Marine Corps Base Quantico

Before the establishment of the Marine base The Quantico base is close to the Potomac River. The area was originally inhabited by the Patowomacks (Algonquian) in the 16th century. The name "Quantico" is presumed to come from a Native American term, and has been translated to mean "by the large stream," "by the long stream," "place of dancing," or simply "dancing." Accounts suggest the first European arrival in the location was either a failed effort of Jesuit missionaries to convert natives somewhere south of the present-day base, or the arrival of John Smith and other Jamestown settlers trading for corn in the summer of 1608. By 1916, the Quantico Company began advertising Quantico as "The New Industrial City," and pushed for industry to come to the area. At the same time, the Quantico Shipyards were established on Hospital Point (the land that formerly held the Naval Medical Clinic but is now home to Marine Corps Systems Command) to build ocean freighters and oil tankers. With growing tensions of war in Europe, the construction of U.S. Navy ships was a major money-maker for the Quantico Shipyards. While the Town of Quantico was rapidly growing as a fishing village, excursion center and a shipbuilding center in early 1917, the town was not large or significant, and was suffering many financial difficulties. In 1917, Marine Barracks, Quantico was established on the land currently occupied by today's base. Marine Barracks personnel consisted of 91 enlisted men and four officers. Thousands of Marines were trained here during World War I. The Commanding General's Quarters was built in 1920 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2009. These schools eventually developed into today's Marine Corps University. Virtually all Marine officers receive their basic training here, as well as enlisted technicians from many different disciplines. Around the same time, as a part of these schools, a football team was established at the base, playing as a college football team. Until its disbanding in 1972, the team played against various NCAA Division I college teams, as well as teams from other military installations. The first Marine Aircraft Wing was developed at Quantico, as well as the Corps' first helicopter squadron, Marine Helicopter Squadron One (HMX-1), the first helicopter squadron to provide rapid transportation for Presidents of the United States ("Marine One"). In 2015, the base held first Department of Defense organized Warrior Games. ==Units and commands==

The Corps' Combat Development Command, which develops strategies for Marine combat and makes up most of the community of over 12,000 military and civilian personnel (including families), is based here. It has a budget of around $300 million and is the home of the Marine Corps Officer Candidates School. The Marine Corps Research Center at Quantico pursues equipment research and development, especially telecommunications, for the Marine Corps. The Marine Corps Brig, a military prison, was formerly located at Quantico. The base was designated as part of the Quantico Marine Corps Base Historic District by the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. This district includes 122 buildings, two landscapes, a sculpture, and a water tower located within the Mainside area of the base. The contributing properties with separate entries include Tennessee Camp, Camp French, Commanding General's Quarters, and Rising Hill Camp. It is the site of the Marine Corps Combat Development Command and Marine Helicopter 1 HMX-1. HMX-1 was the first helicopter squadron to provide rapid transportation of U.S. Presidents, a mission they have continued to carry out to the present day. • Marine Corps Embassy Security Group • Marine Corps Marathon • Marine Corps Combat Development Command • Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory • Marine Corps Recruiting Command • Manpower and Reserve Affairs Division, Headquarters Marine Corps • Marine Corps Systems Command • Marine Corps Training and Education Command • The Basic School • Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Staff Training Program • Marine Corps University • Officer Candidates School • Marine Corps Cyber Operations Group • Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Regiment • The Quantico Marine Band ==Tenant activities==

The base is the home of major training institutions for both the Marine Corps and federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies, including: • Defense Intelligence Agency • Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (Headquarters) • Drug Enforcement Administration training academy • FBI Academy, the principal research and training facility of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. • FBI Hostage Rescue Team (HRT) • FBI Laboratory • Marine Raider Museum • Naval Criminal Investigative Service Headquarters, United States Army Criminal Investigation Division Headquarters, Air Force Office of Special Investigations Headquarters • United States Naval Community College A replica of the United States Marine Corps War Memorial, depicting the 2nd U.S. flag-raising on Iwo Jima, stands at the entrance to the base. (The original memorial stands at the north end of Arlington National Cemetery.) Larson Gym opened in December 1953 in a former aircraft hangar built in the 1930s. It had a seating capacity of 2,000 and was named for Colonel Swede Larson, a former United States Naval Academy football player and coach. In later years, the Marine Corps Museum used the facility for restoring aircraft and the Quantico Marine Corps Band used it for practicing. It was demolished around 2018 after the Barber Fitness Center opened. Marine Corps Base Quantico and the Potomac River surround the town of Quantico. Access to the town is possible only through the base, the Amtrak train station, or from the river. ==Geography==

Quantico Station is located at (38.501951, −77.305962). According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 8.1 square miles (21.1 km2), of which, 7.2 square miles (18.5 km2) of it is land and 1.0 square miles (2.6 km2) of it (12.27%) is water. The name "Quantico Station" is most often used to designate the train station in Quantico, Virginia where commuters use the Virginia Railway Express. Climate ==Demographics==

As of the census of 2000, there were 6,571 people, 1,389 households, and 1,351 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 918.9 people per square mile (354.8/km2). There were 1,645 housing units at an average density of 230.0/sq mi (88.8/km2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 73.25% White, 16.01% African American, 0.46% Native American, 2.15% Asian, 0.15% Pacific Islander, 3.91% from other races, and 4.08% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.37% of the population. There were 1,389 households, out of which 77.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 91.3% were married couples living together, 4.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 2.7% were non-families. 2.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and none had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.57 and the average family size was 3.57. In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 32.3% under the age of 18, 29.9% from 18 to 24, 35.5% from 25 to 44, 2.2% from 45 to 64, and 0.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 22 years. For every 100 females there were 158.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 196.1 males. The median income for a household in the CDP was $41,429, and the median income for a family was $41,288. Males had a median income of $24,478 versus $20,676 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $14,563. About 5.5% of families and 5.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.1% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over. ==Education==

The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA), which serves as the school district for the installation, operates two schools on the base. The Crossroads Elementary School facility was scheduled to open in Spring 2016. It had a cost of $47 million. It has a two-story media center and a rooftop environmental science center, patio, and garden. The facility uses natural light and heating from geothermal sources. In 2015 the Star-Tribune described it as "state-of-the-art school design". It replaced Ashurst, Burrows, and Russell elementary schools. Quantico Middle/High School is the other facility. In 1919, a school for grades 1–8 opened, though high school students had to attend school in the District of Columbia or in Fredericksburg and Occoquan in Virginia. In the 1930s, the high school program opened, and enrollment rose to over 300 students in 1940. The school was renamed Quantico Post School the following year, with groundbreaking and dedication of a new building on 22 July 1941 and 6 January 1942. Russell Elementary opened in 1953. ==See also==