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.
VR
Explore and experience Stafford’s history during the Revolutionary War period using Virtual Reality.
Historical Figure of the Week
Arba Randolph Packard
Born 1819 – Died 1902
Arba R. Packard was originally from Massachusetts, but lived for many years at Glenmore in White Oak, Stafford County, Virginia. Arba held a number of public positions in Stafford County. In 1868, he was overseer of the road “from the Public Road near New Hope Church to the White Oak road along the lands of J. Stone, George P. King, A. R. Packard and others. That same year year, Arba and his wife, Frances Rebecca Elkins (c.1813-1887), donated one acre upon which New Hope Methodist Church was built. In 1872, he was appointed one of the commissioners of the Free Bridge between Falmouth and Fredericksburg. From 1872 to 1874, he was Overseer of the Poor for Falmouth Township. In 1887, a newspaper noticed announced that Arba was making superior quality brooms from broom corn grown on his farm. The writer stated, “One of these brooms will be sent to Uncle Sam on inauguration day.” Both Arba and Rebecca Packard are buried at New Hope Methodist Church.
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.
Donate
Your gift will support our mission to teach, research and interpret the history and culture of Stafford County.
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