Note: I completed this article last fall, but overlooked posting it. My sincerest apologies.
Throughout the past ten or so years, a great source of our pleasure has been Beth Mitchell’s 1760 map of Fairfax County. Sprinkled on it like magic dust are churches, ordinaries, mills, roads, and tobacco inspection stations.
Because they take us to a body of water, we particularly enjoy visiting the sites of mills. Our latest look see took place in Franconia, a roughly 450-acre section bounded by I-95, Van Dorn Street, Franconia Road, and the rail tracks. It’s a collection of smaller neighborhoods such as Franconia Forest, Runnymeade, and Van Dorn Village.
Mitchell’s map shows a mill about three miles west of Alexandria. The modern day location is somewhere near Langton Road. This mill site stands out as the rare case of homes being built right by and around its site. Most of the others in the county are on the long run of a creek. This is a small branch.
Anyway, we offer the following timeline for this part of Franconia. Many thanks to Carl Sell, volunteer at the Franconia Museum, author and former editor of the Washington Star. We also spent some time with Mary Smith, who shared a few of her memories of living near the railroad station and visiting Alexandria in the 1950s. What a treasure you have Franconia, you don’t know how lucky you are.
1706
John West, Thomas Pearson and William and Thomas Harrison acquire land west of Alexandria and south of Back Lick Run, an extension of Great Hunting Creek.
1760s
Land owned by John Monroe, who owned three enslaved humans. Leased by Thomas Monroe. George Washington sold him 16 yards of cotton in 1767. Mill on Mitchell’s map.
Note: (I took this photo earlier this week. It's hard to know the exact site of the mill. This is looking east towards Langston Drive).
1800s
Roads expand in the county. Fairfax Road (modern day Franconia Road and formerly a rolling road for tobacco), laid out connecting Alexandria with points to the west.
Church worship begins at Olivet Church, which has had several locations.
1860s
Land owners include Elizabeth Broders, James Talbot, Thompson Javins, Peter Tresler and Virginia Scott. Scott was probably the widow of Richard Marshall Scott, a descendent of Richard Marshall Scott (1769-1833), who lived at Bush Hill (site is 4840 Eisenhower Avenue). The Broders family was well known in Alexandria. Joseph Broders lived at 215 N. Washington, the lovely brick Greek-Revival dwelling known as the Hallowell-Carlin House.
Note: Photo, Bush Hill Franconia Museum.
Civil War
Anyone living here during the Civil War would have had a bird’s eye view of the Cameron Valley, where troops marched to and from Alexandria along the Little River turnpike, as well as movements along what is now Franconia Road. Troop movement also on modern day Beulah Street. Farmers here would have heard the sound of cannon fire at the two battles of Manassas and whispered stories of Colonel John Mosby, the famed "Gray Ghost" who knew these parts like the back of his hand. Enslaved African Americans might have fled to Alexandria. hoping to taste freedom.
1872
Franconia and this part of Northern Virginia is forever changed. Franconia Station is built as part of establishment of continuous rail service from Richmond to Alexandria. Prior to this, passengers deboarded at Aquia Creek and took steamboats Washington.
Note: I took this photo on Tuesday, October 19. The two left tracks are for Metro. The other three are for Amtrak, VRE, and CRX. The site of the Franconia Station (1904-1954) is about where the first large telephone pole is on the right hand side.
1900
Roads are modern day Franconia, Van Dorn and Larkspur. Structures along Fairfax Road (Franconia).
1914
Craven Simms (74) passes away at his home in Franconia. He was an attendant at the Alexandria farmer's market for many years.
Photo: Simms House, Franconia Museum
1937
Camp Kiwanis, summer retreat for children.
1945
Modern day Valley View Drive and some new homes along it.
Camp Kiwanis (near end of Cobbs Road)
1951
Mt. Hebron Park and Franconia Hills homes along Valley View Drive. Camp Kiwanis.
1956
Maple Grove Estates ads in Washington Post.
1957
Franconia Baptist Church
1962-1964
Capital Beltway built. Along with the railroad tracks, this creates a two-sided, no-cross border.
1964
Homes on Larkspur built with Maple Grove farm still there beside it.
1966
More homes in Mt. Hebron Park.
Maple Grove Estates fully line Larkspur.
1964 ad gives the following directions:
South on Shirley Highway to Springfield-Franconia exit, east on Franconia Road 2 miles to Maple Grove entrance on left (directly across from Franconia Elementary School, proceed to Larkspur Dr. Wills and Van Metre builders.
1984
Homes built between Valley View and RR tracks.
1988
Homes built along Langton Drive, near mill site and creek.
2002
Sycamores at Van Dorn and mixed use on both sides of Oakwood Drive. Site of former farm, home demolished c. 1980s, the last vestiges of the older places.
Comments