We came upon a curious blip in our project of digitizing marriages performed in Fredericksburg, VA. Between 1995 where we started back to 1940 the highest number of marriages per year was 335 in 1942. Until we hit 1940. The number of marriage licenses taken out in 1940 was 1,599; 1939 even higher with 1,771. We also noted the majority of licenses were given to out of state couples. Why? Possibly the war in Europe had some impact on couples. After some research we also found that mandatory premarital blood tests were being passed in the northern states. Virginia’s “Premarital Examination Law” took effect in August 1940. So of the almost 1600 marriage licenses that year, all but 200 were taken out prior to August. New York State, for instance, passed their “Premarital Examination Law” in June 1939. As we work through that year we will see if there is a rush of New York couples coming to Virginia for their marriage licence. Why Fredericksburg? That’s easy – rail transportation from the major east coast cities right to the Fredericksburg station that is only a short four blocks to court. It will take us a while to get 1939 done, and then going back the years look quite slim. A real goldmine for genealogists.