Colonial period Beginning in the 1760s, the area was known as Newgate due to the popularity of the conveniently located Newgate tavern. William Carr Lane operated the tavern and was co-proprietor of a nearby store with James Lane, Jr. The Lanes sold convicted servants, which may explain why the tavern had the same name as a
London prison. The small stream that passed near the tavern was named the River Thames, another London association. Another reason for it being named Newgate was the fact that it was a "new gate" to the western territories.
18th century The town of Centerville, shortly later spelled Centreville, was established in 1792 on the turnpike road at the village of Newgate by the
Virginia General Assembly in response to petitions by local landowners. The petitioners reasoned that a town on the turnpike road leading from the
Northwest Territory and centrally located to
Alexandria,
Colchester,
Dumfries,
Middleburg, George Town (later
Georgetown), Fauquier Court House (later
Warrenton), and
Leesburg would be convenient. The town acquired its name due to its central location. James Hardage Lane, one of the landowners, conceived the idea of the town as a way to provide financial support to his widow and their children. At the town's inception, it was within the boundary of
Loudoun County, Virginia, and became part of
Fairfax County, Virginia, in 1798 when the boundary between the two counties shifted. Town development established a pattern of mixed residential and commercial use. Frame houses, several taverns, stores, blacksmith shops, tan yards, and a school house were constructed on the 1/2-acre town lots.
American Civil War in Centreville, in May 1862 at the beginning of the
American Civil War refugees In the
American Civil War, several battles were fought nearby including the
First Battle of Manassas, the
Second Battle of Manassas, and the
Battle of Chantilly. During the winter of 1861 and early 1862 the town was significantly fortified by the Confederacy and served as a supply depot for both sides at various points in the war, and is famous for being the site of the construction of the first railroad ever built exclusively for military use, the
Centreville Military Railroad. Centreville was of significant strategic value due to its proximity to several important roads, while its position atop a high ridge provided a commanding view of the surrounding area. The town was frequently associated with
Confederate Colonel John S. Mosby, whose partisan rangers used its hillsides and farms as a base of operations, leading to the sobriquet "Mosby's Confederacy".
20th and 21st centuries Like much of
Northern Virginia, Centreville experienced sustained population growth in the 1990s and 2000s. In 2021, the town has grown significantly. There are numerous shopping centers built around the town center. ==Geography==