Manassas was a sleepy railroad junction before thousands of soldiers arrived to defend the railroad and wage the first major land battle of the Civil War. Later, cheap land lured Union veterans and immigrants to Manassas, despite the scarred postwar landscape. Old and new citizens put aside regional differences to build a town, intent on establishing schools, churches, businesses, and utility services, improving the railroad, and remembering the region's role in the war. African Americans established the nationally known Manassas Industrial School, churches, social organizations, and a strong community.
Lisa Sievel-Otten, a Connecticut native and Saint Anselm College graduate, has been telling the stories of her adopted hometown in her work with the City of Manassas for a decade. The author of a short history of the Liberia Plantation, she has also written numerous stories for newspapers and other publications. The postcards and historic images in this book come from the Manassas Museum collection and the author's and other private collections, and all author proceeds benefit Liberia's restoration.