Mantua, Virginia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mantua, Virginia
Census-designated place
Street corner in Mantua after snowfall, January 2019
Location of Mantua in Fairfax County, Virginia
Mantua, Virginia Location in Northern Virginia Show map of Northern Virginia Mantua, Virginia Location in Virginia Show map of Virginia Mantua, Virginia Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Virginia
County	Fairfax
Area
• Total	2.37 sq mi (6.15 km2)
• Land	2.36 sq mi (6.10 km2)
• Water	0.02 sq mi (0.06 km2)
Elevation	371 ft (113 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	7,503
• Density	3,165.8/sq mi (1,222.3/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
FIPS code	51-49144
GNIS feature ID	1495049

Mantua is a community in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. It is known as a "census-designated place" (CDP), which means it's a specific area defined for collecting population data.

Mantua is a quiet neighborhood where many people live. They often travel to work in the larger Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Most of the houses in Mantua were built between the 1950s and the 1980s. In 2020, about 7,503 people lived there.

Geography

Mantua is located in the central part of Fairfax County. It is next to the city of Fairfax on its west side. Other nearby communities include Merrifield to the north and Woodburn to the east.

The community covers about 6.2 square kilometers (2.4 square miles). A small part of this area, about 0.06 square kilometers, is water. Accotink Creek, a stream that flows into the Potomac River, runs through the northern part of Mantua. Another stream, Crook Branch, flows through the southern part.

History

Environmental Cleanup Efforts

In 1990, an oil distribution plant near Mantua had a leak. About 200,000 gallons of petroleum leaked into the soil and groundwater. This affected an area of about 22 acres.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) helped to clean up the area. They installed a system to pump and treat the contaminated groundwater. Homes in the affected area were connected to public water lines to ensure safety.

Over the years, many steps were taken to clean the water and soil. By 2013, tests showed that harmful vapors in homes were no longer a problem. The groundwater contamination had also decreased. Cleanup efforts are still ongoing at the plant site to make sure the environment remains safe.

Population Information

Mantua has grown steadily over the years. Here's how the population has changed:

In 2010, there were 7,135 people living in Mantua. Most residents were White or Asian. About 6.2% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino. The average age in Mantua was about 46 years old.

Education

Mantua is known for its good schools. The schools here are part of the Fairfax County Public Schools system.

Public Schools

The schools that serve Mantua are highly regarded. For example, Mantua's former principal was recognized as a top principal in Virginia. Woodson High School is also highly ranked nationally.

Elementary schools that serve Mantua include:

• Mantua Elementary School
• Fairhill Elementary School

Secondary schools that serve Mantua include:

• Frost Middle School
• Woodson High School

Some students from Frost Middle School can also try to get into Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. This school is often ranked as one of the best high schools in America.

Private Schools

There are also private schools located nearby:

• Gesher Jewish Day School of Northern Virginia (for grades K-8)
• St. Ambrose Catholic School (for grades K-8)

Notable Residents

Mantua has been home to several well-known people:

• Gerry Connolly: He is a member of the United States House of Representatives. This means he helps make laws for the country.
• Stephen E. Gordy: He was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates. This means he helped make laws for the state of Virginia.
• Augusto and Michaela Odone: They were the parents of Lorenzo Odone. Their story was told in the 1992 film Lorenzo's Oil.
• Lorenzo Odone: He was a young boy who had a rare disease called ALD. His parents worked hard to find a treatment for him.

See also

In Spanish: Mantua (Virginia) para niños