History

    Spotsylvania's roots extend back to 1721, when the colony of Virginia Created a vast new county that stretched past the Blue Ridge Mountains.  The county was named for Alexander Spotswood, lieutenant governor of the colony from 1710 to 1720.  The City of Fredericksburg was formed from the county in 1728.  Spotsylvania's many historic places include the following sites:  a skirmish near the Rappahannock River between American Indians and a group led by Capt. John Smith; the first commercially successful ironworks in North America; a slave revolt attempted in the 1810s; and one of the nation's most productive pre-1849 gold mines.  The county is probably best-known for the battles fought on its soil during the Civil War.  Because of Spotsylvania's strategic location between the Confederate and Union armies, several major battles were fought in the county, including ones as Chancellorsville, the Wilderness, Fredericksburg, and Spotsylvania Court House, one of the bloodiest battles of the war.  More than 100,000 troops from both sides died in Spotsylvania.

    Spotsylvania County is surrounded by Orange County on the west, Stafford County on the north, Caroline County on the east and Hanover & Louisa Counties on the south.  The 2000 census shows the population to be 90,395 with the 2010 population expected to exceed 125,000.  There has been tremendous growth in the county and we are years behind bringing our infrastructure up to expected standards.

Spotsylvania County Democratic Committee

    The Spotsylvania County Democratic Committee meets the 3rd Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at the Salem Church Library on Salem Church Road.  We welcome you to come and meet our members and participate in our meetings.

Webmaster - Douglass Ferguson  dougferg@verizon.net