Tag: history
Annandale village in the 1950s
Anne Sansbury’s former home on Walton Lane was between Hummer Road and Annandale Road. Click to enlarge. By Anne Sansbury, a resident of Annandale. There are many theories about the origin of the name Annandale, but a likely one is that it was named after the valley of the Annan River (i.e., Annan Dale) in … Continued
Annandale memories: Columbia Pines’ first residents
Linda Hollis at Annandale Elementary School in 1958. This is the third article in the Annandale Oral History series. These stories, about what it was like growing up in Annandale when it was still a semi-rural community, are based on interviews conducted on Oct. 5 in the Pop-Up Park during the 2019 Taste of Annandale. … Continued
Annandale memories: Mom and pop shops, Topps, and donkey baseball
Eighth-graders at Annandale High School in 1954 or 55. This is the second article about what it was like growing up in Annandale when it was still a semi-rural community. We invited people to share their stories for the Annandale Oral History Project, and the interviews were conducted on Oct. 5 in the Pop-Up Park … Continued
Annandale memories: Unpaved roads, free-roaming kids, and the ‘Jolly-ettes’
Schoolchildren walking home from school on Hillbrook Drive, Annandale, in 1952 before it was paved. From the left: Nancy Hoffman’s brother, Peter McAdams; Nancy McAdams Hoffman; Donna Jean Rittenhouse; and Joanne Beury. This is the first in a series of articles about what it was like growing up in Annandale when it was still a semi-rural … Continued
Annandale Statue of Peace honors Korean ‘comfort women’
Annandale has a new statue memorializing the “comfort women,” a euphemism for the Korean women forcibly taken by the Japanese military to serve as sex slaves during World War II. The “Statue of Peace,” featuring a seated girl next to an empty chair, was installed at 7601 Little River Turnpike in front of the … Continued
Members of the AHS Class of 1959 recall fun times in semi-rural Annandale
The Annandale High School 60th reunion. When Annandale was a semi-rural community in the 1950s, teens used to ride horses down the streets, enjoyed sock hops in the school gym, and in some cases, quit school to get married. Those are some of the memories shared by Annandale High School alumni at an informal celebration … Continued
Share your memories with the Annandale Oral History Project at the Taste of Annandale
The Annandale firehouse in 1948. Did you grow up in Annandale when it was a semi-rural outer suburb? We’re inviting you to share your memories with the Annandale Oral History Project during the Taste of Annandale on Oct. 5. There will be a table set up with an interviewer to record your stories at the … Continued
New interpretive signs installed at Mason District Park
Mason District Park in Annandale has a dozen brand-new interpretive signs, thanks to the efforts of local residents. David Siegel, who lives next door to the park, got the ball rolling about three years ago. He noticed the signs had gotten “ratty” and needed to be replaced. He offered to contribute $500 to the cost of … Continued
Annandale cannon lovingly restored and back in place
It was a huge project that took nearly a year, but the Annandale cannon is completely restored and back in place at the intersection of Columbia Pike and Backlick Road. Boy Scout Mark Witkowski worked on the cannon for a project to earn an Eagle Scout badge under the supervision of American Legion Post 1976 … Continued
A quiet, rural Lincolnia is remembered by a long-time resident
The old Carter store. Few Lincolnia residents know what their community was like when it was still a rural enclave, before it became choked with strip malls, subdivisions, and traffic. Third-generation Lincolnia resident Jill Gerald, 79, remembers. At a presentation on Lincolnia in the Olden Days at the Mason Government Center in August, Gerald spoke … Continued
The Annandale cannon is getting a makeover
The cannon was here. The Annandale cannon is expected to be returned to its spot at Columbia Pike and Backlick Road in the center of Annandale in several months completely refurbished. The cannon is a 1905 three-inch field gun that was used in the Mexican campaign against Pancho Villa. American Legion Post 1976 is in … Continued
Six soldiers killed in tragic accident in Annandale 51 years ago
The temporary memorial put up by Terry Powers, with the permanent plaque in the foreground. June 1 marks the 51st anniversary of a tragic accident that happened at Howery Field Park in Annandale, reports Annandale Blog reader Terry Powers. Six young soldiers from Fort Belvoir were putting up a flagpole in the park for a … Continued
The Annandale cannon needs some work
If there are any Boy Scouts in the area looking for a good Eagle Scout project – here’s an idea. The Annandale cannon, the landmark at the intersection of Columbia Pike and Backlick Road, has fallen into disrepair and needs to be restored. American Legion Bicentennial Post 1976, based nearby at Daniels Avenue, is in … Continued
Park Authority will seek a resident curator to care for the White Gardens
The house on the White Gardens property. Want to live free in a historic property in exchange for doing some rehabilitation and maintenance work? Fairfax County’s resident curator program could be for you. The program, authorized by the Board of Supervisors in 2014, is aimed at ensuring little-used, publicly owned historic properties are preserved for … Continued
New residents of Oak Hill enjoy ‘owning a piece of history’
Oak Hill is all that’s left of the 23,000-acre Ravensworth Tract. Joe Braceland, the new owner of Oak Hill, the oldest house in Annandale, didn’t even know the mansion existed six months ago. Joe, his wife Laura, their two daughters, ages 9 and 13, and their two cats moved into the historic property this … Continued