September 2024

Ravensworth, the largest colonial land grant in Fairfax County, and Buckland, Prince William County’s pioneer inland town which thrived despite its distance from the era’s primary commercial waterways, offer a glimpse into the history and genealogy of Northern Virginia.

Ravensworth

William Fitzhugh purchased the enormous plantation (24,112 acres (37.7 square miles)) in 1685 from the proprietors of the Northern Neck Grant. To put its size into perspective, the same area in the year 2000 was home to approximately 138,355 people, encompassing much of modern-day Northern Virginia’s suburbs. For the first century of its existence, Ravensworth was primarily worked by enslaved individuals, focusing on tobacco cultivation under the supervision of overseers. The Fitzhugh owners largely remained absentee landlords during this period. It wasn’t until around 1790 that their descendants built homes and settled on inherited portions of the estate.

Buckland

Twenty-five miles west, Buckland was established in 1798 on land owned by John Love. The town became an important commercial and technology center in America’s early industrial revolution. It was a key link In the flow of commerce between Alexandria’s river port and commercial center and western towns and farms. Bypassed by 19th-century railroads and 20th-century suburban expansion, Buckland now is a model of historic preservation. The small village of owner-protected properties offers a unique glimpse into early American life and industry