Bill Text: VA HR123 | 2024 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Commending the Town of Dumfries.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2024-02-19 - Bill text as passed House (HR123ER) [HR123 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2024-HR123-Enrolled.html
WHEREAS, the Town of Dumfries, the oldest continuously chartered town in the Commonwealth, celebrates its 275th anniversary in 2024; and
WHEREAS, Dumfries traces its roots as far back as 1690, when Richard Gibson erected a gristmill on Quantico Creek; and
WHEREAS, Dumfries was formally established at the head of the harbor of Quantico Creek on 60 acres of land provided by John Graham, who named the new community after his birthplace of Dumfriesshire, Scotland; and
WHEREAS, Dumfries was established by the General Assembly as the first of seven townships in Prince William County and received its charter on May 11, 1749; and
WHEREAS, in its early years, Dumfries was the second-largest port in Colonial America, receiving tobacco from the upland and rivaling New York, Philadelphia, and Boston; the town was a thriving port for more than 15 years and peaked in size in 1763; and
WHEREAS, located 27 miles south of Washington, D.C., Dumfries is proud of its rich traditions and heritage and maintains its charming local character while offering convenient access to the nation's capital; and
WHEREAS, Dumfries is home to numerous historical sites, including the Weems-Botts Museum and the historic Williams Ordinary hotel; and
WHEREAS, Dumfries has lead the way in municipal government by creating a community that promotes unity and inclusion among all citizens; in 1963, local residents elected John Wilmer Porter, the first Black American to serve in a Virginia local government since the Reconstruction Era, to the Dumfries Town Council; and
WHEREAS, the residents of Dumfries are currently represented by Mayor Derrick Wood; Vice Mayor Monaé Nickerson; Chair Pro Tem Selonia Miles; Councilman Tyrone Brown; Councilman Brian Fields; Councilman Shaun Peet; and Councilwoman Caetrina Peterson, who have adopted a strategic plan that prioritizes a well-managed government, focused on public safety, economic development, infrastructure, civic engagement, affordability, and livability, that will ensure that Dumfries will continue to thrive; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That the Town of Dumfries hereby be commended on the occasion of its 275th anniversary; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the Dumfries Town Council as an expression of the House of Delegates' admiration for rich history of the Town of Dumfries and for the community's legacy of contributions to the Commonwealth.
