The King George Native American Heritage Trail offers a unique opportunity to explore the rich cultural history of the indigenous tribes who once called King George County home. The trail features seven educational signs and ten geocache puzzles, which provide visitors with a hands-on experience to learn about the area’s first residents, including the Rappahannock and Patawomeck tribes. The signs, crafted by students from the University of Mary Washington in collaboration with these tribes, showcase significant locations throughout the county.
Visitors can immerse themselves in the local history as they visit key stops like Belle Grove, Caledon State Park, and the Dahlgren Heritage Museum. Each stop brings to life the stories of the region’s indigenous people and offers an opportunity to connect with both nature and history. Whether you’re solving geocache puzzles or simply enjoying the beautiful scenery, the King George Native American Heritage Trail is an educational journey for the whole family. Learn more here.
A trail connecting Virginia’s Northern Neck to history, nature, and recreation. The 16-mile Dahlgren Railroad Heritage Trail follows the route of the 1940s Dahlgren Branch Rail Line, and stretches across King George County just south of the Potomac River in Virginia’s Northern Neck. The trail is open for walking, running, cycling, and other non-motorized recreational uses. The trail is comprised of 240 acres of preserved sanctuary for native wildlife and natural beauty. Learn more about other outdoor recreation opportunities and local flavors of King George County, here.
The Dahlgren Heritage Museum is dedicated to preserving and presenting the story of the United States Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division. The Dahlgren center (NSWCDD) was founded on October 16, 1918, as the U.S. Naval Proving Ground, a place to test guns and ammunition. Since then, it has evolved into a premier naval and scientific research and development institution.
The Dahlgren Heritage Museum features information and exhibits showcasing the scientific and technological contributions of the U.S. Navy that took place there. In the museum’s “Pioneers of the 20th Century” exhibit, visitors learn about the important contributions of people of color such as the mathematician Dr. Gladys West, whose work contributed to the creation of the Global Positioning System or GPS, and Dr. Charles Cohen, who helped confirm the shape of the gravity field that encircles the world.
For more information about the museum’s permanent collections and special events, go to www.dahlgrenmuseum.org.
Plessy v. Ferguson decision created the “separate but equal” doctrine, the equality of public facilities, including schools, was seldom achieved. As the NAACP lawyers began challenging this inequity in courts, a few residents of King George County courageously sued the local school board in 1946. The premise of Civil Action #631 was inferior “construction, equipment and facilities, instructional personnel, libraries and transportation service,” in black schools compared to their white counterparts. Civil rights attorneys Oliver W. Hill, Martin A. Martin and Spotswood W. Robinson III of Richmond, Virginia masterfully won the litigation despite the King George School Board’s fierce opposition. In July 1948, U.S. District Judge Sterling Hutchinson determined that “the defendants have unlawfully discriminated … against Negro school children.” This decision led to the opening of Ralph Bunche High School on September 2, 1949. The school was named for Ralph Bunche, an African-American educator, diplomat and Nobel Prize winner.