Welcome to
Discover Stafford
Stafford County spans more than 400
years of significant contributions in the
building of our nation.
We invite you to explore the stories we
know, add the stories not yet told, and
stay engaged as we celebrate and
Discover Stafford together!
Stafford Stories
Explore the stories and images of Stafford County. These stories are part of the history of a county, then a state, then a nation. It’s all connected. Stafford’s stories are America’s stories.
Heritage Trail
Explore and experience Stafford’s African American history spanning 300 years in Stafford County.

Historical Figure of the Week

Clarence Newman Knight
Born 1878 – Died 1945
Clarence Newman Knight (1878-1945) often appears in records as C. Newman Knight, C. N. Knight, or Newman Knight. He was the son of Capt. John Wesley Knight (1846-1937) who ran sailing ships out of Coal Landing and operated a store there. Newman owned the Knight Motor Car Company in Fredericksburg. He also operated a Ford dealership by the same name on what’s now the lawn of the Stafford County administration building. At this same location he had a gas station and auto repair shop. Across U. S. Route 1 from this he operated another gas station. In 1902 Newman Knight married Carrie I. Burton (1880-1953) of Hartwood, Stafford County and the couple resided upstairs above the gas station on the east side of Route 1. In 1953 a car driven by a Quantico Marine ran off the road, hit one of Knight’s gas pumps, and the resulting explosion set fire to the service station. Carrie was asleep upstairs and was so badly burned that she died.

History in Stafford
Explore the past with our interactive historical map, featuring artifacts and locations throughout history. Zoom in to discover more information and click on markers to learn more about specific time periods and places.
Get Involved

Discover Stafford is looking for volunteers for our upcoming events and projects. If you can spare some time to help out, it would be greatly appreciated. Even just a few hours can make a big difference.
Get Social
Stay current on everything Discover Stafford using Facebook and Instagram.
We invite you to use #discoverstafford to share your Stafford experiences on our social platforms.

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Your gift will support our mission to teach, research and interpret the history and culture of Stafford County.
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