Haymarket
Located in Prince William County, Virginia, Haymarket is a small town of about 2,000 residents. Originally the site of hunting grounds for the western Iroquois nations, Haymarket was founded in 1799 after the American revolutionary war. During the civil war, much of the town was burned down by Union troops. Only 4 building survived the fires. Over time, the town was rebuilt, and eventually incorporated in 1882.
In part because of these renovations, Haymarket is a town that both has a strong historic significance, yet is very much an up-and-coming town within the greater Prince William County area. Many of the residents of Haymarket are married couples, many of which have children. In fact, children under the age of 18 and adults between the ages of 25 and 44 make up over 70% of the the town’s demographics.
Haymarket is one of the only towns in the area where you can find new housing at an affordable rate, making it a popular area with young families. For a long time, Haymarket was known as “crossroads”, due to its location at the intersection of the Old Carolina Road and North Branch of Dumfries Road, two popular trade routes. Today, Haymarket borders Routes 55 and 15, and is close to Interstate 66. Haymarket proudly touts itself as “Everyone’s Home Town”.
Haymarket Day
The largest event in the town of Haymarket is the annual hometown festival known as Haymarket Day. Attended by over 25,000 spectators and with over 200 local vendors setting up shop throughout the event, Haymarket Day is a celebration of Haymarket’s town and community. A street festival, Haymarket Day gives residents and visitors alike a unique opportunity to come together over the shared love of their community. Haymarket Day is an annual event dating back to 1988 – residents look forward to it each and every year.
Haymarket Day features a street parade featuring students from the local schools nearby, as well as professional performers, and law enforcement officials. The parade is led each year by the Haymarket Day Grand Marshal. Along the parade route, a number of vendors, entertainers and culinary professionals line the streets, giving residents plenty to do throughout the day. Live music fills the air and small businesses are given an opportunity to cater to guests of the event all day long. Haymarket Day has been voted the Readers’ Best Annual Event by Haymarket Living for three years and is a popular event for residents from all over the Prince William area.
Camp William B. Snyder
Camp William B. Snyder is a 405 acre cub scout camp located in Prince William, Virginia. The camp is a major point of interest for the children of Haymarket, as well as a unique historical area. In 1994, Disney purchased a large amount of the land in the Haymarket area, with plans to open a Disney’s America theme park on the property.
The residents of Haymarket resisted the proposition, fearing adverse effects to the local Manassas Battlefield. The park was never built. Some years later, William B. Snyder, a local businessman, was able to purchase the land from Disney. Most of the land was sold to developers, and the land that would become the Camp Snyder was donated to the National Capital Area Council of Cub Scouts.
Today, the camp is enjoyed by many Haymarket cub scouts. The camp opens every summer so children from the Prince William area can engage in a wide variety of camp activities throughout the season. In addition to camping activities, Camp Snyder is home to a managed wetland, and supports a number on non-scouting events such as conservation education programs and outdoor events and tournaments.