Fredericksburg is an independent city in the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia, 50 miles south of Washington, D.C., and 55 miles north of Richmond, Virginia. As of the 2000 census, the city had a population of 19,279. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Fredericksburg with neighboring Spotsylvania County for statistical purposes. This city is a part of the Washington-Baltimore Metropolitan Area.

History

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Located on the Rappahannock River near the head of navigation at the fall line, Fredericksburg developed as the frontier of colonial Virginia shifted west out of the coastal plain. The land on which the city was founded was part of a tract patented in 1671. The Virginia General Assembly established a fort on the Rappahannock in 1676, just below the present-day city. In 1714, Lt. Gov. Alexander Spotswood sponsored a German settlement called Germanna on the Rapidan River, a tributary of the Rappahannock upstream from the future site of the city, and led an expedition westward over the Blue Ridge Mountains in 1716.

As interest in the frontier grew, the colonial assembly responded by forming a new county named Spotsylvania (after the governor) in 1720 and establishing Fredericksburg in 1728 as a port for the county, of which it was then a part. Named for Frederick, Prince of Wales, son of King George II and father of King George III, the colonial town's streets bore the names of members of the royal family. The county court was moved to Fredericksburg in 1732 and the town served as county seat until 1780 when the courthouse was moved closer to the county center. Fredericksburg was incorporated as a town, with its own court, council, and mayor, in 1781, and received its charter as an independent city in 1879. The city adopted the city manager/council form of government in 1911.

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Fredericksburg - Twitter Search

@2fabtabs ahh ill bring the botte i got for us in fredericksburg! Yay!
SBelleum (Sarah Brown) Wed, 06 Jan 2010 02:55:03 -0000
@2fabtabs ahh ill bring the botte i got for us in fredericksburg! Yay!
The caption contest returns!!! http://fredericksburg.com/clay
clay335 (Clay Jones) Wed, 06 Jan 2010 02:46:25 -0000
The caption contest returns!!! http://fredericksburg.com/clay
@CalebHowe @CPACnews The sweet tea line of demarcation is between Ashland and Fredericksburg, VA. Below: sweet tea. Above: barbarians.
JonHenke (Jon Henke) Wed, 06 Jan 2010 02:45:05 -0000
@CalebHowe @CPACnews The sweet tea line of demarcation is between Ashland and Fredericksburg, VA. Below: sweet tea. Above: barbarians.
Fredericksburg Pub
ashleymedeiros (Ashley Medeiros) Wed, 06 Jan 2010 02:06:22 -0000
Fredericksburg Pub
#elearning Long-distance online learning education works for military contractor - PAMELA GOULD, Fredericksburg http://ow.ly/16h9tq
onlinelearningu (Ray Schroeder) Wed, 06 Jan 2010 02:01:43 -0000
#elearning Long-distance online learning education works for military contractor - PAMELA GOULD, Fredericksburg http://ow.ly/16h9tq
Automotive Shop Going Out of Business! Everything MUST GO! (Fredericksburg): 20 year old automotive shop going out ... http://bit.ly/85bv6R
rvatools (rvatools) Wed, 06 Jan 2010 01:02:08 -0000
Automotive Shop Going Out of Business! Everything MUST GO! (Fredericksburg): 20 year old automotive shop going out ... http://bit.ly/85bv6R

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