A Virginia
VILLAGE
Reprinted by the Centennial Committee of the
Falls Church Village Preservation and Improvement Society
April 1985.
[Illustration]
"_Celebrating
Our
Centennial Year_"
1885-1985
_President_
Sue Bachtel
_Vice President_
Rowland Bowers
_Treasurer_
Delores Cannon
_Recording Secretary_
June Douglas
_Corresponding Secretary_
Vivian Norfleet
_Immediate Past President_
Col. Merl M. Moore
_Elected Directors_
Louis & Sue Olom
Mary Bowers
Charles A. Hobbie
Howard & Betty Hughes Melton
Robert & Susan Wayland
B.J. & Judith Segel
Harry Cannon
Florence Murphy
Dick & Betty Allan
Jerry Blystone
Kenneth & Melena Huffman
Harold & Ida Silverstein
Raymond & Marie Stewart
Martha Vinograd
James M. Boren
_Honorary Life Members_
Ruby and Mel Bolster
Leath B. Bracken
Mrs. Edgar D. Brooke
Mrs. Meres G. Brown
Major General and
Mrs. William Carter
Elizabeth Graham (Mrs. John A.)
Miss Helen MacGregor
Mrs. Charles G. Manly
Mrs. Paul Schlager
Louise Shepard (Mrs. Ernest)
Mrs. Calvin W. Smith
Lorraine Williams (Mrs. Fonda)
Pat Wollenberg (Mrs. Roger)
Falls Church
Village Preservation
& Improvement Society
Dear Friends,
The Falls Church Village Preservation and Improvement Society (VPIS) is
pleased to be able to reprint _A Virginia Village_ by Charles A. Stewart
as part of its Centennial observance in 1985. We are especially grateful
to the Mary Riley Styles Public Library of Falls Church for permission
to use their copy of _A Virginia Village_ for the reproduction.
_A Virginia Village_ provides a snapshot of Falls Church at the turn of
the century, at a time when the predecessor of VPIS, the Village
Improvement Society (VIS) (pp. 16-18), was in full swing. Thus it is a
fitting backdrop to our year of special activities.
As you will note, many of the buildings and settings in the 1904 edition
have been lost or altered in the past 80 years. To make the book more
useful and enjoyable to current readers, we have added a Foreword,
Comments on the Structures Pictured, a Name and Street Index, and a
biographical sketch and photograph of the author. The new information is
not all inclusive and we invite you to cross-reference your reading with
the other sources listed in the Foreword.
The Society is indebted to several of its members who worked long and
hard to made this edition possible. In particular, we would like to
thank the chairman of the project, Colonel Merl M. Moore (a former VPIS
President); Mr. Edmund F. Becker, who wrote the Foreword; Mr. Henry H.
Douglas, who as usual is an indispensable resource on the history of
Falls Church; and Mr. Richard T. Allan, whose editing skills were
invaluable.
We hope this 1985 edition will become a cherished reminder of The
Society's 100th anniversary and a valuable edition to your personal
library. Sincerely,
_President_
Rowland Bowers
_Vice President_
Harold Silverstein
_Chairman, Centennial Committee_
[Illustration]
ABOUT THE FALLS CHURCH VILLAGE PRESERVATION AND IMPROVEMENT SOCIETY
In 1985, its Centennial Year, the Falls Church Village Preservation and
Improvement Society comprises over 750 citizens and businesses dedicated
to improving the quality of life in Falls Church.
The Society recognizes that it is the inheritor of the civic purposes
and activities of the Village Improvement Society (VIS) of Falls Church
established in 1885 and which group was modeled after the famous Laurel
Hill Association of Stockbridge, Massachusetts, and that VPIS' purposes,
objectives and activities represent a continuum of the earlier organized
and volunteer civic organization and effort to improve and preserve the
historic tradition, residential character, quality of life and
appearance of Falls Church, Virginia.
The values articulated by the founders in 1885 have not changed to the
present:
to preserve the historic and predominantly single
family detached residential and village character of Falls Church;
to preserve its historic structures and landmarks;
to promote architectural harmony and aesthetic values;
to beautify the community by planting trees, flowers,
and shrubs; and
to work with governmental bodies and community groups
to promote and fulfill these goals.
Archives of the Society may be found in the Virginia Room of the Mary
Riley Styles Library, Falls Church, Virginia.
FOREWORD
Charles A. Stewart's _A Virginia Village_ is a charming depiction of the
early days of Falls Church. It is the earliest attempt to put on paper
the story of the Falls Church area. In addition to interesting stories
about people and organizations and life generally in the small town of
80 years ago, the book contains photographs of 107 Falls Church houses,
stores, and churches then standing. Reading it is a trip into nostalgia
for old-timers--but the book is more than nostalgia. It pictures many
elements which we associate with the community's lovely historic
character and interest, and which intrigues newcomers and older
residents alike.
Charles A. Stewart produced the book with the help of friends, including
M.M. Ogden, who wrote the preface, and Pickering Dodge, who took the
photographs. Joseph H. Newell printed it in a small backyard shop owned
by his father, which was located on what is today North Washington
Street next to the Columbia Baptist Church.
Not all of the structures standing in the town of Falls Church in 1904
are pictured in _A Virginia Village_. Some owners perhaps were not
asked, or they did not wish to pay the two-dollar fee, or they declined
for other reasons. A number of these absent structures were well-known
features of the community, including the two W.&O.D. railway stations
(East and West Falls Church, now gone), Mt. Hope, Shadow Lawn (or
Whitehall), Tallwood, Jefferson School (no longer standing) and the old
I.O.O.F. Hall (also gone). _Falls Church--By Fence and Fireside_,
published in 1964 by the Rev. Melvin Steadman, mentions many others,
such as Big Chimneys, which was still standing in 1904.
Of the 107 structures pictured, 24 were located near the present City,
particularly in what was then known as the "East End" or East Falls
Church. This former part of the town of Falls Church was returned to
Alexandria County (now Arlington) in 1936. A large number of homes,
stores, and other business establishments which constituted East Falls
Church disappeared with the building of I-66, especially that part of
the highway that lies between Westmoreland and Sycamore Streets in
Arlington County. East Falls Church extended from the present
City/County line down Lee Highway, and thus was located on both the
north and south sides of I-66.
A review of the available records and the recollections of older
residents indicates that 57 of the buildings shown are no longer
standing; of the some 50 not pictured, 14 are no longer standing. Thus,
of at least 157 buildings known to have been standing in town in 1904,
71 are known to have been lost (almost half).
The sources consulted (other than the book itself) include extensive
notes made about 1970 by Mrs. John C. (Frances Butterworth) Cline, who
died in 1979; _Falls Church--Places and People_, by Henry H. Douglas,
published by the Falls Church Historical Commission in 1981 (still
available in paperback); Rev. Melvin Steadman's _Falls Church--By Fence
and Fireside_, published in 1964 (out of print); Henry H. Douglas'
_Falls Church Historical News and Notes_, published between May 1970 and
October 1972; Henry H. Douglas himself, who has made a hobby of Falls
Church history; Mel and Ruby Bolster, charter members of VPIS; and many
others.
While the City has lost much of its rural village character and charm,
and has meanwhile acquired some ugly modernity in spots, the City's
preservation ordinance, adopted in 1984, throws a protective cloak
against further demolition around structures built as residences prior
to 1911. Other buildings, such as churches and historic sites, are also
protected by the ordinance, subject to certification by the Historical
Commission to a Register. In addition, the Falls Church Village
Preservation and Improvement Society and others continually seek ways to
restore what aesthetic features have been lost.
Much additional information about houses, people and events in and
around Falls Church will be found in the publications mentioned above
and in other publications and documents making up the Falls Church Local
Historical Collection in the Virginia Room of the Mary Riley Styles
Public Library. The Collection is a veritable treasure-house of
historical information waiting to be explored, and anyone looking for
more information concerning any of the persons or places mentioned in
this book is urged to consult the Collection in the Virginia Room.
Edmund F. Becker,
517 Meridian St.,
Falls Church, Va.
[Illustration]
CHARLES ALEXANDER STEWART
Charles Alexander Stewart (1860-1950), who is best remembered in Falls
Church for his estimable little book, _A Virginia Village_, which was
published in 1904, was born at "Beechwood," the Stewart family farm at
the intersection of the Dismal Swamp and Northwest Canals. He was the
fourth in a family of five. His father, William Charles Stewart
(1810-1865), died at "Beechwood."
In 1887 Charles A. Stewart married Mary Isabella Tabb (1866-1939),
daughter of Dr. Robert Bruce Tabb (1833-1906) and Elizabeth Anne
(Warden) Tabb (1837-1891). Elizabeth Tabb Stewart, born in 1890, was the
eldest of ten children and lived in the family home in East Falls Church
from 1894 until 1971.
Mr. Stewart had a distinguished career in the United States Treasury
Department where he became chief clerk in the Office of the Comptroller
of the Currency, and was a bank examiner when he retired in 1930. He was
active in many community affairs. He was a vestryman of The Falls
Church, was chairman of the Falls Church School Board continuously from
1910 to 1927, was active in the creation of Madison School and, while he
was still living, the Charles A. Stewart Elementary School, on Underwood
Street, was named for him. He was a trustee of Oakwood Cemetery in 1918,
and was assistant secretary of the Arlington/Fairfax Savings and Loan
from 1933 to 1940.
(From _Falls Church Historical News & Notes_, October 1972.)
COMMENTS ON THE STRUCTURES PICTURED
These comments provide information on the present status of the 107
structures pictured. They are arranged in sequence by item numbers,
which correspond to the page numbers in the original book, and repeat
the names exactly as given. The people named were the owners of the
structures pictured. Present street addresses are given when the
building is still standing. In the case of the 57 buildings now gone
(they are marked by asterisks), the former or present street address is
usually not known, and in such instances the approximate location is
given. When the date of destruction is known, it is given; when a
destruction date is not given, it presumably was some time prior to
1969, when the City's Architectural Inventory was prepared. Construction
dates and other interesting details are provided when known, in capsule
form.
[Sidenote: Front] _The Lawton House._ 203 Lawton St. Also known as
Lawton Manor and Home Hill. Built in 1859 but renovated many times. Once
headquarters of Confederate Gen. James Longstreet and later the home of
Gen. Henry Ware Lawton. Formerly housed Mattie Gundry's "Gun-Well"
school. Yard formerly used by Louise and Ernest Shepard to hold the
first VPIS Attic Treasures sales. Threat to house stimulated formation
of VPIS in 1965. Owners: Donald Rice and Elizabeth Loker.
[Sidenote: Front] _Mr. A.M. Lothrop._ Still standing at McKinley St. and
Wilson Blvd. in Arlington. Beautiful estate known as "Fair Mount."
Owner: Randolph Rouse.
[Sidenote: *4] _Mr. E.T. Fenwick._ Was on Washington Blvd., East Falls
Church, at the end of 24th Street.
[Sidenote: 5] _Presbyterian Church._ 225 E. Broad St. Built in 1884 with
stone from the Tripps/Sisler quarry on S. Washington St., but the stone
trim was transported from Seneca Maryland via the C.&O. Canal. Additions
were built in 1968 from stone salvaged from the demolished old Columbia
Baptist Church, thanks to architect and member, Kenton D. Hamaker, who
died in 1982.
[Sidenote: *6] _Mr. W.M. Ellison._ Is the house built in 1852 by Wm.
Henry Ellison and later left to his son, Wm. McElfresh Ellison, who in
turn left it to his daughter, Fannie May, who married Carroll Shreve.
Once housed the Falls Church library. Was torn down in 1955 to make way
for the present Sunoco Gas Station on W. Broad and West St. (934 W.
Broad). Ellison owned at least four structures in the area, and Ellison
Street no doubt is named for him.
[Sidenote: 7] _Mr. George G. Crossman._ Built 1892. Located on part of
the former large Isaac Crossman farm near Lee Highway and Little Falls
St. at 2501 Underwood St. in Arlington. Plaque on house describes it as
the Crossman-Grey House. Home of Stephen B. Grey.
[Sidenote: *8] _Virginia Training School, Miss M. Gundry, Principal._
Was at 309 W. Broad St., immediately west of the present Post Office. On
the present site of the Winter Hill subdivision, formerly Tyler Gardens.
Formerly the Schuyler Duryee House. Its large metal outside conduits,
providing quick fire escapes for the mentally-handicapped inmates,
attracted the attention of curious passersby.
[Sidenote: *9] _Dr. J.B. Gould._ 120 E. Broad St.
[Sidenote: 10] _Mr. W.H. Nowlan._ 114 E. Columbia St. near the Crossman
Methodist Church. Built 1885. Now owned by the City, which converted it
for handicapped adults in 1981.
[Sidenote: 11] Mr. G.W. Poole. On N. Washington Blvd. in Arlington
County just behind what is now the First Virginia Bank, 6745 Lee
Highway.
[Sidenote: *12] _Mr. G.F. McInturff._ Was on N. Maple Ave. on the
present site of Garden Court Townhouses, adjacent to the George
Stambaugh house, which was located on Great Falls St. (See item 61.)
[Sidenote: *13] _Mr. M.E. Church._ Had a real estate and insurance
office and drug store on W. Broad St. facing the present Brown's
Hardware at 100 W. Broad St. Note windmill. On site of the George Mason
Square complex, now under construction. (See p. 89 for more details
about Mr. Church.)
[Sidenote: *14] _Mr. J.W. Brown Store and Residence._ Old store and
residence gone, torn down in 1959. Was on the N. corner of N. Washington
and W. Broad Sts., next door to the "new" Brown's store. Business
recently celebrated its 100th anniversary.
[Sidenote: 15] _Mr. Geo. L. Erwin._ 300 W. Great Falls St., on corner of
Little Falls and Great Falls Sts. A good example of what Falls Church
was like at the turn of the century. Owners: Polly and Adrian Richey.
Built 1893.
[Sidenote: 16] _Mrs. Emma Garner._ 211 E. Columbia St. Built 1894. Home
of David M. Garner, son of J.W. Garner. (See item 46.)
[Sidenote: *17] _Mr. E.C. Hough._ Was on E. Jefferson St. next to 215 E.
Jefferson on the left. E.C. Hough built this house in 1900. Parcel owned
by L.F. Jennings.
[Sidenote: *18] _Major M.S. Hopkins. Arringdon Hall_, as this impressive
house was known, was on N. Washington St. next door to the Village House
Motel, razed in 1984 to make way for the Kaiser-Permanente Medical
Center, now under constructions on N. Washington between Park and W.
Great Falls St. _Arringdon Hall_ was demolished in the mid-60s.
[Sidenote: *19] _Mr. S.H. Thornburg._ Was next door to the right of
present Nowlan/Pendleton House at 114 E. Columbia St. on the present
site of the Crossman Methodist Church parking lot (See item 10).
[Sidenote: *20] _Mr. Nathan Banks._ Was on the site of a present
condominium apartment house on the North side of the 6800 block of
Washington Blvd. in East Falls Church, Arlington.
[Sidenote: *21] _James A. Dickinson, M.D._ Was at 351 N. Washington St.
Demolished in 1963 to make way for the Columbia Baptist Church parking
lot. The owners were Mr. and Mrs. John H. (Frances Butterworth) Cline.
Their daughter, Elizabeth Hughes Cline (Mrs. Howard Melton) and her
husband are currently members of the VPIS Board.
[Sidenote: 22] _Dr. Geo. B. Fadeley._ 260 W. Broad St., corner of Little
Falls St. opposite the Post Office. Was his office and residence, later
the Falls Church Beauty School, and now the Potomac Academy of Hair
Design. Built 1890.
[Sidenote: *23] _Mankin Pharmacy._ Demolished and replaced by
tool-rental and restaurant businesses. Was on N. Washington St. to the
right of the present State Theatre at 220 N. Washington. It was a small,
real drug store, handling mostly drugs and pharmaceuticals, but may have
had a "soda fountain."
[Sidenote: 24] _Mr. Charles Crossman._ House saved from demolition in
May 1983 and moved from 421 N. Washington St., near the Columbia Baptist
Church, to 345 Little Falls St. Moved by Col. Lawrence Pence and his
wife Carol of Arlington, who are also renovating _Shadow Lawn_,
(formerly Whitehall) at 335 Little Falls St. Built 1871. Crossman House
was once affectionately known as _Aunt Pansy's_. Owners: Mr. and Mrs.
Richard Morde.
[Sidenote: *25] _Dr. J. B. Hodgkin._ Was on E. Fairfax St. on the site
of the present Southgate Shopping Center facing The Falls Church
(Episcopal).
[Sidenote: *26] _Mr. D.O. Munson._ Dr. Munson's house was probably part
of the Munson Nurseries near Munson Hill, just off Leesburg Pike (Route
7) toward Baileys Crossroads. He was also a Colonel, and planted the
silver maples that lined and overarched Broad St. House was demolished
to make way for the Lafayette Condominiums, at 6141 Leesburg Pike.
[Sidenote: 27] _Mr. Henry Crocker._ 319 N. Maple, near Thurber Ct. Built
1890. Owned by Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Vogel. Thurber Court is named after
James Thurber, who once lived nearby.
[Sidenote: *27] _Mr. E.F. Crocker._ Was at 321 N. Maple. Demolished when
Thurber Court was built.
[Sidenote: *28] _Mr. G.W. Mankin._ Was third building west of the
original Brown's Hardware at 100 West Broad Street. Was the home of Mr.
George W. Mankin after he moved out of the Clover House (not pictured in
this book; referenced in Falls Church: Places and People, pp. 76, 77).
Was approximately on the site of the present D&F Office Furniture at 134
West Broad.
[Sidenote: *29] _Mr. C.H. Buxton._ Was home of Charles Buxton, which was
at E. Broad St. and Buxton Rd., but now replaced by a newer home next
door to the Dulin United Methodist Church at 513 E. Broad St.
[Sidenote: *30] _Mr. Summerfield Taylor._ Lived over the Falls Church
Market, a grocery formerly at the south-east corner of E. Broad and S.
Washington Sts. Later replaced by the Falls Church Garage and Kent
Cleaners. The "Historic Triangle complex," created by the City, is being
replaced by the Independence Square Complex, now under construction.
[Sidenote: 31] _Mr. A.P. Eastman._ House still standing in East Falls
Church at 6733 Lee Highway. He was a charter member and treasurer of the
Village Improvement Society. Owner: Mrs. Charles R. Fenwick (Eleanor
Eastman). House known as _Everbloom_.
[Sidenote: 32] _Mr. Geo. F. Rollins._ 109 E. Columbia St. Large house
built in 1888. Also known as the Vosbury/Hall house. Owners: Dr. and
Mrs. George Hall.
[Sidenote: 33] _The Old Colonial Church._ Interesting name for The Falls
Church (Episcopal) at 115 E. Fairfax St. Has undergone considerable
enlargement and renovation. Present brick church built in 1769 and thus
the oldest church in the area. The City took its name from the church.
On the National Register of Historic Places.
[Sidenote: *34] _Mrs. C.E. Mankin's Store._ Mr. Mankin's store was on
the corner of N. Washington and E. Broad Sts. and was known as Mankin's
Notion and Dry Goods Store. Mankin's wife Valinda ran the store in 1904
after he died the previous September. He served in the Confederate Army
and saw Stonewall Jackson shot by his own troops. Now Robertson's office
building.
[Sidenote: 35] _Mr. Charles A. Stewart._ House at 6857 Washington Blvd.
in East Falls Church, Arlington. Author of _A Virginia Village_ and
other published and unpublished works. His daughter Elizabeth Tabb
Stewart lived there until 1971. Name of new owners is unknown, but it is
scheduled for demolition soon.
[Sidenote: *36] _Mrs. Charles A. (sic) Mankin._ Believed to be a picture
of _Home Hill_ which Charles _E._ Mankin built for his wife Valinda. It
was located across the street from the then I.O.O.F. Hall on the site of
the Post Office parking lot at 301 W. Broad St. The grounds were given
to Mrs. Mankin by her mother. (There was no Charles _A._ Mankin.)
[Sidenote: 37] _Mrs. Annie Eells._ 414 W. Great Falls St. Built 1885.
Known as the Eells/Roberts/Pierce Home. Enlarged and renovated. Owners:
Mr. and Mrs. Harold L. Pierce.
[Sidenote: 38] _"Eastover," Mr. Pickering Dodge._ 6763 25th St., corner
of Washington Blvd. and 25th St., East Falls Church. Mr. Dodge took the
pictures for _A Virginia Village_. Later owned by Mr. and Mrs. Hughes
Butterworth (daughter was Frances) from 1917-1933. Present owners:
Michael and Rita Flott.
[Sidenote: 39] _Mr. W.A. Ball._ 117 E. Columbia St. next to Rollins/Hall
house at 109 E. Columbia. Probably refers to Rev. Samuel A. Ball, who
was pastor of the Crossman Methodist Church across the street. Known as
the Ball/Jackman house. Built 1890. Owners: Mr. and Mrs. George E.
Jackman.
[Sidenote: *40] _Mr. T.B. Snoddy._ Was next to the N.E. corner of N.
Washington and E. Columbia Sts. Now occupied by an office building at
400 N. Washington St.
[Sidenote: *41] _Dr. T.M. Talbott._ Was located on a piece of farmland
across from the A.M. Lothrop place at the corner of McKinley Rd. and
Wilson Blvd. in Arlington. Christian Science Church, 809 N. McKinley
Road, now on the site.
[Sidenote: *42] _Mr. C.L. Blanton._ Mrs. Cline stated that this house
was then (about 1970) on Washington Blvd. in East Falls Church. Location
unclear. (See poultry ad on p. 108).
[Sidenote: *43] _Mr. Geo. W. Hawxhurst._ Was on the N.E. corner of N.
Washington and E. Columbia Sts., opposite the Charles Crossman House and
next door to Snoddy's. The garage once housed the beginnings of the
Falls Church library.
[Sidenote: *44] _Mr. W.W. Biggs._ Was on the corner of W. Great Falls
and Little Falls St., facing Little Falls St. on the site of the Falls
Church Community Center at 223 Little Falls. Later owned by the Cobb and
O'Halloran families.
[Sidenote: 45] _Mr. C.C. Walters._ 900 Park Ave. at Spring St. Built
1891. Owned by Philip Brophy.
[Sidenote: 46] _Mr. J.W. Garner._ 219 E. Columbia St. Built 1890. Owned
by Larry Lee Gregg and Cynthia Garner.
[Sidenote: *47] _Town Sergeant John N. Gibson._ East Falls Church. Was
located on the south side of Washington Blvd., east of Lee Highway,
between Moncure (p. 91) and Thompson (p. 97). Gibson, as town officer,
had many duties. House demolished when I-66 was built.
[Sidenote: *48] _Mr. J.C. Elliott's Store._ East Falls Church. Was at
Lee Highway and N. Fairfax Drive, with the electric trolley running on
Fairfax Drive. The W.&O.D. R.R. was on the south side. Was Snyder's
Hardware when it burned in 1948. It was replaced by the new Snyder & Co.
store, 6847 Lee Highway, Arlington.
[Sidenote: 49] _Miss Ada Rhodes._ 110 W. Great Falls St. Now known as
the Rhodes/Lennon House. Built in 1889 but has been completely renovated
after a substantial fire in 1975. Front yard has been terraced and
landscaped. Mr. Michael Lennon, the present owner, teaches renovation
and restoration procedures.
[Sidenote: *50] _Mr. W.W. Kinsley._ Was on Lee Highway in East Falls
Church, across from the present Continental Federal Savings and Loan, at
6711 Lee Highway, on a site now occupied by townhouses.
[Sidenote: 51] _Mr. H.A. Fellows._ On the S.W. corner of Roosevelt St.
and Washington Blvd. in East Falls Church at 6404 Washington Blvd. Harry
Andrew Fellows was for six years mayor of Falls Church. Wife Alice, who
died about 1971, at age 105, was very knowledgeable about Falls Church.
Owners: John and Marlys McGrath and three children, Michelle, Michale
and Megan. Current owners are trying to restore the house to what it
used to be. Now called Memory Lane.
[Sidenote: 52] _Residence of Mr. G.A.L. Merrifield._ 282 N. Washington
St. Large imposing house built in 1895. House at 210 W. Great Falls St.
also attributed to him. Was given an "Excellence in Design" award by
VPIS for outstanding interior renovation. Owned by Craver, Matthews,
Smith and Co., mail order and restoration consultants.
[Sidenote: 53] _Cottage of Mr. G.A.L. Merrifield._ 306 N. Washington St.
Built 1870. Skinrood Realty once housed here. Renovated and owned by
Craver, Matthews, Smith and Co., who own 282 N. Washington St., across
Great Falls St.
[Sidenote: *54] _Mr. Frank M. Thompson._ Was on south side Washington
Blvd., in East Falls Church, Arlington. Torn down for I-66.
[Sidenote: 55] _Mr. Thomas Hillier._ 116 S. Oak St. Built 1890. Now
owned by Mrs. Alvin Tasker.
[Sidenote: 56] _Mr. J.S. Riley._ 312 Park Ave. Cherry Hill farmhouse,
built c. 1840 on what was originally the 248-acre Trammell grant by Lord
Fairfax. Was the home of "Judge" Joseph S. Riley, responsible for
chartering the town of Falls Church in 1875, and of Miss Elizabeth
"Betty" Styles. Owned by the City and administered by the Historical
Commission. On the National Register of Historic Places.
[Sidenote: *57] _Mr. O.H. Billingsley._ Was on the North side of the 100
block of W. Broad St. near the present Brown's Hardware Store.
[Sidenote: *58] _Mr. A.O. Von Herbulis._ Was near St. James Church, on
site of St. Joseph's School at 203 N. Spring St. He designed St. James
Church and Rectory.
[Sidenote: 59] _Mr. Andrew M. Smith._ 316 N. Maple Ave. Built 1904, the
year _A Virginia Village_ was published. Also known as the Sheldon Cline
House (brother of John H. Cline). Now owned by the Columbia Baptist
Church.
[Sidenote: 60] _Major Jos. T. Hiett._ 115 E. Jefferson St. Built c.
1890. Hiett was an officer in the Confederate Army. Very unusual
construction. Owners: Donovan and Joan Miers.
[Sidenote: *61] _Mr. George Stambaugh._ Was at the N.W. corner of N.
Maple Ave. and W. Great Falls St., facing Great Falls St., now the site
of the Garden Court Townhouses. Note that it had a windmill.
[Sidenote: 62] _The Falls Church (Episcopal)._ A photo made during the
Civil War. (See also pp. 33 to 61 for another photo and descriptive
text.)
[Sidenote: 63] _Mr. Charles A. Marshall._ 215 E. Jefferson St., facing
Cherry St., on a 3-lot parcel. Built c. 1900. Owned by L.F. Jennings.
[Sidenote: *64] _Mr. John S. Garrison._ Was on the S.W. corner of
Washington Blvd. and Lee Highway in East Falls Church. Later the office
of Dr. Howard Berger. Demolished for I-66.
[Sidenote: *65] _Mr. F.A. Niles._ Was near Seven Corners on Route 7.
Later the home of the Duffys and Higgins.
[Sidenote: *66] _Dr. T.C. Quick._ Was on the N.W. corner of N.
Washington St. and W. Great Falls, across the street from the present
Trammell's Gate Housing Development. Tunis Cline Quick was a classmate
of President Taft, who spoke from the steps of another former Quick home
now occupied by the Ives-Pearson Funeral Home at 472 N. Washington St.
[Sidenote: *67] _Miss Ellen W. Green._ Was on the corner of N.
Washington and E. Columbia Sts., on the present site of the parking lot
of the Crossman Methodist Church.
[Sidenote: *68] _Mr. Jno. D. Payne._ Was at Seven Corners near Koons
Ford, located at 1051 E. Broad St. Payne's Corners (now Seven Corners)
was named for him. He was a former mayor of Falls Church, 1906-07.
[Sidenote: *69] _The Rectory. Rev. George S. Somerville._ Was the
Rectory of The Falls Church (Episcopal) from 1900 to 1912 on S. Oak St.,
next to 116 in the present parking lot of 803 W. Broad St. Both houses
were built by Thomas Hillier. (See item 55.)
[Sidenote: *70] _Dr. L.E. Gott._ Was on 15th Road, near the end of E.
Columbia St., in what is now Arlington County. Dr. Louis Edward Gott was
a surgeon in the Confederate Army. He apparently did not sign the
Ordinance of Secession and helped draw up the town charter in 1875.
[Sidenote: *71] _Mr. R.J. Yates._ Was located in the middle of the 100
block of W. Columbia St. on the present site of the Columbia Baptist
Church. It was once the site of the Forbes Institute, a private school
run by the Forbes family.
[Sidenote: 72] _Mr. S.A. Copper._ 206 E. Jefferson St. Built 1889. On a
very attractive lot. House and barn have been renovated. Owned by Mr.
and Mrs. Paul Quinn.
[Sidenote: 73] _Mrs. J.L. Auchmoody._ 400 Great Falls St. Built in the
1850s. Julia L. Smith was married to Walter Auchmoody and helped run the
Star Tavern, at the S.W. corner of Broad and Washington Sts. The Tavern
once also served as the post office. House then known as "Mother
Auchmoody's." More recently owned by the Hinman family and then Mr. and
Mrs. Malcolm Smith (now both deceased). Lot was subdivided under the
terms of an easement, and a large house was built next door by Robert
Daube. 400 W. Great Falls now owned by Elizabeth G. Warden.
[Sidenote: *74] _Dr. Samuel Luttrell._ Was at 133 E. Broad St. next to
the Murphy House that was once the City Hall (See item 86). Was also
once the home of the Edmonds family. Now on the site of the Bear's Head
restaurant.
[Sidenote: 75] _Mrs. C. Larner._ 329 N. Maple Ave. at W. Columbia St.
Built in 1850-53 but has had many alternations. Hip-roofed house painted
red. Still has a well and pump and said to have a ghost. Has an
underground room in back yard believed to have been a hiding place for
slaves during the Civil War. Minie balls have been found on the grounds.
Owners: Theodore W. and Mary Louise Jones.
[Sidenote: 76] _Mr. W.H. Barksdale._ 6403 Washington Blvd. across from
the Fellows house in East Falls Church, Arlington. (See item 51).
Owners: Col. and Mrs. Samuel Greenberg.
[Sidenote: *77] _Mr. Wm. B. Wright._ Was at 424 E. Broad St., but was
demolished in 1979 to make way for the Tollgate Townhouse Development.
Built 1870. Known as the Wright/Galpin House. Archeological
investigations as the possible site of the Wren's Tavern were negative.
[Sidenote: 78] _Mr. J.W. Seay._ 116 W. Great Falls St. Built c. 1890.
Known as the Seay/Porter/Oliphant/Kuhn House. Owners: Mr. and Mrs.
Robert W. Beckham.
[Sidenote: *79] _Mr. J.W. Wells._ Was at 103 E. Jefferson St. across
from Dr. Macon Ware's home at 108 E. Jefferson St. which is still
standing with three new houses nearby.
[Sidenote: 80] Mr. M.H. Brinkerhoff. 200 E. Broad St. Built 1890 (?)
Owner: Mr. Lawrence Proctor.
[Sidenote: 81] _Mrs. A.V. Piggott._ 400 E. Broad St. Better known as the
Albert Brown Piggott House. Built about 1904, it basically is unchanged,
but looks different. Owned by Mr. and Mrs. Rene Ossorio.
[Sidenote: 82] _Mr. G.B. Ives._ 209 E. Broad St., next door to the Falls
Church Presbyterian Church, which now owns it. Known now as the
Westminster House. Built in 1855 by Mr. Ives.
[Sidenote: 83] _Mr. Nathan Lynch._ 304 E. Broad St. Built in 1898.
William Nathan Lynch had a two-level barn where he kept cows and sold
milk. A gazebo and fishpond were added about 1928 by his son William
Henry Lynch. Gazebo was built from the old Birch barn and the horses'
teeth-marks are still visible. Rear of the property was subdivided in
1983 for four townhouses, part of The Wrens. Extensive renovation,
inside and out, has been carried out by the present owners, Mr. and Mrs.
John R. Seline.
[Sidenote: *84] _Mrs. Mary G. Sims._ Was located at 210 Little Falls St.
between Park Ave. and W. Great Falls St. Now an office building across
from the City Hall.
[Sidenote: 85] _Mr. A.E. Rowell._ 923 W. Broad St. The Rowell House was
also known as the "Old Brick House." Built in 1855 by George B. Ives,
the Rowell family lived here for 62 years. Formerly had a barn with a
harness room and a glass conservatory for flowers. Was an antique shop
several years ago and the yard was also used for antique sales. While
the house still stands, it has been renovated and surrounded by a
townhouse complex known as Rowell Court, and bears no resemblance to the
original structure. Owned by Mr. and Mrs. C.A. Rolander.
[Sidenote: *86] _Dr. S.S. Luttrell._ Was at 155 E. Broad St., and later
known as the Murphy House. It served as the last temporary City Hall in
the 1950s.
[Sidenote: 87] _Oakwood Cemetery._ Located off N. Roosevelt St. behind
Koon's Ford. Many old time residents of Falls Church are buried here. A
corner of the foundation of Fairfax Chapel, built about 1790, and
demolished during the Civil War by Union soldiers, was recently (1984)
revealed by the falling of a tree during a storm.
[Sidenote: *88] _Mr. H.N. Ryer._ Was in East Falls Church, Arlington.
[Sidenote: 89] _Dr. M.E. Church._ Description under his photo is
eloquent. For photo of his home, see p. 13.
[Sidenote: 90] _Miss B.C. Merrifield._ 210 W. Great Falls St. Built
1876. Known as the Merrifield/Orme House. Once owned by Harry O. Bishop
and Mayor Albert Orme. Presently owned by Mr. and Mrs. John A. Payne.
[Sidenote: *91] _Mr. R.C.L. Moncure._ Was on the south side of
Washington Blvd. east of Lee Highway in East Falls Church, Arlington.
Demolished when I-66 was built.
[Sidenote: *92] _Mr. George M. Newell._ Built 1896. Was on N. Washington
St. on the present site of the parking lot next to the Columbia Baptist
Church, and next to the James A. Dickinson house at 351. The 1904
edition of _A Virginia Village_ was originally printed in his small shop
at the rear, by Joseph H. Newell, his son. (Newell-Cole Printing is now
located in Alexandria, Va.)
[Sidenote: 95] _Mr. H.C. Birge._ 610 Fulton Ave. Built 1890. Now known
as the Schefer School. Originally part of a 25-acre tract of the Cherry
Hill Farm. Rothsay Street along the rear of the property was dedicated
to provide access to the Rothsay Station on the W. and O. D. railroad,
between Pennsylvania Ave. and N. Lee St. Also known as _Woodland_.
Owner: Mrs. Eileen L.C. Schefer.
[Sidenote: *96] _The Inn._ Another name for the Eagle House Hotel, which
burned down about 1920. Was located near the present site of the State
Theatre at 220 N. Washington St. Occupants from about 1915 to 1919 were
Mr. and Mrs. Sheldon S. Cline, Sr. He was the Managing Editor of old The
Washington Star. Several of their children have remained in the Falls
Church area. Eli Northrup, an undertaker, was once the proprietor.
[Sidenote: *97] _Mr. Henry R. Thompson._ Was on the S. side of
Washington Blvd. in East Falls Church, on the E. side of Lee Highway.
Demolished about 1975 to make way for I-66.
[Sidenote: *98] _Columbia Baptist Church._ Was located in the 100 block
of E. Broad St. Demolished in 1909. A new stone church was relocated on
the corner of N. Washington and W. Columbia Sts. The stone building has
been replaced by a much larger brick structure. Address: 103 W. Columbia
St.
[Sidenote: 99] _Dulin Chapel Methodist Episcopal Church (South)._ Now
the Dulin United Methodist Church, 513 E. Broad St. Built on land
donated by William Dulin about 1869, shortly after the Civil War,
following the separation into the Northern and Southern branches of the
Methodist church.
[Sidenote: 100] _Mrs. M.E. DePutron._ 508 Lincoln Ave. Was also known as
the Sherwood Farm, on 210 acres. Included the hill on which Mt. Daniel
Elementary School (2328 N. Oak) is now located. Built in 1893-94 by Mr.
and Mrs. Jacob Coleman DePutron. Owned by Mr. and Mrs. J. Roger
Wollenberg. Roger is currently a member of the City Council and a former
member of the School Board. Pat Wollenberg was formerly Vice-chairman of
the Historical Commission and a re-founder of the VPIS in 1965.
[Sidenote: 101] _Mr. G.W. Cassilear._ 502 Walden Court. Known also as
the Cassilear/Lamont/Bell House, or _Bonnie Briar_. Built about 1898 on
what was part of the Crossman tract. Property originally consisted of
the house, a summer house (now gone), a fish pond, a sheep house (now
gone), a concrete ice-house, and a barn, on 11.66 acres. Was owned by
Mrs. William (Aloise) Bell, who died in February 1985.
[Sidenote: 102] _St. James Roman Catholic Church._ 905 Park Ave. Built
about 1902 to replace the old church on West St. at the St. James
Cemetery. Has been renovated and enlarged. Designed by A.O. Von Herbulis
(See item 58).
[Sidenote: *103] _The Methodist Episcopal Church._ Isaac Crossman
donated the land and funds for the Crossman Methodist Episcopal Church,
built in 1875. It was demolished in 1963. The new Crossman United
Methodist Church is now on the same site on the corner of N. Washington
and E. Columbia Sts. This was the Northern Methodist church; Dulin was
the Southern Methodist church.
[Sidenote: *104] _Mr. V.E. Kerr._ Was one of the group of houses south
of the Falls Church Bank (now the site of George Mason Square) on the
west side of South Washington Street about opposite The Falls Church
(Episcopal). Other houses in this group were the Updike House, the James
Walter Antique Shop and the Edith Thompson House (all gone).
[Sidenote: *105] _Mr. Herbert G. Hopkins._ Location unknown.
[Sidenote: *106] _Dr. N. F. Graham._ Was on the present Safeway grocery
site at 7397 Lee Highway, at the end of West St. in Fairfax County.
[Sidenote: 107] _Capt. M. S. Roberts,_ 409 S. West St. Known as the
Roberts/Burdick house. Capt. Roberts, who was wounded at Antietam, built
the house in 1867 with wood and hardware shipped by his brother from
Maine. Milton E. Roberts inherited the property from his uncle about
1915 and began a poultry business. Subsequently sold part of the
property to the City for Roberts Park. House now owned by Mr. and Mrs.
Edward A. Burdick.
[Sidenote: 109] _The Misses Birch._ The Birch House, 312 E. Broad St.
Built about 1835 but added to and renovated several times. Sold by Mr.
and Mrs. Milton T. Birch in 1976 to Historic Falls Church, Inc., which
in turn sold it to Mr. James Reid to build "The Wrens" on the side and
rear portion. The old barn had been converted to a garage and has since
been renovated into a handsome carriage house, as part of "The Wrens."
VPIS was the first patron, donating $1,000 toward the preservation of
the structure. On the National Register of Historic Places. Now owned by
Mr. and Mrs. Samuel A. Mabry. Kenneth and Patricia Loustalot were the
first owners after restoration (April 1980).
[Sidenote: 110] _Rev. H.A. Beach._ 212 E. Jefferson at Cherry St. Built
c. 1904. There was once a pump and a pulley for drawing water.
Originally part of the Copper property (p. 72). Owners: John and Nancy
Whitman.
[Sidenote: 111] _Congregational Church._ 222 N. Washington St., next to
the State Theatre. Formerly used as a police station, town hall,
school, recreation center and library, and finally became the Washington
House, the current headquarters of the Woman's Club of Falls Church.
Used for meetings and special events.
[Sidenote: *112] _Mr. Eli J. Northrup._ Was located on the E. side of N.
Washington St. in the 100 block. Northrup helped organize the Oakwood
Cemetery Assn. and the Falls Church Telephone and Telegraph Co. He was
an undertaker and ran the Eagle House (p. 96) at one time.
STRUCTURES LISTED BY NAME
Auchmoody, Mrs. J.L. 73
Ball, W.A. 39
Banks, Nathan 20
Barksdale, W.H. 76
Beach, Rev. H.A. 110
Biggs, W.W. 44
Billingsley, O.H. 57
The Misses Birch 109
Birge, H.C. 95
Blanton, C.L. 42
Brinkerhoff, M.H. 80
Brown, J.W. 14
Buxton, C.H. 29
Cassilear, G.W. 101
Cherry Hill (Riley, J.S.) 56
Church, Dr. M.E. (Portrait) 89
Church, M.E. 13
Columbia Baptist Church 98
Congregational Church 111
Copper, S.A. 72
Crocker, Henry 27
Crocker, E.F. 27
Crossman, Charles 24
Crossman, George G. 7
Crossman Methodist Episcopal Church 103
DePutron, Mrs. M.E. 100
Dickinson, Dr. James A. 21
Dodge, Mr. Pickering 38
Dulin Chapel Methodist Episcopal Church (South) 99
Eagle House 96
Eastman, A.P. 31
Eastover (Dodge, Pickering) 38
Eells, Mrs. Annie 37
Elliott, J.C. 48
Ellison, W.M. 6
Erwin, George L. 15
Fadeley, Dr. George B. 22
Fellows, H.A. 51
Fenwick, E.T. 4
Garner, Mrs. Emma 16
Garrison, John S. 64
Gibson, John N. 47
Gott, Dr. L.E. 70
Gould, J.B. 9
Graham, Dr. N.F. 106
Green, Miss Ellen W. 67
Gundry, Miss M. 8
Hawxhurst, George W. 43
Hiett, Major Joseph T. 60
Hillier, Thomas 55
Hodgkin, Dr.J.B. 25
Hopkins, Herbert G. 105
Hopkins, Major M.S. 18
Hough, E.C. 17
Inn, The 96
Ives, G.B. 82
Kerr, V.E. 104
Kinsley, W.W. 50
Larner, Mrs. C. 75
Lawton House front
Lothrop, A.M. front
Luttrell, Samuel 74
Luttrell, Dr. S.S. 86
Lynch, Nathan 83
McInturff, G.F. 12
Mankin, Mrs. Charles A. 36
Mankin, George W. 28
Mankin Pharmacy 23
Mankin, Mrs. C.E. 34
Marshall, Charles A. 63
Merrifield, Miss B.C. 90
Merrifield, G.A.L. 52, 53
Moncure, R.C.L. 91
Munson, D.O. 26
Newell, George M. 92
Niles, F.A. 65
Northrup, E.J. 112
Nowlan, W.H. 10
Oakwood Cemetery 87
Payne, J.D. 68
Piggott, A.V. 81
Poole, G.W. 11
Presbyterian Church 5
Quick, Dr. T.C. 66
The Rectory (Somerville, Rev. G.S.) 69
Rhodes, Miss Ada 49
Riley, J.S. 56
Roberts, Captain M.S. 107
Rollins, George F. 32
Rowell, A.E. 85
Ryer, H.N. 88
St. James Roman Catholic Church 102
Seay, J.W. 7
Sims, Mrs. Mary G. 84
Smith, Andrew M. 59
Snoddy, T.B. 40
Somerville, Rev. George S. 69
Stambaugh, George 61
Stewart, Charles A. 35
Talbott, Dr. T.M. 41
Taylor Store 30
The Falls Church 33, 62
Thompson, Frank M. 54
Thompson, Henry R. 97
Thornburg, S.H. 19
Virginia Training School 8
Von Herbulis, A.O. 58
Walters, C.C. 45
Wells, J.H. 79
Wright, William B. 77
Yates, R.J. 71
STRUCTURES LISTED BY ADDRESS
Broad Street, East
100 block (Mankin's Store) 34
100 block (Columbia Baptist Church) 98
120 (J.B. Gould) 9
133 (S. Luttrell) 74
155 (S.S. Luttrell) 86
200 (M.H. Brinkerhoff) 80
209 (G.B. Ives) 82
225 (Presbyterian Church) 5
304 (N. Lynch) 83
312 (The Misses Birch) 109
400 (A.V. Piggott) 81
424 (W.B. Wright) 77
513 (Dulin Chapel Methodist Episcopal Church (South)) 99
500 block (C.H. Buxton) 29
1000 block (J.D. Payne) 68
Broad Street, West
100 block (M.E. Church) 13
100 block (J.W. Brown) 14
100 block (O.H. Billingsley) 57
100 block (G.W. Mankin) 28
200 block (C.A. Mankin) 36
260 (G.B. Fadeley) 22
300 block (Virginia Training School, Miss M. Gundry, Principal) 8
923 (A.E. Rowell) 85
934 (Ellison, W.M.) 6
Columbia Street, East
on 15th Road (L.E. Gott) 70
109 (G.F. Rollins) 32
114 (W.H. Nowlan) 10
117 (W.A. Ball) 39
211 (E. Garner) 16
219 (J.W. Garner) 46
Columbia Street, West
100 block (R.J. Yates) 71
Fairfax Street, East
115 (The Falls Church) 33, 62
100 block (J.B. Hodgkin) 25
Fulton Street
610 (H.C. Birge) 95
Great Falls Street and Maple Avenue
(G. Stambaugh) 61
Great Falls Street
110 (A. Rhodes) 49
116 (J.W. Seay) 78
210 (B.C. Merrifield) 90
300 (G.L. Erwin) 15
400 (J.L. Auchmoody) 73
414 (A. Eells) 37
Jefferson Street, East
103 (J.H. Wells) 79
115 (J.T. Hiett) 60
206 (S.A. Cooper) 72
211 (E.C. Hough) 17
212 (H.A. Beach) 110
215 (C.A. Marshall) 63
Lawton Street
203 (The Lawton House) front
Lee Highway
6700 block (W.W. Kingsley) 50
6733 (A.P. Eastman) 31
and West Street (N.F. Graham) 106
Lincoln Avenue
508 (M.E. DePutron) 100
Little Falls Street
200 block (M.G. Sims) 84
200 block (W.W. Biggs) 44
Maple Street, North
316 (A.M. Smith) 59
319 (E.F. Crocker) 27
321 (H. Crocker) 27
and Great Falls (G.F. McInturff) 12
329 (C. Larner) 75
McKinley Street
(T.M. Talbott) 41
Oak Street, South
114 (The Rectory--Rev. G.S. Somerville) 69
116 (T. Hillier) 55
Park Avenue
312 (J.S. Riley) 56
900 (C.C. Walters) 45
905 (St. James Roman Catholic Church) 102
Roosevelt Street
Oakwood Cemetery 87
Spring Street
(A.O. Von Herbulis) 58
Underwood Street
(G.G. Crossman) 7
Walden Court
502 (G.W. Cassilear) 101
Washington Blvd., Arlington
near Lee Hwy. (R.C.L. Moncure) 91
east of Lee Hwy. (F.M. Thompson) 97
(H.R. Thompson) 97
at Roosevelt (W.H. Barksdale) 76
at Roosevelt (H.A. Fellows) 51
6831 (G.W. Poole) 11
6839 (E.T. Fenwick) 4
6857 (C.A. Stewart) 325
at 25th Street (P. Dodge) 38
Washington Street, North
100 block (Mankin Pharmacy) 23
100 block (E.J. Northrup) 112
200 block (The Inn) 96
222 (Congregational Church) 111
223 (M.S. Hopkins) 18
282 (G.A.L. Merrifield) 52
305 (T.C. Quick) 66
306 (G.A.L. Merrifield) 53
351 (J.A. Dickinson) 21
353 (G.M. Newell) 92
384 (The Methodist Episcopal Church) 103
at s.e. corner of Columbia St. (E.W. Green) 67
at n.e. corner of Columbia St. (G.W. Hawxhurst) 43
400 block (T.B. Snoddy) 40
421 (C. Crossman) 24
Washington Street, South (V.E. Kerr) 104
West Street, South
409 (M.S. Roberts) 107
Wilson Blvd. and McKinley Street, Arlington (A.M. Lothrop) Front
A Virginia Village
Historical Sketch
of
Falls Church
and the
Old Colonial Church
PRESS OF J. H. NEWELL
FALLS CHURCH, VA.
1904
[Illustration: School House]
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTORY 1
THE TOWN OF FALLS CHURCH 3
THE OLD COLONIAL CHURCH 33
FALLS CHURCH IN THE CIVIL WAR 62
CHURCHES AND SOCIETIES, ETC. 77
[Illustration: Mr. A. M. Lothrop]
PREFACE.
In preparing this little book it has been the aim of the Editor to
obtain facts of the early history, as well as to set forth what changes
time has wrought in the erstwhile veritable hamlet of years gone by. To
this end he has exerted every effort in the examination of records, that
authentic data only, in describing the old church and village, may
appear in these pages. Aside from the descendants of the old settlers,
the heads of many households in the village of Falls Church have left
kindred and friends in other sections of the country, and identified
themselves heartily in the work of developing and beautifying the
natural advantages of the spot they have selected for the building of
new homes. It is but natural that interest should be taken in the
evidence of their thrift and enterprise, by those whose lives were
linked with theirs in times past, as in the town they have helped to
build up. The attempt has been to join the past with the present, in
reciting incidents of the early days, to show no less the improvements
that have come as the years roll on.
The joint work has been done by Messrs. Chas. A. Stewart, Pickering
Dodge and George M. Newell, Mr. Stewart having collected, edited and
compiled the text, Mr. Dodge the photographic work, and Mr. Newell the
printing.
The Editor is indebted for courtesies and assistance to Mr. H. H. Dodge,
Superintendent of Mount Vernon, a vestryman of Pohick Church, Mr. H. S.
Ryer, stenographer, Mr. F. M. Richardson, Clerk of the Court, Fairfax
Co., and Rev. George S. Somerville, Rector of the Falls Church. Valuable
information was obtained from Howe's History of Virginia, Snowden's Old
Landmarks in Virginia and Maryland, as from the Official Records of the
Union and Confederate Armies.
M. M. O.
[Illustration: The Lawton House]
A Virginia Village.
Introductory.
Falls Church, while a Virginia village, is thoroughly cosmopolitan.
According to a recent census only about fifty per cent. of its
inhabitants are natives of Virginia, the rest coming from the various
States of the Union or from foreign countries.
Falls Church might properly be called a national village, since its
citizens are chiefly employees of the government, and the interests of
its eleven hundred people naturally center at the National Capitol.
Every geographical section of the United States has here a
representative type of citizen who has chosen this quiet village for a
home. For this and other reasons Falls Church is probably the most
thoroughly American community in the country. This distinction, if
admitted, must come as a natural sequence from its situation as a suburb
of the Nation's capital, from the cosmopolitan character of its society,
and from the fact that so many of its residents are connected with the
Executive Departments as a part of the machinery of representative
government.