Documenting Fauquier’s Forgotten History

Credit Hugh Kenny & The Piedmont Environmental Council
Learn more about the story map here

In 1860, free and enslaved African Americans made up half of Fauquier County’s entire population. After the Civil War, Black communities like Morgantown, two miles south of Marshall, that grew out of emancipation held powerful meaning as community centers where African Americans could freely do what: worship, conduct commerce, obtain education, own land. In a new online story map, the public can now learn more about Morgantown and many other important African American communities in Fauquier County. The Afro-American Historical Association of Fauquier County and The Piedmont Environmental Council teamed up to create this web resource to shed new light on the county’s history. Staff at AAHA have spent years researching and documenting the African American experience in Fauquier County. Looking forward, AAHA is already thinking about ways to add new African American contributions to the story map, including cemeteries and burial sites, buildings, businesses, baptism sites, and landmarks pertaining to the underground railroad. And they hope other community members will recommend additions as they realize they have photographs or other artifacts that can be shared through the story map. A special thanks to the PATH Foundation for financial support, and to Fauquier County GIS for technical assistance.