About

Manassas history is closely tied to that of the train. The town grew up around the railroad and many famous events in our past enjoy a direct connection to the different lines that operate here. Having a rail line meant needing a depot, but Manassas did not have a permanent facility until three decades after the Civil War when the Richmond and Danville Railroad Company constructed a small log structure just east of the current depot. As train service expanded, the need for a larger building arose. In 1904, the Southern Railway, the new owner of the line, constructed a large brick building to handle the increased volume of trains passing through the area. Unfortunately, a devastating fire in 1914 destroyed the building. The Southern Railway quickly rebuilt and this is the depot still in use today.