Haymarket, Virginia

About the Haymarket, Virginia Area

Quaint and historic Haymarket is full of picturesque old buildings and beautifully maintained homes set on lovely sidewalks. An easy commute to Washington DC or other Northern Virginia cities, this charming town of just over 1000 and surrounding Prince William County offer wonderful restaurants and shopping, some of the nation’s outstanding live entertainment venues, and marvelous outdoor sports and recreation.

Location

Haymarket is located in Prince William County in northern Virginia, close to Route I-66. Manassas is 12 miles, Dale City is 24 miles, and Washington DC is 44 miles from Haymarket.

Geography/Terrain

The gently rolling hills and pasture of the northern Virginia countryside are studded with woods and hardwood forest. Elevation is 365 feet above sea level.

Jobs

Average commute time for Prince William County workers is just under 40 minutes, and with quick and easy access to the Greater Washington DC metropolitan area, residents of Haymarket and its surroundings have a wide range of employment opportunities. Almost a quarter of Prince William County residents work for the government in one form or another, but there is there is a growing influx of high-tech firms to the local area, and the defense and education sectors also attract many residents.

Housing

Haymarket is a charming and historic town with many beautifully renovated homes and there are many more to be found in other historic areas of Prince William County. The number of gated communities, some located around golf courses or on lakefront, and various types of retirement communities has grown rapidly in recent years. In addition, a wide selection of single-family homes, townhouses, and condominiums are available in all price ranges. The median price of homes sold in Prince William County in 2004 was $385,500, making it somewhat less expensive than neighboring Fairfax and Loudoun counties.

Recreation

Like all of Prince William County, the Haymarket area has terrific golf courses, whose interesting and challenging qualities are enhanced by their beautiful, scenic settings. Acclaimed as “the best public course in the DC area”, the Bull Run Country Club is the perfect example. Set in the foothills of the Bull Run Mountains, this multi award-winning course is more than three times the size of most golf courses. The course meanders through undeveloped scenic meadows, ponds and woodlands and abounds in flora and fauna, as well as golfers.

More than just an excellent golf course, the challenging 18-hole course at The Evergreen Country Club has a layout that follows a classic figure eight pattern where no two holes run parallel to each other. Widely considered to be the prettiest golf course in Northern Virginia, the Club also houses a major swimming facility and tennis courts at which such celebrated names as Andre Agassi and Andy Roddick have been known to play.

Prince William boasts more ecological diversity than any other county in the capital region, and there are thousands of acres of exquisite wetlands, forests and woodland within minutes of Haymarket. The 17,000 acres of the Prince William Forest Park are the largest natural reserve area in the Capital region.

The Leesylvania State Park near Woodbridge offers a rare synthesis of natural beauty and rich history. Originally the plantation of the Lee family, and the birthplace of "Light Horse" Harry Lee, father of Robert E. Lee, this 500 acre state park on the banks of the Potomac River offers 6 miles of hiking trails through the ruins of the old plantation, a boat launch, and sandy beaches for excellent bass fishing or just relaxing. The park hosts major bass fishing tournaments and fishing competitions throughout the year.

Signal Bay Waterpark at Manassas Park is a 27,000 sq. ft. aquatics facility with a Lazy River and Activity Pool where all the family can play. The park also features a fishing pond, amphitheatre, tennis and basketball courts, soccer fields, a regulation softball field and several miles of walking and fitness trails.

Special Attractions/Events

Along with other Prince William County centers, Haymarket plays host each year to the Bluemont Summer Concert Series. On three Saturday summer evenings the crowds gather on the lawn of the Pace West School to hear an eclectic mix of regional bands, some famous, some just really good, playing jazz, reggae, R&B, and everything in between.

For more family fun, the Fall Jubilee in Old Town Manassas offers a day filled with fantastic kid’s amusements, hands-on activities and rides, over 80 fine art, craft and local food booths, as well as live music, puppet shows, dancers, demonstrations and entertainment for everyone.

During December Old Town Manassas is transformed into a Victorian village at Christmas for their “Merry Old Town” weekends, with twinkling lights, sidewalk carolers, carriage rides, and ice skating. There is more modern fun too, including a parade, Santa Train, and house tours.

Interesting Facts/Historic Buildings and Places

Haymarket owes its location to an abandoned Indian hunting path which became Old Carolina Road and was used by settlers as a route from Pennsylvania to the Carolinas. The town grew up around the intersection of the Carolina and Dumfries Roads and its strategic location near the Thoroughfare Gap in the Bull Run Mountains made gave it considerable importance during the Civil War. In 1862 Union troops destroyed the town, burning many of the buildings to the ground, but once the war was over it soon recovered and many of its quaint buildings and shops were restored.

The nearby Manassas National Battlefield Park commemorates the awful losses suffered by both sides during the First and Second Battles of Manassas. The Park also contains interesting information and exhibits showing the life of African-Americans during the period. Modern residents of Haymarket are uniquely law-abiding folk. Crime figures for 2001 and 2002 show not a single murder or rape, and only one assault, one robbery, four burglaries, and one auto theft in the entire two-year period.

Perhaps they have been influenced by the famously honest George Washington, who has an interesting connection with the Weems-Botts Museum not far from Haymarket. The first resident of this over two centuries-old building, Parson Mason Weems, whose stories popularizing the life of President Washington, and including the curious “I cannot tell a lie” anecdote about Washington as a youth felling his father's cherry tree, helped to make George Washington a national hero for all time. The book was in continuous publication from 1800 to 1927 and was second only to the Bible as a best-seller.

Request my Free Bristow, Gainesville and Haymarket Relocation Package. It's packed full of useful and important information about the Bristow, Gainesville and Haymarket, Virginia area. Don't move here without it! Remember: I'll send it to you for free and without obligation. Just fill out the form and I will send it right out...

It's my job to know EVERYTHING about Bristow, Gainesville and Haymarket! Ask me any question. Or request a FREE information package. There's no obligation, and I promise to get back to you quickly...