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The appearance of external hyperlinks on any part the Fort A.P. Hill web site does not constitute endorsement by the U.S. Army for the information, products or services contained therein. For other than authorized activities such as military exchanges and Morale, Welfare and Recreation sites, the U.S. Army does not exercise any editorial control over the information you find at these locations. Such links are provided in support of the stated mission of this DoD Web site.Caroline CountyCaroline County, (Welcome to Caroline County, Virginia!) with a U.S. Census 2003 population estimate of approximately 22,800, operates under a County Administrator/Board of Supervisors form of government, with each of the five Board Members elected every four years from their respective districts. These districts include Bowling Green, Madison, Mattaponi, Port Royal, and Reedy Church. The Board has authority over local taxation, adoption of local ordinances, and general county policy. The administrator oversees the day-to-day operation of local government and its 232 employees, not including the clerk of the courts and social services. The Board of Supervisors appoints a five-member Planning Commission and a seven-member Industrial Development Authority (each with four-year terms). There are numerous opportunities for citizen participation and appointment to other boards and commissions. The county is served by a sheriff’s department with 32 full time sworn-in personnel. There are 17 state police officers assigned to the county. A full time professional heads the county’s fire & rescue coordination, and works with more than 300 volunteers at 6 fire departments and 3 rescue squads throughout the county. There are more than 35,000 volumes in the library system, which is headquartered in Bowling Green and serves branches in Dawn, Ladysmith and Port Royal. The county has an extensive parks and recreation program. Local service organizations sponsor recreational activities for the public, including softball leagues and special events. There are 10 ball fields, 4 tennis courts, numerous private swimming pools, and a golf course. The Rappahannock and Mattaponi Rivers are used extensively for boating and fishing. There are numerous community activities throughout the year, including the Harvest Festival on the third Saturday in October, the Christmas Parade and Bazaar on the first Saturday in December. Other routine events include fish fries, dances, barbecues, and more. Downtown Bowling Green is the site of most of these events. Visitors often remark that the historic downtown has considerable charm and is tailor-made for such events as street festivals. The county has four elementary/primary schools, one middle school and one high school. Student to teacher ratio is approximately 14.6 to 1. See the school system's web site at http://www.caroline.k12.va.us. Towns of Bowling Green and Port RoyalThe Town of Bowling Green, is governed under a Mayor-Council form of government, with a town manager hired by the seven-member Town Council to carry out the council’s policies on a daily basis. The Town Council appoints a seven-member Planning Commission (four-year terms) and a five-member Board of Zoning Appeals (five-year terms). Bowling Green supports its own police department and maintains an excellent working relationship with the county sheriff’s office and state police. A volunteer fire department and a rescue squad are housed in Bowling Green. The Town of Bowling Green is governed under a Mayor-Council form of government, with a town manager hired by the seven-member Town Council to carry out the council’s policies on a daily basis. The Town Council appoints a seven-member Planning Commission (four-year terms) and a five-member Board of Zoning Appeals (five-year terms). Bowling Green supports its own police department and maintains an excellent working relationship with the county sheriff’s office and state police. A volunteer fire department and a rescue squad are housed in Bowling Green. Port Royal,(http://www.visitcaroline.com/portroyal.html) settled in 1652 when John Catlett and his half brother, Ralph Rowzee patented 400 acres, was once the only chartered town in Caroline County. An important colonial shipper of tobacco to Britain, it later served as a warehouse center and mover of grain, freight, and passengers on 3-masted schooners. Traces of this colorful past can still be found today in the historic section of this old town.Waterfront The Rt. 301 bridge upstream is built over part of the wharf which ran out to deep water in midstream where ships could tie up. Tobacco barrels were rolled out to the ships. Later pushcarts running on rails were used for moving cargo between ship and shore. During the Civil War, Union Army engineers built a floating wharf to mid-river for its gunboats. John Wilkes Booth sought refuge here after his shooting of Lincoln. He was killed two miles outside the town, west of the intersection of present day Rts. 301 and 17 Regular schooner service to Baltimore and Norfolk began operations in 1828 and served as a pipeline to the outside world. The last passenger ship - the schooner Edna Bright Howe to Baltimore - left here in 1932. Business revived in 1950 when Rt. 301 was improved. Port Royal lay a convenient distance from New York City for southbound travelers, and motels, restaurants, and service stations flourished. This was taken away in the 1960's by the building of Rt. I-95. History Port Royal's 17th century pirate is immortalized in the name Peumansend Creek. A French pirate, a Monsieur Peuman, was the scourge of the settlers. Eventually they chased him up the creek and killed him. Thus the name "Peuman's End", a name which appeared on deeds as early as 1670. The earliest dwellings in the area were probably of log construction, none of which exist today. What the visitor can enjoy, however, is a collection of 18th and 19th century homes in a setting largely unchanged in the town's 250 year old history. Port Royal was incorporated as a town in 1744. The "town green", upon which stands today the Town Hall and the firehouse, was forever reserved "for public and civic use". Fredericksburg and Surrounding CountiesLocated North and West of Fort A.P. Hill, the City of Fredericksburg (http://www.fredericksburgva.gov) is bounded by Spotsylvania (http://www.spotsylvania.va.us/), Stafford (http://www.co.stafford.va.us) and King George Counties. The region’s prime position along the I-95 Mid-Atlantic urban corridor has enabled it to be one of the most vigorously growing areas in the state and the nation, with a total population numbering more than 200,000. Fredericksburg is located almost equidistant from Washington, D.C., and Richmond, Va. Part of the greater Fredericksburg area’s attractiveness to new business and families is its ability to maintain small town charm while offering urban prosperity and opportunities. The 2002 U.S. Census estimate listed Fredericksburg’s population at 20,076, Spotsylvania’s population at 102,570, Stafford’s population at 104,823, and King George’s population at 17,657. Steady growth was the norm for the 1990's, with Stafford and Spotsylvania Counties showing the largest increases. For example, estimates for the region in 1995 showed Spotsylvania’s population at 71,400, Stafford’s at 79,400, and the City of Fredericksburg at 21,000. Originally, the region’s location on the Rappahannock River shaped its destiny. It thrived through the Colonial and Civil War eras as a port center with important transportation links to other communities. Education Education is a top priority for the region. Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania and Stafford have 25 elementary schools, 11 middle schools, seven high schools, and several private elementary and secondary schools. The region is fortunate to have three higher education institutions in the area. Mary Washington College is a four-year co-educational public college with a consistently positive reputation nationwide for its strong undergraduate liberal arts degree programs. Germanna Community College is a two-year college offering both day and evening classes. Associate of Arts and of Science are available, as well as one-year Certificates. Strayer College is a fully accredited four-year business college. Graduate programs are available. Culture & Recreation The region boasts a wide range of entertainment and recreational opportunities. Proximity to Washington and Richmond provides easy access to nationally acclaimed musical and theatrical talent. Locally, Mary Washington College, volunteer organizations, and privately run galleries sponsor art displays and community theater productions. Lake Anna State Park in Spotsylvania County, Aqua Po Beach Park in Stafford County, and the Rappahannock and Potomac Rivers are easily accessible and provide scenic beauty as well as canoeing, water-skiing, fishing and camping. The Chesapeake Bay is a short drive to the East. Public and private facilities for tennis, swimming and golf are numerous. Sporting events such as football, baseball, basketball and ice hockey can be seen locally; professional sporting events, just short distance away in Washington and Baltimore. The region’s rich historical background provides a wealth of attractions. Revolutionary and Civil War sites attract nearly a million visitors the region annually. Carefully preserved as National Parks are four local battlefields: Fredericksburg, Chancellorville, The Wilderness, and Spotsylvania. There are 13 parks, which total more than 200 acres of land for families to enjoy. Brief History In 1776, the present boundaries of the county were established. Prior to that date, King George County included Ferry Farm, George Washington’s boyhood home, site of the "Cherry Tree incident" and where legend has him throwing the silver dollar across the Rappahannock River. In 1752, James Madison was born near Port Conway in King George. Madison, a Colonial statesman became known as the "Father of the Constitution." He became the fourth President of the United States and led the country through the War of 1812, our second war with England. King George County had its share of skirmishes during the Civil War. Both Union and Confederate gunboats used the Potomac and Rappahannock rivers during the war and raiding parties who came ashore destroyed many of the county’s early records. After assassinating President Lincoln, John Wilkes Booth reportedly made his escape through King George County, taking a boat from Popes Creek, Maryland, to Gambo Creek, at the present Dahlgren Naval Surface Weapons Center. He continued on to Port Royal, where he died in the Garrett barn, the site of which is along Route 301, in Caroline County, near the northernmost portion of Fort A.P. Hill. King George is rural county with an urban culture which makes use of the Potomac and Rappahannock Rivers for both business and pleasure. It is a county with a long, rich history and an eye on the future. Local Government Education |
