Tag: history
Neighborhood Spotlight: Annandale Acres
Beverly Street Annandale Acres is a mix of new and old and small and large houses, but what really sets it apart from other neighborhoods are the large lots. It’s always been zoned R-1 (one acre per unit), and residents several times beat back attempts to rezone it for higher density. Annandale Acres might well … Continued
Plans under way for Lincoln monument at Northern Virginia Community College
A replica of the Lincoln monument. The effort to have a monument to commemorate President Lincoln’s Grand Review of the Troops in the Bailey’s Crossroads area is back on track and gaining momentum, although there are still a lot of issues to resolve—and a lot of money that needs to be raised—before it becomes a … Continued
Author recounts stories of WW II heroes
Historian and diplomat Robert Dorr gave a lively talk at George Mason Regional Library Feb. 26 about the firebombing of Tokyo during World War II and the atomic bombing that brought the war in the Pacific to a close. He also signed copies of his latest book, Mission to Tokyo: The American Airmen Who Took … Continued
Annandale native has fond memories of growing up in an idyllic small town
Annandale Elementary School students in 1953. Annandale might be a transient, traffic-clogged suburb poised for redevelopment, but for many people who grew up here in the middle of the last century, it’s fondly remembered as an idyllic small town where everyone knew one another. That’s now it was for Nikki McDonald, 72, whose family moved … Continued
DVD captures Annandale High School’s preparation for 1972 championship game
The Marching Atoms in 1972. [This photos and the others with this article are from the 1972 film.] Annandale High School graduate Reuben Weaver (Class of 1980) has been working on a project to convert movies of old Atoms football games to DVDs. Most high schools have long thrown out their old football films, but … Continued
Annandale history comes to life at Oak Hill
Several “ghosts from the past” welcomed visitors to Oak Hill, the oldest house in Annandale on Sept. 28. Standing by the doorway (above) is “Suzanna Fitzhugh,” the wife of Richard Fitzhugh, who built Oak Hill, circa 1790, on the 22,000-acre Ravensworth Tract, one of the largest land grants in the New World. They had eight … Continued
See a glimpse of Annandale’s past on Oak Hill Day, Sept. 28
Your chance to get a peek inside Annandale’s oldest house is coming up. Saturday, Sept. 28, is the annual Oak Hill Day when the first floor of the privately owned 18th-century Georgian-style home is open to visitors. The house, at 4716 Wakefield Chapel Road, is part of the 22,000-acre land grant to the Fitzhugh family … Continued
Farewell, ‘Mr. Annandale’
Photo from the Everly-Wheatley Funeral Home. Irving La’Rue Denton, known as “Mr. Annandale” for his knowledge of the history of this area, passed away July 26, 2013, at age 92. According to an obituary in the Washington Post, Irv Denton spent 30 years in the Air Force, serving in World War II, the Korean War, … Continued
Lane Ruiz looks back on 34 years at an Annandale barber shop
Lane Ruiz takes a break between haircuts. Annandale has changed a lot over the past 34 years—but a few things have remained pretty much the same. Parliament Cleaners and Sal’s Shoe Repair had already been decades old in 1980 and are still up and running. Another Annandale old-timer, barber Lane Ruiz, has been at the … Continued
Central plaza proposed as a ‘quick fix’ to encourage Annandale redevelopment
Annandale banners designed by students at Westwood College. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of interest in a major redevelopment project in Annandale, at least for the time being, so Jeffrey Levine, an architect/urban planner with Levine Design Studio, came up with an idea for creating a town center plaza in the heart of … Continued
Former Oliver farmhouse on Gallows Road on the market again
The old Oliver farmhouse, at 4011 Gallows Road, Annandale, is back on the market. The asking price is $1.249 million. When it was last put up for sale, in the winter of 2012, it was priced at $1.65 million. The wood frame house has had several additions since it was built in 1932. It has … Continued
Historic marker commemorates Bog Wallow Ambush
A new historic marker was unveiled May 5 at the intersection of Braddock Road and Dunleigh Drive in Burke to commemorate a Civil War skirmish known as the “Bog Wallow Ambush.” The marker is just outside Annandale, between Rolling Road and Guinea Road. The unveiling was conducted by descendants of the Union scout who planned … Continued
Old Annandale farmhouse is for sale, but owners won’t sell to a developer
There are many 100-year-old boxwoods around the house. If you’d like to live in the country but don’t want to give up the convenience of being close to the city, Boxhill Farm is the place for you. It’s a restored farmhouse on seven acres of land in Annandale just outside the beltway, and it’s for … Continued
150th anniversary of the raid at Accotink and Burke commemorated
John Vrana, in a coat like those worm by the Confederates, sets fire to a photo of the old Accotink bridge. A bunch of history enthusiasts gathered at Lake Accotink Park Dec. 30 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Confederate raids on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad trestle bridge and the railroad station in … Continued
Annandale Florist owner Gary Sherfey remembers the old Annandale
An old photo of Annandale Florist is on display in the shop. Many longtime Annandale residents will miss Annandale Florist when it closes for good at the end of the year. The owner, Gary Sherfey, however, is looking forward to retirement. “In a way, it’s bittersweet,” he says. “but it’s something I’ve been doing for … Continued