City of Fairfax Historic Markers – Preserving the past for the future.

Visit the rolling hills of our historic City, where mature trees exist as they did in 1714 when nearly half of the existing City land was granted to George Mason II. Absorb yourself in our rich history and relive the times as you read one of our many historic markers.

City of Fairfax Certified Historic Markers and historic markers placed by others are located in the City. City of Fairfax Markers meet the stringent source requirements of the State of Virginia.

Certified Historic Markers placed under the Virginia Department of Historic Markers program and implemented by City of Fairfax and Historic Fairfax City Inc. include:

• Richard Ratcliffe’s Mount Vineyard Plantation: Richard Ratcliffe was the founder of the Town of Fairfax. The marker is located at the site of Ratcliffe’s Mansion home at Oak and Main Streets.. The building was destroyed by fire in 1872.
• Draper House, 1821: marker describes the history of the building, the second oldest residence in the City, and the history of the Draper family that built it. Located on Main St. at East St.
• Arlington-Fairfax Electric Railway: marker describes the history of the old Trolley and the commercial center that developed near the old terminal located near this spot. Located at Railway Ave. and Main St.
• Fairfax Rosenwald School: marker at University Drive and School St. near where the first Julius Rosenwald sponsored school in Fairfax County was built in 1924-25.
• Old Baptismal Area: marker commemorates the place where, in the 1930s, Mount Calvary Baptist Church, the first African-American church in the City, regularly conducted baptismal services. Located on Chain Bridge Rd. at Rust Curve
• Old Fairfax High School: marker located on Lee Highway at Paul VI commemorates the opening in 1935 of the original 4 year Fairfax High School, then the largest consolidated high school in Fairfax County.
• Ratcliffe Family Cemetery: marker located on Moore Street, east of Keith Avenue. The marker provides historical information on Ratcliffe’s Mount Vineyard Plantation, the family believed to be buried in the Cemetery, and the historic Cemetery itself.
• Manassas Gap Railroad: this marker,  located on Manassas RR bed as it crosses Judicial Drive, provides historical information on the “Unfinished Line” of the Manassas Gap RR as it passed through the now City of Fairfax.
• General Corcoran Marker: marker located at corner of North and Main Street at Truro Anglican Church. This marker provides information about Union General Michael Corcoran, who headed all Washington Area defense forces and died in the W.P.Gunnell house after having been thrown from a horse on Ox Road.
• Fairfax Cemetery: Coming Soon! This marker identifies all Civil War soldiers buried in Fairfax Cemetery as well as those buried elsewhere who were residents of Fairfax.

Virginia State Markers in the City of Fairfax include:

• Capt. John Quincy Marr, First Confederate Officer Killed:  located at the site where Marr fell on June 1, 1861; on grounds of the Fairfax County Courthouse at West St. in front of the Massey Building.
• Birth of the Confederate Battle Flag: marker denotes the location of General Beauregard’s Headquarters where the Battle Flag, now referred to as the Confederate Flag, was born in late September, 1861 and where President Davis’ “Fairfax Court House Conference” was held on October 1, 1861. Located on Main St. and Oak St.
• Mosby’ Midnight Raid: Marker describes actions of March 9, 1861 when Colonel Mosby’s band of 29 men captured Union General Stoughton, two captains, thirty enlisted men and 58 horses in the downtown area, never firing a shot. Marker located on Chain Bridge Rd. near Armstrong St.

 

Other Historic Markers in City of Fairfax include:

• Old Fairfax Court House, DAR plaque
• Old Fairfax Court House, CWT marker describes Civil War events.
• Fairfax Court House, OTF plaque describing events at or near the old Court House,
• Ratcliffe-Allison House, Main St near University Dr;
• Peyton Anderson, First Soldier of the South to Shed His Blood, UDC sponsored stone marker, Lee Highway at the Econo Lodge;
• Marr Monument Stone placed by Warrenton Riflemen in 1905, at Old Court House;
• Ford House, OTF plaque, Chain Bridge Rd. and North St.;
• Moore House, (originally the Nelson Conrad House), OTF plaque, Chain Bridge Rd. at North St.;
• Joshua Gunnell House, OTF plaque, Chain Bridge Rd. at Sagar Ave.;
• W. P. Gunnell House, OTF plaque, at Truro Church.
• Mosby, UDC placed Stone and Plaque, Truro Chapel, describes Mosby capture of Stoughton;
• Historic Blenheim, CWT Marker, Old Lee Highway at Interpretive Center;
• First Elementary School, presently the City Museum on Main St; Old Town Hall, Main St. and University;
• Fairfax Herald Building, OTF plaque, Main St. at University;
• The Donohoe House, OTF plaque, near Chain Bridge Rd. and North St..

 

Be a Sponsor:

You can help relive our great history by sponsoring a certified historic marker. Markers under consideration include the  First Confederate Volley, 5th New York Cavalry, The Farr Houses, and many others. Begin the process by contacting Susan Inskeep Gray, City of Fairfax Acting Director of Historic Resources, at Susan.Gray@fairfaxva.gov. or at 703.385-8415 and request the “Procedures Document, Fairfax City-Historic Fairfax City Inc.”