Formally established in 1664, Stafford County, Virginia, has a complex history. Long before John Smith discovered Stafford, the Patowomecke and Manahoac Indians thrived here. As the county began to grow, the Potomac and Rappahannock Rivers, which border Stafford, provided sources of food and transportation for people and goods. They also provided energy for the operation of iron works, as well as flour and lumber mills. During the Revolutionary War,...