Bayne left the team in 2018, Noll and Jones continue to run the event.

Noll has written several sci-fi novels and numerous short stories, while Jones is an award-winning journalist who has authored two books and contributed to five others.

This year’s festival will feature a variety of speakers between 10:45 a.m. and 3:15 p.m., covering topics such as children’s literature, sci-fi, and the challenges of independent publishing. The talks will range from 15 to 30 minutes each. Spaces for authors have sold out, with 80 authors signed up to attend. A map of their locations is provided online with the authors’ names and genres.

The festival has hosted a full slate of speakers and panels every year. While it remains a one-day event, organizers are considering expanding it to two days in the future, with one day dedicated to workshops and business sessions for writers, and one day for festival activities.

The full event schedule is available online.

Fun Land Fredericksburg is set to host the Harvest Fest on Saturday, October 12, from noon to 6 p.m., aiming to support the Fredericksburg Food Bank. The event will feature over 20 vendors with crafts, foods, and home goods, alongside a new Live Corn Maze attraction.

Guests are encouraged to contribute to the festive food drive by donating three non-perishable items, earning a $5 discount off the $10 entry fee. Daniel Glover, General Manager, expressed excitement about engaging the community to fight hunger and spread joy during the giving season.

Press release:

Fun Land Fredericksburg, an indoor family fun park with various attractions, food, and entertainment, invites the Fredericksburg community to fall into fun at Harvest Fest from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 12.

Fun Land Fredericksburg is accepting donations for Harvest Fest, a festive food drive supporting the Fredericksburg Food Bank. It will feature more than 20 vendors offering a variety of crafts, foods, and home goods, and well as a brand-new Live Corn Maze attraction.

“We are so proud and excited to be able to help families in our community fight hunger in this way,” said Daniel Glover, General Manager of Fun Land Fredericksburg. “We hope everyone will come out and help us raise awareness and food and spread some joy this giving season.”

There will be a $10 entry fee, and guests are encouraged to donate three nonperishable food items to get $5 off.

October is bound to be a spooky and busy month around Prince William County with several events and activities scheduled. If you’re looking for Halloween-related events, visit our story from Wednesday that details all of the spooky events.

Take a look at some highlighted events.

Saturday (Oct. 5)

• Nature Hunters, 10 to 11:30 a.m. (Woodbridge)
• N? Pikake L?hio Wai Kaulele, 10 to 11:30 a.m. (Triangle)
• Manassas Jubilee, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Old Town Manassas)

Oct. 8

• Aging in Place Workshop, 1 to 3:45 p.m. (Woodbridge)
• Board of County Supervisors meeting, 2 p.m. (Woodbridge)

Oct. 9

• Mental Health Awareness Community Event, 1 to 4:30 p.m. (Woodbridge)

Oct. 10

• Dale Boulevard Transit Priority Study Public Meeting, 6 to 8 p.m. (Woodbridge)

Oct. 11

• Kid’s Night Out, 6 to 9 p.m. (Woodbridge)

Oct. 12

• Neabsco District Dumpster Day & Paper Shred, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Woodbridge)
• Battle of Bristow Station Anniversary Weekend, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Bristow)
• All-County Public Safety Expo, Noon to 5 p.m. (Woodbridge)
• Bristoe Station Luminary, 7 to 9 p.m. (Bristow)

Oct. 14

• First Tee Benefit Golf Tournament, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Triangle)

Oct. 15

• Board of County Supervisors Work Session, 2 p.m. (Woodbridge)

Oct. 17

• Marina Way Extension Project Public Hearing, 6 to 8 p.m. (Woodbridge)

Oct. 19

• Zumba for Breast Cancer Awareness, 8 to 9:30 a.m. (Woodbridge)
• Irongate Community Dumpster Day, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Manassas)
• Walk to End Alzheimer’s, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Manassas)
• Fall Festival: Pat White Center’s 50 Anniversary Celebration, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Manassas)
• Seals on Wheels, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Haymarket)
• Full Moon Hike, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. (Woodbridge)

Oct. 22

• Board of County Supervisors Meeting, 2 p.m. (Woodbridge)

Oct. 23

• KABOOM! Build Week at Fairmont Park, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Manassas)

Oct. 24

• Sunrise Nature Hike, 7:30 to 9 a.m. (Nokesville)

Oct. 26

• Gainesville District Dumpster Day & Paper Shred, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Gainesville District)
• National Drug Take-Back Day, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Multiple locations)
• Family Night Out: Movie in the Park, 7 to 9 p.m. (Woodbridge)

Oct. 28

• Community Safety Listening Session, 6 to 7:30 p.m. (Manassas)

Mark your calendars for the 41st Annual Fall Jubilee in Historic Downtown Manassas on Saturday, October 5, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This free, family-friendly event promises a day of fun for all ages.

With over 100 craft and community booths, live music, and entertainment, there’s something for everyone. Attendees can enjoy games, shop for unique handmade items, and explore the vibrant atmosphere of downtown Manassas. Don’t miss this beloved community tradition, offering a perfect way to celebrate the fall season.

For more information, visit Historic Manassas online.

Get ready to transform your home into a cozy haven this winter! Embrace the upcoming season by attending the Fall Home Show, your one-stop destination for all things home improvement.

Join Stafford County Parks Recreation Facilities and Tourism for a day full of autumn fun and festivities at our annual Fall Family Festival.