Background
Fairfax County African American resources were surveyed as part of a Virginia Department of Historic Resources’ (VDHR) survey program. Fairfax County was selected to participate in the Virginia Survey and Planning Cost Share Program in early 2021. This program assists local governments in surveying their community to identify cultural and historic resources.
Specifically, the survey looked at properties associated with African American history in Fairfax County. The origins of this study can be traced to the Fairfax County History Commission’s African American History Inventory, a collaborative effort between the Fairfax County History Commission and the Center for Mason Legacies, to capture, communicate, and preserve the African American experience throughout Fairfax County’s history. The survey work builds on the African American History Inventory by identifying potential buildings or neighborhoods to be evaluated for architectural or historic significance. These districts or buildings can then be nominated to be included in Fairfax County’s Inventory of Historic Sites, the Virginia Landmarks Register or the National Register of Historic Places.
The survey covered the entire County except the Gum Springs area, which is part of a more intensive survey effort focusing specifically on this prominent African American community.
As part of the survey process, properties were mapped and building exteriors were photographed. This information will be used to determine each building’s construction date, develop an architectural description and perform a preliminary evaluation of the property’s historic significance.
The state hired Hanbury Preservation Consulting to complete the survey work from the public right of way. VDHR monitored the project through its field office in Stephens City.
A virtual community meeting to discuss the Fairfax County African American Historic Resources Survey findings was held on Monday, March 6, 2023.
