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History Commission Accomplishments

Fairfax County History Commission Accomplishments in 2010

Civil War Sesquicentennial

Fairfax County has joined other localities across the state in forming a Local Sesquicentennial Committee to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Civil War.  Members of the Commission have joined with Visit Fairfax, the Park Authority, and representatives from local groups and societies to work with the State Commission, plan events and activities that highlight its ties to the Civil War, and to promote its Civil War history.  Gretchen Bulova is the Commission’s representative to the County Sesquicentennial Steering Committee and serves as Chair of the History Commission's committee.

 
Members of this committee include Carole Herrick, Mary Lipsey and Naomi Zeavin.  They are planning a wide variety of activities to support the County Sesquicentennial initiatives and are working in conjunction with the City of Fairfax to commemorate the Skirmish of Fairfax Courthouse on June 1, 2011.

Fairfax County Resident Curator Program

Over the past year, the Fairfax County History Commission has been investigating the potential to institute a resident curator program within the County.  A resident curator program would allow a historic property to be given to a locality and maintained according to specified preservation guidelines.  The Commission studied similar programs to determine their viability and learn their guiding principles.

 
A Fairfax County resident curator program could provide citizens with the opportunity to hold a lifetime or long-term lease on a county owned historic property at little or no cost to the County.  In exchange for this lease, the curator would pledge to restore and maintain the historic property during the life of the lease while periodically opening the historic property to the public.

In February of 2011 Delegate Tom Rust placed enabling legislation to the Virginia Assembly for the adoption of resident curator programs in the Commonwealth of Virginia, which was signed into law by Governor McDonald in March 2011.

As we move forward, the History Commission will be exploring ways Fairfax County can institute a resident curator program on a local level, possibly using existing vehicles in place with the Virginia Department of Historic Resources and Preservation Virginia.
Robert E. Beach is leading this effort.  Gretchen Bulova, Michael Irwin, Barbara Naef and Richard Zambito serve on his committee.

Web Site

The History Commission's web page includes member contact information, publications information and Commission accomplishments.  In addition, a historical resources page provides information on property owners in 1860, lists of Board of Supervisor members and historical marker text, photos and location maps.  The website serves as an easy, up to date and readily available tool for anyone interested in our County's history.  Debbie Robison manages the website.  The webmaster is Greg Chase with the Department of Planning and Zoning.

Sixth Annual History Conference

Preserving Our Paths in History—James Lee Community Center, November 6, 2010

With over 100 attendees, the 6th Annual Fairfax County History Conference, “Preserving Our Paths in History,” November 6th was a tremendous success.  Dedicated to the memories of local historians Nan and Ross Netherton (November 6, 2010 would have been Ross’s 92nd birthday) and sponsored by the Fairfax County History Commission, the Fairfax County Park Authority, the Fairfax Museum and Visitors Center, and Preservation Virginia.  The Annandale High School culinary department under the leadership of Christine Gloninger provided attendees with a delicious continental breakfast and lunch.  The Fairfax Museum and Visitor Center provided prizes for trivia question winners.  County Archaeology Staff was on hand to discuss their work in their offices located at the conference site.  Nine authors and nine exhibitors participated as well.

 
Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman, Sharon Bulova kicked off the conference reminiscing about the importance of historic preservation, by sharing the story of Ilda, a long-forgotten early 20th century inter-racial enclave, rediscovered when VDOT began a road expansion project.

 
Chairman Bulova also presented annual History Commission awards to the following.  For more information, see the Awards Programs section of this report.

John McAnaw, Ed Wenzel, Michael Rierson—the Lifetime Achievement Award;
The Hunter Mill Defense League History Committee—the Ross Netherton Award;
John Browne—the Beth Mitchell Award;
Susan Hellman—the Nan Netherton Award;
Rick Castelli—the Edith Moore Sprouse Award;
Cora Foley—the Cultural Heritage Engagement Award; and
Maddy McCoy—the Distinguished Service Award. 

The Keynote Speaker, Elizabeth Kostelny, spoke on the importance of historic preservation – especially during economically difficult times.  As Executive Director of Preservation Virginia, she spoke on “Growing Virginia’s Movement – Historic Preservation in the 21st Century” and encouraged Fairfax County to continue doing good work in preserving the rich historic resources of the county, and affirmed the conference as evidence of this good work.

Michael C. Rierson gave a talk on his time with the Park Authority, “It Docent Matter – The Beginnings of a Museum and Historic Preservation Program.” 
Andrea Loewenwarter from the Fairfax Museum and Visitors Center shared the history of preserving the newly renovated and preserved Blenheim, “Preserving Historic Blenheim.”

Local railroad historian Ron Beavers spoke on, “Fairfax County Railroads – Pre-Civil War and What is Left Today.”
The final presentations of the conference reflected preservation of a number of local sites:  Chuck Mauro on the preservation and history of Laura Ratcliffe’s home, “Merrybrook,” David Goetz on John Singleton Mosby’s home in Warrenton, “Brentmoor,” and Mary Lipsey on the good work of the Fairfax County Cemetery Preservation Association.

History Conference Committee members were:  Lynne Garvey-Hodge, Chair, along with Rob Orisson (Preservation Virginia), Dr. Elizabeth Crowell (Fairfax County Park Authority), Susan Gray (Fairfax Museum and Visitor Center) and Fairfax County History Commissioner members Naomi Zeavin, Esther McCullough, Sallie Lyons, Barbara Naef, Anne Barnes, Carole Herrick, Mary Lipsey and Mike Irwin.

The 7th Annual History Conference will be held on Saturday, November 12, 2011 at the new Stacy C. Sherwood Community Center in the City of Fairfax.  The theme is “The Civil War Comes to Northern Virginia.”

Ethnic Committee

This committee was formed in the fall of 1997 in response to the increasing demographic diversity of Fairfax County's population.  The one hundred languages spoken within schools show the diversity of the population.  It has been estimated that in less than fifty years the County's white population will drop below 50 percent.  The committee set as a goal to explore the ways in which more ethnic segments might be encouraged to record their experiences and community history since their arrival in Northern Virginia.

The members of the Ethnic committee are Naomi Zeavin, Anne Barnes, Sallie Lyons, Lynne Garvey-Hodge and Chair, Esther McCullough.

Oral History

In 2004, at the suggestion of then-Chairman Connolly, the Commission formed a subcommittee of the Ethnic Committee to seek a project for recording and presenting oral history in Fairfax County.  The subcommittee is researching ways to present oral history that convey to the County and the youth that the history of all people is important.  In addition, that history is not just the past, but is made each day.

The oral history of a 96-year-old woman from Vienna documented early-20th century African-American social life in Fairfax County.
Led by Esther McCullough, the committee includes Naomi Zeavin, Anne Barnes, Sallie Lyons and Lynne Garvey-Hodge.

Publications

The Fairfax County History Commission's Publications Committee completed a project to reprint the book Fairfax County, Virginia in 1760 and its associated map.  They continue working on several reprints including Beginning at a White Oak:  Patents and Northern Neck Grants of Fairfax County, Virginia; Legato School:  a Centennial Souvenir; and Mount Air, Fairfax, Virginia which is expected to be published during 2011.  The committee is working on publishing “Fairfax County in 1860” which is a portrait of the County shown through property identification maps and an aggregation of census data.  The maps are posted online at http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/histcomm/1860maps.htm .  Committee members are coordinating with the Fairfax County Park Authority and the Virginia Room on sales of history publications previously sold at the Maps and Publications Center which closed July 1, 2009.  The Commission’s publications are available for purchase at the Virginia Room.  The old Planning Office publications are available through the Park Authority.  Committee members are coordinating with Park Authority and the Virginia Room to start a program for sales of historical publications by mail or online.  See the Commission’s website for more information.

Members of the Publications Committee are Mary Lipsey (Chair), Mayo Stuntz, Elise Ruff Murray, Barbara Naef, Lynne Garvey-Hodge, Anne Barnes, Carole Herrick and Suzanne Levy, ex officio, Virginia Room.

Awards Program

The Fairfax County History Commission has established several awards programs to honor achievements in Fairfax County history and historic preservation.  These programs include the Lifetime Achievement Award, the Distinguished Service Awards, which are typically awarded to individuals, developers, corporations, or groups that have contributed to preserving history in Fairfax County.  The Fairfax Heritage Awards are designed to encourage and reward original research in Fairfax County history.  The Mary Fahringer Memorial Award is a very special award recognizing outstanding achievement in education, concentrating in areas of history and architecture.

Chairman Bulova presented history awards to at the 6th Annual Fairfax County History Conference on November 6, 2010.  They included:
Lifetime Achievement Award:

Ed Wenzel for his 22 year work preserving and protecting Ox Hill Battlefield.

John McAnaw for over 25 years of dedicated service as a Civil War historian and protector of land in the Kings Park area.

Michael Rierson for over 33 years of dedicated service with the Fairfax County Park Authority preserving and protecting numerous county sites from Sully Plantation to Frying Pan Park.

 
Heritage Awareness Awards:

Ross Netherton Award:  the Hunter Mill Defense League History Committee received the most prestigious award that the Fairfax County History Commission bestows for their work in creating the documentary, “Danger between the Lines,” relating the story of the people living amidst the turmoil of the Civil War along Hunter Mill Road.  Tom Evans, Jim Lewis, Charlie Balch, Bob Eldridge and Steve Hull received this award.

Beth Mitchell Award:  John Browne for his work researching the Ravensworth estate, dating back to 1796, the original home of William Fitzhugh and land, which once covered nearly an eighth of the county.

Nan Netherton Award:  Susan Hellman for her outstanding research and documentation on the property called “Kenmore.”

Edith Moore Sprouse Award:  Rick Castelli for his extensive research on Fenwick Park

Cultural Heritage Engagement Award:  Cora Foley received the first of this new award.

Distinguished Service Award:  Maddy McCoy for her assistance on the “Kenmore” paper as well as for her work creating the African-American Slave index of Fairfax County.

Thomas Jefferson High School students under the leadership of history teacher Larry Helm also submitted papers.

The Awards committee included Commissioners Naomi Zeavin, Robert E. Beach, Jack L. Hiller and Lynne Garvey-Hodge, Chair.

Historical Markers

Fairfax County’s Historical Marker Program began in January 1998 when the History Commission approved a design and agreed to fund a distinctive marker for Fairfax County.  While this marker was generally modeled after Virginia’s roadside markers, by state code it had to have a distinctive appearance.  With colors derived from George Washington’s Fairfax Militia uniform, these buff and blue roadside markers emblazoned with the Fairfax County seal, stand ten feet from ground level.

In the twelve years the program has existed 42 historical markers (including six state markers) have been approved for installation by the History Commission.  Many requests for historical markers are initiated by the public, which provides for approximately one half of the funding.  Some markers, including those requested by developers, are funded entirely by the requesting party.  All requests are reviewed by a committee for historical accuracy and editorial continuity before being submitted to the entire Commission for approval.

Four historical markers were approved in 2010:  “Action at Annandale” (installed at George Mason Library in Annandale), “Hybla Valley Airport” (waiting for the property owner’s permission and not yet fabricated), “Saint Mark’s Episcopal Church” (installed at 6744 King’s Highway) and “Chantilly” (still being fabricated).  In addition, the “Mosby Attacks Annandale” marker, located at Championship Dr. and Frontage Rd. in Annandale, was dedicated on May 7, 2010, and the “Ilda” marker, located at Guinea Rd. and Little River Turnpike (Route 236) was dedicated on December 19, 2010.  Both markers were approved by the Commission in 2009.

Thanks to Laurie Turkawski and Greg Chase, from the Department of Zoning and Planning, all of the Fairfax County History Commission Historical Roadside Markers installed from 1998 through August 2009 are available for viewing on the Commission’s web page at http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/histcomm/historicmarkers/.  Markers installed after August 2009 will be added later.  The viewer can select a magisterial district on a map to observe the number of markers in that district, click on the red dot showing the marker location and see a picture of the marker and its surroundings along with the text, date installed, how it was funded and a detailed location map.  An alphabetical list of the markers is also available.

Serving on the Marker Committee are Anne Barnes, Michael Irwin, Mary Lipsey, Esther McCullough, Page Shelp and Jack L. Hiller, the chairman.

Inventory of Historic Sites

The Fairfax County Inventory of Historic Sites is one of the History Commission’s longest standing responsibilities.  It serves as both an honorific and a planning tool.  The Comprehensive Plan includes the Inventory sites in the Heritage Resources section of each Planning District.  In November 2007, the Board of Supervisors authorized an Out of Turn Plan Amendment, S07-CW-5CP.  The purpose of this Countywide Heritage Resources Comprehensive Plan Amendment was to:

• Update the Inventory of Historic Sites tables that appear in the district-wide recommendation section of each planning district;
• Update the language in the Overview and Heritage Resources sections of the district-wide recommendation section of each planning district to reflect changes that have taken place;
• Consider editorial changes to reflect changes to site names;
• Modify the Plan Glossary definition for Heritage Resources; and
• Update the language in the Heritage Resources section of each planning sector to reflect changes that have taken place, and revise text where more accurate information has been discovered through additional research.

On January 26, 2009, the Board of Supervisors approved plan amendment S07-CW-5CP and directed staff work with the History and Planning Commissions to develop a process for updating the County Inventory of Historic Sites in the Comprehensive Plan on a systematic basis.

The Commission and staff settled on a system of annual Out of Turn Plan Amendments to update the Inventory tables, references to Inventory sites in the text and other technical corrections.  S09-CW-2CP, approved by the Planning Commission on February 4, 2010 and by the Board of Supervisors on March 9, 2010 was the first of these amendments.

Much hard work by many people went into both plan amendments.  Linda Cornish Blank, the County’s Historic Preservation Planner oversaw the rehabilitation of the Inventory and the Out of Turn Plan Amendment process.  Sterling Wheeler, at the direction of Fred Selden, Planning Division Director, oversaw the creation of planning district maps identifying all Inventory sites.  Susan Hellman, Historian I, began the Inventory update.  Laurie Turkawski, Historian I, completed the Inventory update, revised the Plan text and Inventory tables.  DPZ Planning Division staff, Indrani Sistla, Senior Planner, and Harry Rado, Graphics Supervisor, contributed to the Out of Turn Plan Amendment by, respectively, developing the GIS program for the Inventory and producing the planning district maps showing the Inventory sites.  Planners Maya Dhavale, Jayjeev Hada, Mubarika Shah and Mary Ann Welton provided invaluable technical assistance at the community meetings.  In addition, Liz Crowell and John Rutherford of the Park Authority Cultural Resource Management and Protection Section also provided invaluable assistance, especially in evaluating demolished structures.

The wall map of Inventory sites  won the County's 2010 GIS award for Best GIS Cartographic Product or Presentation.

There were no additions to the Inventory in 2010, so it remains at 358 listings.  Below is a table of revisions from 2010 not yet reflected in the Comprehensive Plan.

Inventory of Historic Sites
Changes not yet reflected in the Comprehensive Plan
2010

* indicates demolished

The current Inventory list along with its background, nomination forms and research guidelines are accessible to staff and the general public on the County website.  An Inventory nomination form instruction guide and example are also now available on the county website.  (www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpz/historic/ihs).  Copies of the Inventory forms and summaries of each site have been distributed to regional branches of Fairfax County Public Library.

In July 2005, the Commission funded a Limited Term Historian I position within the Department of Planning and Zoning and hired Susan Hellman to begin the task of updating the Inventory for the first time since 1994.  In June 2008, Laurie Turkawski took over, revised the Plan text and Inventory tables and made presentations to both the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors.  The Commission is very grateful to the Board of Supervisors and DPZ for funding the Historian I position for fiscal years 2007 through 2009.  Due to budget constraints, DPZ was unable to fund the position for FY 2010.  The Commission felt that it was so important to continue to work on and improve the Inventory of Historic Sites that the Commission transferred $46,000 to DPZ to fund the Limited Term Historian I position in FY 2010.  DPZ provided funding again for FY 2011.  The History Commission is very grateful to the Board of Supervisors, the County Executive and DPZ Senior Staff for approving the conversion of the Limited Term Historian I position was into a Merit position, effective March 12, 2011.

In 2010, Ms. Turkawski’s work included managing the Inventory, revising the Inventory nomination form, and writing an instruction guide with a sample nomination to aid the public in preparing nomination forms, and developing a process whereby the Inventory can be routinely updated in the Comprehensive Plan.  The Department of Planning and Zoning continues to be supportive.  The Commission continues to work with County Staff to establish procedures for obtaining notice of impending demolition of Inventory sites, which might require a change in the Zoning Ordinance.

Sallie Lyons, Elise Ruff Murray, Barbara Naef and Debbie Robison serve on the Inventory Committee, in cooperation with Laurie Turkawski and Linda Cornish Blank of DPZ.   

Cultural Resource Management and Protection Section Grants

Since 2000, Vicki Monken has put in over 2,500 hours entering archeological data into the computer for the Park Authority Cultural Resource Management and Protection Section.  In addition to current data entry, she is working through reams of forms filled out by the County Archeology Program in the course of its over 30 years of operation.  The Commission provides her a modest grant to do this invaluable work.

The History Commission provided funding for two summer interns in 2010.  Sean Tennant, an archaeology intern, did archaeological fieldwork, research and laboratory analysis for Colchester.  Justine Rothbart, a historic preservation intern, did research and worked on architectural history projects, including Huntley.  All of these efforts were in support of the Cultural Resource Management Plan.  

Speaker’s Bureau

At the Board of Supervisors request, the Commission compiled a list of people willing to speak on topics related to Fairfax County history.  The resulting Speaker’s Bureau List includes a variety of countywide history topics with related speakers and contact information, including name, email address and phone number.  Numerous members of the Commission are included.  It is a continuous work in progress and is customized and updated as necessary.

Members of the Fairfax County History Commission continue to be active in speaking before various civic, community and historic groups.
Anne Barnes has presented talks on the early historical Fairfax County “Colored” schools at the annual Fairfax County History Conference, Gunston Hall and historic one room Laurel Grove School located in Franconia, Virginia.

Jack Lewis Hiller spoke to two groups in 2010 in addition to giving 13 tours of Gunston Hall.  Typically, he is asked to speak in public schools, to civic associations, historical groups, senior citizens or to private groups.  Many of Hiller’s lectures are given with slides and focus on Springfield.  Titles of his lectures include:  “Murder At The Mill: My Search For William H. Keene,”  “Henry Daingerfield and Origins of Springfield,”  “Oakgrove: The Home that John H. Broders Built,” “The Hidden History of Hidden Pond Park,” and “An Introduction To Fairfax Archaeology.”

Lynne Garvey-Hodge has a particular interest in the Progressive Era of the United States (1890–1920) and re-enacts Suffragist Mrs. Robert Walker for numerous community events, educational groups and Cox Cable Channel 10.  In addition, she will soon be featured in a documentary film about the atrocities inflicted upon the Suffragists at Occoquan Workhouse during 1917.  Ms. Garvey-Hodge also gives talks about her book for Arcadia Publishers’ Images of America Series, Clifton.  She gives presentations on the history of Clifton using music, photo boards and games to local groups and for the Cox Cable Channel 10, “Virginia Time Travel” and “NARFE” programs.
Mary Lipsey continues to provide presentations on a variety of topics related to the “Braddock’s True Gold” project, local history, women's history and firsts in American history.

Sallie Lyons promotes preservation and archeological and historical research in the old town of Colchester, Colchester Park and Preserve and Mason Neck, speaking frequently to groups and at the History Conference.

Naomi Zeavin speaks at the Rotary and schools, etc. on Historic Mason District.

Outreach Activities

Fairfax County History Commission Members continue to be active in a variety of ways in the community.  This is not meant as a comprehensive list but merely a means to highlight the wide variety of activities of commission members.

Anne Barnes is a member of the Board of Directors of the Laurel Grove School Association.

Architect Member, Robert E. Beach, AIA, LEED, AP, designed the Turning Point Suffragist Memorial, which will be located in Occoquan Regional Park in Lorton and will pay tribute to the women who endured harsh imprisonment to secure voting rights for women.  Lynne Garvey-Hodge and Irma Clifton serve on the committee for the project.
Irma Clifton is the President of the Lorton Heritage Society, Inc., and is historian and collections manager for the Lorton Arts Foundation.  She owns a historic house in Falmouth, where she also is active in historic preservation.

Carole Herrick is the co-chair of the McLean & Great Falls Celebrate Virginia as it prepares for the Mclean Centennial Celebration.

Lynne Garvey-Hodge serves on the Town of Clifton Historic Preservation Committee, which she initiated; serves as chair of the Clifton Betterment Association’s Clifton Oral History Project; has co-chaired the Annual Historic Candlelight Tour of the Town; and chaired the Clifton Community Woman’s Club Spring Homes Tour in 2011.
Lynne Garvey-Hodge and Mary Lipsey co-founded the non-profit Fairfax County Cemetery Preservation Association, Inc, whose goal is to preserve and protect family cemeteries in Fairfax County.  Both are officers.

Sallie Lyons formed and incorporated the Friends of Fairfax County Archeology and Cultural Resources, FOFA, supporting the Cultural Resource Management and Protection Section of the Park Authority.  Barbara Naef was among the charter members.

Sallie Lyons continues to promote preservation and archeology in Colchester and provide pro bono graphic design through Lyonshare Studios for CRMP historical interpretive trailside displays.  She is an active member of the Lorton Heritage Society, Preservation Virginia and the Northern Virginia Chapter of the Archaeological Society of Virginia.
Elise Murray and Mayo Stuntz serve on the Board of Directors of the Historical Society of Fairfax County.

Elise Murray attended the Virginia State Preservation Conference held in Hampton in September 2010.

As the Archaeologist Representative on the Commission, Barbara Naef continued to meet regularly with the Park Authority Cultural Resource Management and Protection (CRMP) Section Manager, to keep advised and updated on the various activities and projects involving the countywide archeology programs that are managed through CRMP.

The volunteer assignment to coordinate the Park Authority Resource Management Division’s American Association of Museums (AAM) accreditation self-study that Barbara Naef accepted in 2009 continued through 2010. Because AAM extended the review period, she will continue to coordinate the process into 2011.  In September 2010, she received the Resource Management Division Volunteer Excellence Award for her work on accreditation.

Debbie Robison continues to research local history and write articles about historical sites and events in Fairfax County.  In addition, she regularly assists the public by answering research questions.  A major project begun in 2010 was the research and identification of water-powered mills in Fairfax County.  She is a member of the Historic Centreville Society Board and serves on the Centreville Joint Committee reviewing proposed developments in the Centreville Historic District.

Naomi Zeavin produced a video on the 5th Annual History Conference, “Fairfax:  This is your County,” which was shown on Cox Cable Channel 10.  She prepared a booklet on the markers and historic sights in the Mason District with pictures, which was published with the help of the Department of Planning and Zoning and the Baileys Crossroad Redevelopment Corp.  In addition, she serves on the board of directors of the Capitol Hill Civil War Roundtable.