Decided to put together a thumb nail look at the growth of neighborhoods in Southeast Fairfax County. Apologies for not getting in all of the neighborhoods and I limited this look to single family homes. In some cases on the map I preparded, I used a catch all label, such as Bucknell for Bucknell Heights and Bucknell Manor. Feedback certainly welcomed, tell us about your neighborhood’s beginnings.
1900
On fields once worked by enslaved humans, Fairfax County remains mostly farmland. In some cases, diary farms are the biggest money makers. There are small communities in the southeast portion of the county, such as Gum Springs and a sprinkling of homes on the hills and along the dirt roads.
New Alexandria would have been a new suburban set of homes in this part of the county, but it never got going after a promising start in 1894. Older landmark homes such as City View, Spring Bank and Mount Eagle dotted the area.
1930s
FDR’s New Deal creates a migration of folks into Washington, those who want to help out with the programs. On the heels of Belle Haven, which got its start in the 1920s, Groveton sees some of is first suburban homes on both sides of US Route One. More and more roads are paved and Route One becomes a major artery with businesses and some new homes on both sides.
1940s
The next driver of growth in Washington is World War II. The city’s population explodes, going from 486,000 in 1930 to 663,00 in 1940, and then to 802,000 in 1950. Groveton, New Alexandria, and Belle Haven gain more homes as the farmers begin to see the writing on the wall. Along the Old Mount Vernon Road, today’s Buckman Road, some homes sprout up. Gum Springs also sees new homes as well as New Alexandria.
1950s
The transformation of this part of Fairfax County hits full steam ahead. Even before the Beltway is built, neighborhoods such as Huntington, Jefferson Manor, Tauxemont, Hollin Hills, Hollin Hall, Bucknell Manor, and subdivisions in the Woodlawn area begin to sprout up.
Most of the house stock is typical -- ramblers, Cape Cod and split-levels -- but Tauxemont and Hollin Hills offer mid-Modern homes.
1960s
For the first time ever, and signaling a trend that won’t stop until half a century later, the District of Columbia’s population drops, going from 802,000 in 1950 to 763,000 in 1960. As a result, the wave of suburbia over the former farm land south of Alexandria is on, with Fairfax County’s population leaping from 98,000 to 275,000 in the same timeframe.
Many of the modern day neighborhoods we know today — Burgandy Village, Belle View, Westgrove, Virginia Hills, Waynewood, Stratford Landing — are built in this time frame.
City View is demolished (1959) and the airport closed down to make way for a new shopping center in Groveton. The Hybla Valley airport was also torn down and also makes way for homes and a shopping center.
1970s
With the completion of the Beltway and the widening of Route One, the rat race has never been faster. The county’s population takes another leap, going from 275,000 in 1960 to 455,000 in 1970. All signs of the past — the two airports, City View, Spring Bank and Mount Eagle — are gone. Much of the single family home landscape seen today has been built.
In the years to come, there will be some infilling. In sharp contrast to the quiet leafy neighborhood living, Richmond Highway’s traffic reaches epically bad proportions.
Elected officials and planners respond. A new era kicks off in 2012 with the opening of Beacon of Groveton, the first mixed-use units on Richmond Highway south of Alexandria and on the highest point for miles around. Other new developments follow in Huntington and Penn Daw, all part of the effort in Southeast Fairfax County that will use Transit Oriented Growth principles and planning.
On the drawing boards now are plans for mixed use in and around the Huntington Metro and funding continues for the Rapid Bus Transit system.
As we speak, folks continue to work from home, part of the response to the Covid 19 virus. At times, Richmond Highway is eerily quiet. If you look hard enough, you might see a farmer…
Recent Comments