Marine Corps Base Quantico draws people to Triangle
The character of Triangle, Virginia, has been shaped by the U.S. Marine Corps base in neighboring Quantico. Nearly 27,000 people work at the military base 2 miles from Triangle, while the FBI employs a few thousand more at its training academy in Quantico. Many of those workers choose to live in Triangle, a primarily residential community between the brackish waters of Quantico Creek and the sprawling woodlands of Prince William Forest Park. Much of the neighborhood’s recreation, attractions and events are influenced by the Marine Corps presence. Triangle is within 35 miles of Washington, D.C., so federal workers and employees of government contractors also make their homes in Triangle, adds Cherish Green, a salesperson with Coldwell Banker Elite who has worked in Northern Virginia real estate since 1999.
Obstacle course, boating at Locust Shade Park
Triangle borders Prince William Forest Park, a 15,000-acre expanse of forest and creeks. The national park encompasses 37 miles of trails and five campgrounds. Locust Shade Park is one of the most multi-faceted green spaces in the area. The Department of Defense worked with Prince William County to develop the park’s obstacle course, as well as a miniature version for kids. Locust Shade Park also features an 8-acre pond that parkgoers can traverse in canoes and pedal boats, or they can stay on the bank and fish for trout. Many homes along Quantico Creek have docks. Boaters often journey down the creek to the Potomac River, heading north to Washington, D.C., Green says. “A lot of people boat to D.C. to watch Fourth of July fireworks on the National Mall. It’ll take 20 minutes by boat but two hours by car.” Golfers can play Medal of Honor Golf Course, built by the Marine Corps more than 90 years ago. The 18-hole course is open to active-duty military and the general public.
Free entry to National Museum of the Marine Corps
An average of 400,000 people visit the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle every year, and residents are minutes away from touring exhibits on the history of the military branch. Admission to the museum is free. There’s not much shopping or dining in Triangle. If locals cross into the neighboring town of Dumfries, they can access convenience stores, fast food restaurants and Jimmy T’s Soft Serve, an ice cream stand offering 26 flavors. Two miles away in River Oaks, shoppers can go to Walmart and Food Lion. Houses of worship in Triangle include multiple Protestant churches, St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church and Badr Community Center of Dumfries, an Islamic center in Dumfries.
Marine Corps 17.75K run
The trails of Prince William Forest Park serve as the course for the Marine Corps 17.75K in March. The length of the run, which covers about 11 miles, commemorates the year the Marine Corps was created: 1775. Runners who are 14 years old and up can register for the event, and participants in the race are eligible to run in the annual Marine Corps Marathon in Arlington.
Homes along Quantico Creek
The nearby military base and proximity to the nation’s capital attract various types of homebuyers. There’s an assortment of home sizes and prices to match, explains RE/MAX Gateway associate broker Susie Branco Zinn. “You have the older, little ranch-style homes, all the way up to million-dollar properties.” Options include ranch homes spread along wooded roads, Colonial Revivals packed into subdivisions and new traditional homes along Quantico Creek. Homebuyers should be aware a few homes along the creek are in a federally designated flood zone. Price tags start at $265,000 for a two-bedroom house, while a four-bedroom waterfront home can fetch nearly $700,000. A house with seven bedrooms can cost as much as $950,000. There’s a cluster of townhouses on the north side, with prices ranging from $285,000 to $540,000.
Forest Park High teaches gaming, programming
The Prince William County Public Schools district gets a Niche grade of A-minus, but none of the local public schools receive a grade higher than a B-plus. Children can stay in the neighborhood to take classes at Triangle Elementary School and Graham Park Middle School; each school is graded a B. Teens can go to B-plus-rated Forest Park High School, where students can study programming and gaming through the Center for Information Technology program. Triangle is also home to two private schools: St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School and Calvary Christian School.
Living alongside I-95
Triangle sits along Interstate 95, so motorists can hop on and drive to Washington, D.C. The district is about 30 miles away, but the drive can take as long as two hours. AMTRAK and Virginia Railway Express provide train service to Washington, D.C., from the Quantico station less than 2 miles away. However, the station is on a Marine Corps base. Passengers have to show IDs at the base’s entry gate, so they can expect delays accessing the station. County-operated bus service OmniRide stops in Triangle, taking riders to the OmniRide Transit Center in Woodbridge. The center is a mile from indoor mall Potomac Mills, Virginia’s largest outlet mall.
Photography Contributed By
Tyson Le
