USA > Virginia > Fairfax County > Fairfax County > Industrial and historical sketch of Fairfax County, Virginia > Part 2
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BAILEY'S CROSS ROADS, between Alexandria and Falls Church, on the Leesburg pike, is a village of wine note. Between the village and Falls Church is the Munson Hall Nurseries one of the oldest enterprises of the kind in the State. Here took place during the Civil War one of the greatest military reviews of the ninteenth century Trucking. dairying and general farming are the chief occupations of the people. The village has a school, church, store and two blacksmith shops. The land being high and rolling,
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Company I, Third Virginia Regiment. Leaving Fairfax for the Spanish-American War.
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House on Chantilly Stock Farm.
and for the location (six miles from Washington) very cheap, this village promises to become in the near future an important city suburb.
Topography.
The dividing line of what is known as Middle Virginia and the Piedmont Section, runs almost through the center, northeast and southwest, of Fairfax County. The eastern portion of the county lies at the head of tidewater; but going westward, an altitude of about one hundred and fifty feet is quickly reached. This elevation gradually increases as you proceed west, reaching in many places an elevation of eight hundred feet.
The topography of Fairfax presents a pleasing appearance. Everywhere there is a diversified surface and varying clevation, abounding in beautiful landscape features. From many places may be seen the Maryland shore, and the mountain ranges in Maryland and Virginia, forty and sixty miles distant.
No section is more abundantly supplied with pure, soft water. There is not a square mile of surface in the county upon which cannot be found a running stream or bold spring. This water in many instances is impreg- nated with iron or magnesia, which imparts to it valuable medicinal prop- erties. It has been said that the water supply of this section is as pure as that of the Black Forest of Germany.
The county is well drained by the Potomac and Occoquan Rivers, and their numerous tributaries. It is iree from swamps and stagnant waters.
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Its sanitary conditions are unexcelled. Indeed, it is the splendid topography of Fairfax that is attracting hundreds of people, seeking small farms and pleasant and healthy suburban homes.
Geology and Soil Conditions.
Soapstone, gray granite, and red sandstone are found in considerable quantities, and are being more or less quarried. There are also veins of asbestos, iron, copper and gold. As is well known, there are two well defined veins of gold traversing Virginia. They cross the State in a north- easterly and southwesterly direction. The eastern vein, which, so far, is the best defined and most promising one, starts at the Great Falls of the Poto- mac, in Fairfax County, and pursues almost a straight line, in a southeasterly direction, passing just south of the town of Vienna, through the village of Oakton, and thence on through Fairfax into Prince William County. Prac- tically no attempt to mine the ores of the county has been made since the Civil War; but there is little doubt if well directed efforts, backed by suffi- cient capital. and directed by matured mining experience, were made, gold in paying quantities would be found; for there are few veins in the gold regions of the West, so well-defined and continuous, as this traversing the entire breadth of Fairfax.
The character of the soil of Fairfax County varies according to the nature
A Prize Winner on Chantilly Stock Farm.
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of the rock from which it is formed. There is considerable sand near the Potomac River; then a wide belt of good clay, merging into a red sandstone country with a chocolate soil. Soil and surface conditions in the county are such as to render the entire county arable. The county is well and variously timbered. Pine. cuk, chestnut, poplar, hickory, cedar, and locust are found, and the cutting and marketing of lumber is an extensive business.
Climatic Conditions.
Situated midway between the extremes of heat and cold, Fairfax is a happy medium, alike to those scorched by Southern suns or chilled by West- ern winds. Here, there is no occasion to dread the long, cold winters and deep snows of the North; to fear the destructive cyclones of other sections, and the awful blizzards of the Northwest. The temperature rarely goes above ninety-five degrees Fahrenheit, and seldom falls lower than five degrees above zero. The average temperature of the county is about fifty-six degrees. So mild is the climate here, that it is frequently possible to plow every month in the year. Snow rarely covers the ground for any great length of time. The number of bright, sunny days, even in the winter, is unusually large; in fact, the county is exceptionally irce irom extreme weather conditions, either of heat or cold, wind-storms or hurricanes. Such a thing as a dwelling house being blown over is unknown. The prevailing wind is westerly.
In the amount and seasonableness of precipitation, the county is again favored. It seldom suffers from a severe drouth or serious flood. The rain- fall is about forty-three inches per annum, and remarkably well distributed through the year. There are two sources of rain supply, one from the At- lantic Ocean by the east winds, and from the Gulf of Mexico by the south winds.
Industrial and Economic Conditions.
Within the last few years the county has made marvelous industrial progress. Miles of electric railway have been built, and many more miles are still being constructed and projected. The great trunk line railways, running through the county, have recently doubled-tracked their ways, thereby doubling their capacity for handling the through and local traffic. Three banks have been recently organized, and are all now doing a large and flourishing business. New mills and factories, with large capital and capacity, are in full operation. Such is the country's recent record of progress, yet each day her industrial tidal wave reaches a higher mark.
Hundreds of telephones have come into use, connecting every section of the county, and many homes, with the cities of Washington and Alexandria. New houses are everywhere appearing, and small, cheap homes are con- stantly being replaced by larger, more commodious, and more attractive dwellings. Fifty postoffices, and eighteen rural and star routes, conveniently
Episcopal Theological Seminary. (Page 25.)
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Residence of the late Gen. Dunn
and promptly distribute the mails to all parts of the county. So general is the rural delivery mail service here, that hardly a home is without its rural mail box. There are ninety-six public school -. a number of elementary pri- vate schools, one high school, and one theological seminary. The public schools are all of a high order of efficiency, and many of them have been supplied with modern appliances. More than a dozen public schools have been provided with pianos or organs by popular subscription, thus indicating a high degree of interest on the part of the public in the schools. The funds available for public school purposes amount to over forty thousand dollars annually. This amount is steadily increasing each year, and in the near . future a full school session of nine months will be maintained in every school district of the county. In addition to the county's excellent public and private schools, the splendid high school, college and university facilities of Wash- ington are conveniently available. Here the Fairfax youths, of both sexes, with only the small expense of railroad fare. can live at home and receive the necessary training for business or a profession.
Any sketch of the educational advantages of Fairfax County without some extended notice of the Theological Seminary and the Episcopal High School would be far from complete. These institutions, from their establishment. have proven important factors in the educational life of the county.
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The Theological Seminary. (Illustration page 23.)
The Theological Seminary, situated on a commanding position, 250 feet above the Potomac River, three miles west from Alexandria and seven miles from Washington, is one of the most celebrated institutions of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States. It was established in its present situation in 1827, and with its liberal patronage since, and generous donations from time to time, has become one of the best equipped institutions of the kind to be found.
The Seminary is under the control of a self-perpetuating board of trus- tees, at present consisting of eighteen members. Prominent among the mem- bers of the present board are: Bishops Gibson, Randolph, Peterkin, Gravatt, and Tucker, of Virginia and West Virginia; Rev. R. H. McKim, of Washing- ton City; Col. Arthur Herbert, of Fairfax County; Rev. P. P. Phillips and Julian T. Burke, Esq., of Alexandria. The present faculty consists of Rev. Angus Crawford, Dean, and Rev. Samuel A. Wallis, Secretary to the Faculty, with Revs. Richard W. Micou, Robert K. Massie, Berryman Green, and Prof. Willoughby Reade. These are masters in their several lines, and have established for the Seminary a reputation second to none in the country.
The Virginia Seminary, as this institution is frequently called, stands second on the list of those of the Episcopal Church in the number of students enrolled annually, the first being the General Seminary situated in New York
Prof. L. M. Blackford's Residence.
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city. The average number of students in attendance for the last few years, has been about forty-six. The whole number of matriculated students from the foundation of the Seminary in 1827 to the present time is 1,965, of whom 554 are now living. Thirty-nine Bishops of the Episcopal Church are enrolled among the alumni of the Seminary, of whom the Right Reverend Leonidas Polk, "The warrior Bishop of Louisiana," one of the Confederate generals ; Gregory T. Bedell. of Ohio; William J. Boone, the Missionary Bishop of China; Richard HI. Wilmer, of Alabama; Phillips Brooks, of Massachusetts, and Henry C. Potter, the present Bishop of New York, are among the most prominent. The Seminary has exerted a great influence upon the develop- ment of the Episcopal Church in this country. Many of its graduates have devoted themselves with untiring zeal to the work of home missions through- out the land, while others have filled a number of the largest parishes with conspicuous ability, both as pastors and preachers.
Episcopal High School.
One of the oldest preparatory schools for boys, under distinctly religious auspices, is the Episcopal High School, of Fairfax County. Seated upon a commanding plateau, three mile, from Alexandria and seven miles from Washington, its elevation affords a magnificent view of these cities, the Potomac River, and the surroun ling country for many miles. This school was established by Bishop Meade in 1839. its first session opening October 15th of that year, with the Rev. Wm. N. Pendleton. a graduate of West Point, and afterwards Brigadier General and Chief of Artillery in Lee's army. General Pendleton was succeeded in the principalship of the school by Revs. Edward A. D.Arymple, of Maryland, and John P. McGuire, of Virginia. Dr. McGuire was principal of the school at the outbreak of the Civil War, relinquishing his post on the day ( March 24, 1861) the Federal troops entered Alexandria. For five year-, from March 24, 1861, the school had no existence. Lying within the Federal lines, the continuance of its proper career was impossible. Its buildings were taken possession of and used for hospital purposes until the clone of the war, thus inflicting great damage, not only to the buildings, but to the grounds as well. Fortunately for the school, however, the Rev. W.m. F. Gardner, of Alexandria, an alumnus of the school and the University of Virginia, and a wounded ex- Confederate officer, after the war, advanced the necessary money for the rehabilitation of the school, and became its principal for four years. Upon Dr. Gardner's resignation it was determined by the board of trustees to appoint a layman as his successor, and in July, 1870, Launcelot M. Blackford, A. M., himself a distinguished Confederate soldier, was designated, and the school forthwith entered upon a career of great prosperity and usefulness.
From its proximity to th- Thylogical Seminary, misapprehension fre- quently exists as to the character of the school, many supposing it simply
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Episcopal High School.
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Confederate Monument at Fairfax.
preparatory to that institution. Such. however, is not the case. While the same board of trustees controls both properties, yet there is no connection whatever between them. The Fin-copal High School is now the oldest school for boys under the control vi the Episcopal Church in the United States, and numbers among its graduates prominent men in every walk of life. At least seventy, including nie Buhr ps. have entered the sacred ministry, and many more the other learned professions.
General Remarks.
There are sixty one church buildings for white congregations in the county, representing all shades of religious belief. These church buildings are very generally attractive, commodious, and well attended.
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There are two county newspapers, well edited, and widely read. One of these papers, the Fairfax Herald, has been continuously published for more than a quarter of a century.
Indeed the county's proximity and accessibility to Washington, her excep- tional educational advantages, her numerous telephone lines and rural mail routes, have all promoted a high state of culture amongst her people.
The financial condition of the county is excellent. There is no bonded indebtedness, and a safe balance is maintained in the treasury. The tax rate is one dollar and ten cents per one hundred dollars of assessed valuation, which is usually about one-third of the real value. While this tax rate is apparently reasonable, it is in reality very low.
Land values have enormously increased within the last few years; prob- ably a fair average of this increase for the county would be fifty per centum in six or eight years. With a low rate of taxation, and such rapid increase in real estate values recently, large amounts of money is frequently seeking investment in Fairfax land. The population of Fairfax County, according to the census of 1900, was 18,580. The population now (1907) is reliably estimated to be in excess of 20,000.
Productions.
While Fairfax County offers attractive inducements to the suburban set- tler, and many of her farms are being subdivided for such purposes, yet she takes high rank as an agricultural section. Her agricultural status is most thrifty and promising. This is evidenced by the variety and volume of her farm products, and the spirit of her farmers.
Many of the farmers are members of Farmers' Clubs, Poultry and Fruit Associations. Probably one of the oldest Farmers' Associations in the Union is the Woodlawn Farmers' Club, of Fairfax County. For forty-one years this club has continued, without a single break, to hold its monthly meetings, and the benefits to the farming interests of the county, resulting from the good work of this Association, are seen and felt in other sections as well as in the Woodlawn Settlement.
Under favorable conditions, seventy-five bushels of corn, thirty bushels of wheat, and two tons of hay are not uncommon yields. While perhaps the average yield per acre is not equal to that of the fertile fields of the West, yet the average value per acre of that yield equals, and in many instances exceeds. that of the Middle and Far West. Certainly, nowhere are markets closer or prices higher than here. A fair average price for several years would be eighty cents per bushel for wheat, sixty cents per bushel for corn, seventy cents per bushel for Irish potatoes, twenty dollars per ton for hay, thirty cents per pound fo . butter, and thirty cents per dozen for eggs. These prices can frequently be obtained on the farm, and if it be necessary to move th : produce, your wagon will afford the means of transportation, and you
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can then be both producer and seller, considerations of leading importance. Upon the soil, climate and market depends the success of the tillers of the soil, and these three factors are decidedly in favor of Fairfax; so much so that it is possible to successfully engage in any one of the various lines of farming. In the eastern part of the county trucking is very generally and profitably pursued. Many of these truckers can draw handsome checks with little embarrassment. Large yields of all the leading vegetables are obtained, and remunerative prices secured in markets only a few miles distant.
Dairying is an important industry in the county. The great bulk of the milk supply of the cities of Washington and Alexandria comes from Fair- fax. Every morning thousands of gallons of Fairfax milk, by train, trolley and wagon, enter these cities. Every year hundreds of dairy cows are brought into the county to supply the demand, and many more hundreds are profitably raised. A good dairy cow will bring from forty to sixty dollars. The feeding of so many dairy cows is rapidly bringing many farms here up to a state of great fertility. The raising of live stock is now receiving con- siderable attention. There are several large stock farms in the county, and many hierds of well-bred cattle, sheep and hogs; yet the county is just awak- ening to the great possibilities awaiting this enterprise. With the fine blue grass pastures that can be maintained in many sections of Fairfax, stock- raising, in the near future, must become one of the leading industries of the county.
Practically every farm has a perennial and pure stream of water. No- where can the forage crops be better grown. The legume family, such stock- producers and soil-improvers, are at home here ; while right at our doors are markets and meat-packing houses that will take one head, or a carload of stock, at the highest market price.
Poultry-raising is attracting attention, and is fast assuming large propor- tions. The rolling surface. well-drained and sandy soil, together with the mild and equable climate of the county, adapt it splendidly to poultry-raising. Nothing sells more readily, or commands, in proportion, better prices in the Washington market, than the products of the poultry yard. With poultry fifteen and twenty cents per pound, and eggs twenty-five to forty cents per dozen, it is possible for the poultryman to carry to market (by trolley) in a basket more value than an acre of corn in Kansas represents. There are persons here making more profit from a few acres raising poultry than many of the large prairie farmer, of Illinois are making feeding steers. Here, under pleasant skies, are people making more money selling eggs from a back yard than the storm-swept and show-bound Dakota farmer is making selling wheat from his vast fields. Some pleasant features about poultry- raising. in addition to its profits, are its continuous income, small area, and capital required, and comparative independence from the labor problem, now so seriously affecting general farming operations.
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Residence and Orchard of Franklin Williams, Jr.
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Fruit.
Nowhere is a greater variety and profusion of wild fruits found than in Fairfax. Here may be seen volunteer trees of the apple, peach, pear, plum, persimmon, cherry. haw and mulberry. There may also be found in abun- dance the strawberry, huckkberry, blackberry, raspberry, and several varieties of grapes, as well as the chestnut. hazelnut, chinkapin, walnut and hickory- nut. This variety and profusion of wild fruits, certainly indicates the adap- tability of our soil and climate to the cultivated fruits. Virginia is a great fruit State. She ranks near the head, in the sisterhood of States, in the value of her fruit products. Fairfax County formerly lead all the counties of the State in this industry. To-day Fairfix has over twenty-seven thousand pear trees (nearly three times as many as any other county in the State) ; ninety-three thousand peach trees (fourth county in the State in the number of peach trees ), and one hundred and eighteen thousand apple trees. There are more than two hundred and fifty thousand fruit trees in the county, and thousands of additional trees of every variety are being planted each fall and spring. Grape culture is also assuming considerable proportions, and some of the vineyards of Fairfax, m quantity and quality of output, compare favor- ably with old grape growing sections
The county has recently appropriated one thousand dollars towards the
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suppression of insect pests and fungus diseases of the orchard. These mala- dies prevail in all fruit regions of the country, and Fairfax is one of the few counties of the State to take a determined stand, with money to sustain it, against the encroachments of these pests upon her orchards. Certainly no county south of the Potomac, in this respect, has acted so wisely and vigor- ously. This movement argues well for the future fruit industry of the county. Fruit-growing here is favored by splendid natural advantages. Many sections of the county are well elevated and rolling, affording excellent soil and atmospheric drainage. Much of the surface soil is a loamy and gravelly clay, conditions highly favorable to fruit culture. Here all hardy fruits can be grown, and well developed. colored and flavored as any found on our market. Washington City affords an excellent market for all the fruit that Fairfax County can grow. In many places in our State the fruit- grower suffers much from a lack of facilities to move his crop, and often misplaced confidence in middle men. Here he is master of these conditions. Whatever may be grown here, the grower is sure of a convenient market and a fair price.
Final.
Hundreds of farmers from the North, South. East, and West have settled, and are settling, in Fairfax County. As a rule these settlers are contented and prosperous, and have no desire to return to the sections from which they
Herndon Packing House
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came. If there be anywhere any home-secker who desires to locate con- venient to the best market and most beautiful city in the world; who is seek- ing a genial climate and good sanitary conditions, where educational, social and religious opportunities are unsurpassed. and who wishes to pursue any special line of farming, fruit-growing, or stock-raising, he can find in Fairfax County, lands, locations, and conditions ideally suited to his purpose.
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Historical
Fairfax County was founded in 1742, and named in honor of Lord Fairfax. It is situated in the northeastern portion of Virginia, seventy-eight miles from Richmond, and lies on the western bank of the Potomac River, in close proximity to the cities of Washington, D. C., and Alexandria, Va. It has an area of 433 square miles, and contains a population of 20.000.
No section of our country is richer in historical data. On every hill-top, in every valley, beside every stream and roadway, in every direction the eye may range, some trace or landmark can be found to remind one of our country's history and the important part borne therein by Fairfax people.
Being by nature favorably located, this was one of the first sections of the State to attract the attention of the adventurous spirits of Colonial times. Soon after the settlement of Jamestown in 1607, Captain John Smith engaged in a number of exploring expeditions, during one of which he ascended the Potomac River as far as the Great Falls, and landed in what is now a part of Fairfax County. Previous to this no human eye save that of the roving red man had ever rested on the hills and vales hereabout. Smith and his comrades had seen the rivers of Europe, but these were tiny streams com- pared with the broad and majestic Potomac. They were delighted with all they saw; and after many exciting experiences with the Indians, who were represented as a brave and warlike people, Captain Smith and his companions returned to Jamestown, little dreaming that they had discovered a section of country near which, in less than two and a half centuries, would stand the capital of "Time's greatest empire." '
In the year 1634, twenty-seven years after the landing of the English colonists at Jamestown, the various settlements which had been made by them over the new territory, were by act of the General Assembly of the province, organized into e ght distinct shires or counties, with the following names and locations : The Isle of Wight, west of the James River; Henrico, Wa.wick, Elizabeth City. James City, and Charles City, between the James and Rappahannock Rivers, and Northampton, on the eastern shore of the
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