Tag: history
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
Holmes Middle School celebrates 50th anniversary
The Holmes Middle School orchestra performs during the 50th anniversary celebration. Students, teachers, alumni, and community members celebrated the 50th anniversary of Oliver Wendell Holmes Middle School in Lincolnia Oct. 21 with musical performances, reminiscences, a 5K run/walk, dedication of a new Little Free Library, and cake. School board member Sandy Evans presents a school … Continued
Annandale’s oldest house is open to the public on Oak Hill Day, Oct. 21
The public will have a chance to take a peek inside the historic Oak Hill mansion on Saturday. Oak Hill, an 18th century Georgian-style house at 4716 Wakefield Chapel Road, Annandale, is all that remains of the Ravensworth Tract, which dates back to the 1670s and once encompassed 22,000 acres. Oak Hill is privately owned … Continued
NOVA invites public to 50th anniversary ceremony
The Pruitt farmhouse. Northern Virginia Community College invites NOVA alumni and the public to a Heritage Celebration Sept. 22, at 10:30 a.m., on the “Historic Site” on the Annandale Campus. That site, where the original Pruitt family farmhouse once stood, is next to the CM building. NOVA President Scott Ralls will dedicate interpretive signage at … Continued
Community members charged with voting for a new name for JEB Stuart High School select ‘Stuart’
The scene outside Stuart High School as people showed up to vote for a new name. The option for retaining the Stuart name for JEB Stuart High School got the most points in a voting exercise conducted by Fairfax County Public Schools Sept. 16. “Stuart/Stuart Raiders” got a total of 917 points, while Justice Thurgood … Continued
Historic marker commemorates Lincolnia church
A crowd gathers for the historic marker unveiling at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church. Mount Pleasant Baptist Church has sustained the African-American community of Lincolnia for 150 years. That milestone was commemorated Aug. 5 with the unveiling of a new historic marker established by the Fairfax County History Commission. Bishop Carroll Baltimore Sr. … Continued
Here’s another ‘Stuart’ worthy of a school name
Alice Jackson Stuart As the Fairfax County School Board prepares to consider a resolution next week about renaming JEB Stuart High School, some board members have expressed the desire to search for a compromise that could be acceptable to both sides. Those who want to keep the name point to the need to preserve the … Continued
New musical covers Fairfax County history
The cast of “The Complete History of Fairfax (The Musical),” from the left: Christopher McDonnell, Hillary Leersnyder, Jesse Pollack, and Alex Poirier. [Class Act Theatre Players Company] By David Siegel “The Complete History of Fairfax (The Musical)” celebrates Fairfax County’s 275th birthday with a humorous look at well-known, little-known, and mythical characters from the past. … Continued
The past comes alive at Fairfax County’s 275th birthday celebration
Fairfax County celebrated its 275th birthday in style June 17 at the Historic Courthouse in Fairfax with many costumed re-enactors, live music, storytellers, crafts, and living history exhibits. Members of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment stationed at Ft. Myer in Arlington appear as soldiers of the Continental Army in 1776. Re-enactors portray the 17th Virginia … Continued
Neighborhood History Project seeks photos and stories from the past
The organizers of Fairfax County’s commemoration of its 275th anniversary this year have launched the Neighborhood History Project to collect information about the founding of local communities, civic associations, and neighborhoods. When Fairfax County was created in 1742, the mostly rural population was about 4,125. Today, more than 1.1 million people live in this urban … Continued