Colchester, Virginia
Encyclopedia
Colchester is an unincorporated town on the Occoquan River
in Fairfax County
, Virginia
. Colchester is a former tobacco
port established in 1753. The port town was located on the old post road and Thomas Mason (son of George Mason) operated a ferry across the Occoquan River here. In 1798, Mason built a bridge across the river; the bridge was washed away around 1807. Only one of its original buildings exist—the Fairfax Arms (10712 Old Colchester Road), which had been an ordinary and now is a privately owned dwelling. The decline of the tobacco trade, silting of the river, and diversion of most shipping to the towns of Alexandria and Occoquan caused Colchester's decline. The Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad
, Interstate 95
, and the Jefferson Davis Highway
(U.S. 1
) are located directly to the west of the Colchester area.
is part of SR 612
, and Old Colchester Road, which runs north and becomes Telegraph Road leading to Alexandria
, is part of SR 611
.
Occoquan River
The Occoquan River is a tributary of the Potomac River in northern Virginia, in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. The river is long, and its watershed covers about . It is formed by the confluence of Broad Run and Cedar Run in Prince William County; Bull Run enters it east-southeast of...
in Fairfax County
Fairfax County, Virginia
Fairfax County is a county in Virginia, in the United States. Per the 2010 Census, the population of the county is 1,081,726, making it the most populous jurisdiction in the Commonwealth of Virginia, with 13.5% of Virginia's population...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. Colchester is a former tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
port established in 1753. The port town was located on the old post road and Thomas Mason (son of George Mason) operated a ferry across the Occoquan River here. In 1798, Mason built a bridge across the river; the bridge was washed away around 1807. Only one of its original buildings exist—the Fairfax Arms (10712 Old Colchester Road), which had been an ordinary and now is a privately owned dwelling. The decline of the tobacco trade, silting of the river, and diversion of most shipping to the towns of Alexandria and Occoquan caused Colchester's decline. The Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad
Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad
The Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Potomac Railroad was a railroad connecting Richmond, Virginia, to Washington, D.C. It is now a portion of the CSX Transportation system....
, Interstate 95
Interstate 95 in Virginia
In the Commonwealth of Virginia, Interstate 95 runs through the state. It runs concurrently for with Interstate 64 in Richmond, and meets the northern terminus of Interstate 85 in Petersburg. Though Interstate 95 was originally planned to go straight through Washington, D.C., it was instead...
, and the Jefferson Davis Highway
Jefferson Davis Highway
The Jefferson Davis Memorial Highway was a planned transcontinental highway in the United States in the 1910s and 1920s that began in Washington, D.C. and extended south and west to San Diego, California; it was named for Jefferson Davis, who, in addition to being the first and only President of...
(U.S. 1
U.S. Route 1 in Virginia
U.S. Route 1 in the U.S. state of Virginia runs north–south through South Hill, Petersburg, Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Alexandria on its way from North Carolina to the 14th Street Bridge into the District of Columbia...
) are located directly to the west of the Colchester area.
Road Transportation
Portions of roads that accessed Colchester still exist. Colchester Road in CliftonClifton, Virginia
Clifton is a town in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States located away from Washington, D.C. In 2010, the population was 282.-Pre-Colonial era:...
is part of SR 612
Virginia State Route 612 (Fairfax and Prince William Counties)
State Route 612 is a secondary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia, and traverses both Fairfax County and Prince William County. The two counties are separated by water , so SR 612 contains a bridge that is one of only eight crossings between the counties...
, and Old Colchester Road, which runs north and becomes Telegraph Road leading to Alexandria
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
, is part of SR 611
Virginia State Route 611 (Fairfax County)
State Route 611 is a secondary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia, and traverses eastern Fairfax County. SR 611 provides a major artery for commuters, connecting the Eisenhower Valley section of Alexandria with Lorton and points south along US 1...
.
Famous residents
- Archibald HendersonArchibald HendersonArchibald Henderson was the longest-serving Commandant of the Marine Corps, serving from 1820 to 1859. He is often referred to as the "Grand old man of the Marine Corps," serving in the United States Marine Corps for 53 years.-Biography:Born in Colchester, Fairfax County, Virginia to successful...
, the longest-serving Commandant of the United States Marine CorpsCommandant of the Marine CorpsThe Commandant of the Marine Corps is normally the highest ranking officer in the United States Marine Corps and is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff...
, serving from 1820 to 1859 - Alexander HendersonAlexander Henderson (Virginia)Alexander Henderson was a colonial merchant, born in Glasgow, Scotland who came to Colchester, Virginia in 1756. He served in the Virginia militia during the American Revolution. He was a member of the Virginia General Assembly and a Virginia delegate to the Mount Vernon Conference in 1785 which...
, his father, a member of the Virginia General AssemblyVirginia General AssemblyThe Virginia General Assembly is the legislative body of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the oldest legislative body in the Western Hemisphere, established on July 30, 1619. The General Assembly is a bicameral body consisting of a lower house, the Virginia House of Delegates, with 100 members,...
and a Virginia delegate to the Mount Vernon ConferenceMount Vernon ConferenceThe Mount Vernon Conference was a meeting of delegates from Virginia and Maryland at George Washington's home at Mount Vernon, Virginia in March 1785. It preceded the Annapolis Convention of the following year and was a precursor of the 1787 Philadelphia Convention that saw the drafting of the...
in 1785