Fredericksburg

Fredericksburg sits on the south bank of the Rappahannock River between Washington D.C. to the north and Richmond to the south, with residential neighborhoods spreading out from the riverfront commercial core. The town divides into several areas, including a historic center where Caroline Street and Princess Anne Street form main thoroughfares lined with brick storefronts.

Established as a tobacco port in 1691 on land surveyed by George Washington's father, the settlement grew into a commercial center for iron ore and grain by the mid-1700s. The Civil War brought two major confrontations in December 1862 and May 1863, when fighting damaged many structures along the waterfront and surrounding hills.

The town bears the name of Frederick, Prince of Wales, son of Britain's King George II, and this royal connection shaped its early settlement. Visitors today walk through residential streets where homeowners maintain period façades and brick sidewalks echo the rhythm of early American town planning.

The downtown core is easily walkable, with most points of interest within a few blocks of each other and flat sidewalks throughout the center. The visitor center on Caroline Street offers free maps and guidance for walking routes or waterfront exploration without advance booking.

James Monroe practiced law here as a young attorney before becoming the fifth president of the United States, and his office still stands on Charles Street. The town also preserves an underground railroad site from the antebellum period, where enslaved people passed through on their journey to freedom.

Location: Virginia

Inception: 1691

Elevation above the sea: 18 m

Part of: Arlington–Alexandria–Reston metropolitan division

Shares border with: Stafford County, Spotsylvania County

Website: https://fredericksburgva.gov

GPS coordinates: 38.30183,-77.47078

Latest update: December 15, 2025 12:19