Marine Corps Base Quantico (commonly abbreviated MCB Quantico) is a United States Marine Corps installation located near Triangle, Virginia, covering nearly of southern Prince William County, Virginia, northern Stafford County, and southeastern Fauquier County. Used primarily for training purposes, MCB Quantico is known as the "Crossroads of the Marine Corps".
Quantico Base is a census-designated place (CDP) in Prince William and Stafford counties in the U.S. state of Virginia, used by the Census Bureau to describe base housing. The population was 5,608 as of 2025.
The U.S. Marine Corps' Combat Development Command, which develops strategies for U.S. 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 also located at Quantico, until its closure on 31 December 2011 and its subsequent demolition.
The FBI Academy, the principal research and training facility of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the principal training facility for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the United States Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) are also located on the base.
In 2001, the base was designated as part of the Quantico Marine Corps Base Historic District by the National Register of Historic Places. This district includes 122 buildings, two landscapes, a sculpture, and a water tower located within the Mainside (east of I-95) area of the base. The contributing properties with separate entries include Tennessee Camp, Camp French, Commanding General’s Quarters, and Rising Hill Camp.
History
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. 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 km<sup>2</sup>), of which, 7.2 square miles (18.5 km<sup>2</sup>) of it is land and 1.0 square miles (2.6 km<sup>2</sup>) 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
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