Manassas (redirected from Manassas, Virginia)

Manassas (mənăs`əs), town (1990 pop. 27,957), seat of Prince William co., N Va., in a farm area; inc. 1873, rechartered 1938. Manassas has become a growing residential town with retail shopping centers; its development has been spurred as the Washington, D.C., suburbs expand further into northern Virginia. There is a large computer memory chip plant, and Internet-related companies are based nearby. The Old Town district contains turn-of-the-century brick buildings. During the Civil War, Manassas was a key railroad junction, and the battles of Bull Run were fought nearby; the sites are locally marked. The town of

Manassas Park (1990 pop. 6,734) is adjoining, and near both is the Manassas National Battlefield Park (see National Parks and Monuments, table).

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Manassas

a town in NE Virginia, west of Alexandria: site of the victory of Confederate forces in the Battles of Bull Run, or First and Second Manassas (1861; 1862), during the American Civil War. Pop.: 37 166 (2003 est.)

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Manassas (Independent City), Virginia

PO Box 560
Manassas, VA 20108
Phone: (703) 257-8200
Fax: (703) 335-0042
www.manassascity.org

In northeastern VA, 25 mi. west of Alexandria. Established 1852; incorporated as a town in 1874; as a city in 1975. Serves as county seat for Prince William County. Name Origin: For its location at the Manassas junction of the Manassas Gap Railroad and the Orange and Alexandria Railroad.

Area (sq mi): 9.96 (land 9.93; water 0.02). Pop per sq mi: 3783.40.
Pop 2005: 37,569. State rank: 45. Pop change: 2000-20005 6.90%; 1990-2000 25.70%. Pop 2000: 35,135 (White 66.30%; Black or African American 12.90%; Hispanic or Latino 15.10%; Asian 3.40%; Other 11.70%). Foreign born: 14.20%. Median age: 31.30.
Income 2000: per capita $24,453; median household $60,409; Pop below poverty level: 6.30%. *Personal per capita income 2000-2003: $31,038-$32,849.
Unemployment 2004: 3.10%. Change from 2000: -0.20%. Median travel time to work: 32.40 minutes. Working outside county of residence: 75.30%.

Cities with population over 10,000:

Manassas (37,615)

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See other counties in Virginia.

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Manassas 

a city in the state of Virginia (USA), 40 km southwest of Washington, D.C.

During the US Civil War of 1861-65 there were two major battles between the armies of the North and South at Bull Run, near Manassas. In July 1861 on the Bull Run River the Northern Army (35,000 men), commanded by General I. McDowell, was covering the capital against the Southern Army of General P. G. de Beauregard (31,000 men), which had approached Manassas. On July 21 the Northern troops, consisting of poorly trained volunteers, went on the offensive but were attacked by the enemy from the front and flanks and fled in panic toward Washington, losing up to 3,000 men and a large part of their artillery. The Southern losses were about 2,000. After this defeat A. Lincoln’s government took a number of important steps to enlarge and reorganize the army.

In August 1862 the Northern Army of Virginia, commanded by General J. Pope (65,000 men), was on the defensive to the south of Manassas. General R. Lee, commander of the Southern Army (54,000 men), decided to crush General Pope’s forces with strikes from the front and flank (using General T. Jackson’s corps) and take the capital. On August 29, General Pope tried unsuccessfully to repulse the advance by Jackson’s encircling corps. On August 30 bitter fighting unfolded on the Bull Run River; in this battle the Northern Army again was defeated and withdrew. But General Lee decided not to continue his advance against Washington, which was strongly fortified.