“Vice-Mayor Frye was unanimously elected by the council to continue to serve as Vice-Mayor,” the city stated.
The ceremony was held at the Fredericksburg Area Museum, home to the historic Town Hall Market House, which city officials note is the second oldest continuously used town hall in the nation. The swearing-in marked the formal start of the new City Council’s term and included the council’s annual organizational meeting.
Fredericksburg Lodge No. 4 will host a wreath-laying ceremony on Saturday, January 10, to honor General George Weedon, a Revolutionary War hero and early Fredericksburg civic leader. The event will begin at 2 p.m. at the Fredericksburg Masonic Cemetery, at the intersection of Charles and George Streets, where Weedon is buried.
The Grand Master of Masons in Virginia, M.W. Matthew Todd Szramoski, will lead the tribute as part of his Founders’ Footsteps Commemoration Tour. The tour highlights the contributions of Virginia Freemasons to the American Revolution. Following the ceremony, attendees are invited to a reception and tour of the historic Fredericksburg Lodge No. 4, located at 803 Princess Anne Street.
The City of Fredericksburg has finished restoration work on the bell tower of the historic Renwick Courthouse, a key landmark at 815 Princess Anne Street. The project marks a major step in preserving the 19th-century building, designed by renowned architect James Renwick Jr., who also designed the Smithsonian Castle and St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
The tower houses a rare 600-pound bronze bell cast at the Paul Revere Foundry in Boston—one of just 134 surviving Revere bells and the only known one in Virginia. Restoration began in May 2025 and was completed by WxTite, LLC of Greensboro, North Carolina. Work included structural framing repairs, masonry repointing, and restoration of historic stucco and stone details. Contractors carefully preserved the bell and used historically appropriate materials.
Greater Fredericksburg Habitat for Humanity will receive $700,000 in state and federal funding to build six affordable homes in the Mayfield neighborhood of Fredericksburg. The money comes from Virginia’s Affordable and Special Needs Housing (ASNH) program, administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development.
Executive Director Jayne Johnson said the group is “elated” by the funding, which will support a project on Davies Street. “This funding will be key to helping us construct the planned 6-home development,” she said in a release.
“This collaborative exhibit is presented by the City of Fredericksburg and the Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park,” the city said, noting the exhibit is free and open to the public.
The exhibit will be on display through Sunday, February 1, and is part of Fredericksburg’s First Friday programming, highlighting local history and community partnerships.
“The Fredericksburg Police Department is trying to assist with making a Christmas miracle come true,” City of Fredericksburg announced. “Yesterday, a special person turned in a large quantity of U.S. currency that was packaged in a particular envelope.”
“The money was found on December 22 around 3:30 p.m. in the Central Park area,” police said, asking anyone who may have lost the cash to contact the Fredericksburg Police Department at 540-373-3122, Option 2, and ask for Officer Bach.
“Kick off the New Year on the right foot with a First Day Hike,” City of Fredericksburg announced. “Motts Run Reservoir will be open special for the occasion on Thursday, January 1 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.”
“Create your own hike or join one of the three guided hikes throughout the day,” the city added, highlighting the Sensory Stroll at 10 a.m., Storybook Trail at 11:30 a.m., and Hidden Creek Hike at 12:30 p.m.
“City Council has already stated publicly it will allow the data center developers to use city drinking water to cool their buildings for an unspecified period of time while the recycled water pipeline is being built,” posted Inform Fredericksburg on Facebook. “This creates a whole other set of problems that have yet to be discussed publicly by City Council.”
“So, here’s the question every city resident should be asking: Who’s going to pay to expand the city’s water treatment plant to accommodate a single user?” the post continued. “Taxpayers or the developer?”
