The Fairfax County History Commission is celebrating 50
years of promoting history in Fairfax County. It was
established in 1969 to help identify, document, record,
and preserve the County's historic past here in Northern
Virginia. The Commission's 20 members are appointed by
the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. The Fairfax
County History Commission is a 20 member commission,
appointed by the Board of Supervisors. We were
established in 1969, and our purpose is to advise the Board
Supervisors on matters of history and also to promote
history in Fairfax County. One of the Fairfax County History
Commission's primary responsibilities was the
inventory of historic sites. This is an inventory of
historic sites throughout the county that range from the
high sights, like Mount Vernon to sights such as Mosby's Rock
or the Lorton Prison barrel bridge. The History Commission
advises the Fairfax County Government. We advise them on
land use decisions involving historic properties whether
they are on the county inventory, in an historic
overlay district or not. Anything that is old basically
comes to the History Commission and we have the
opportunity to express an opinion of whether something
is worth pursuing, more research or preservation or
not. But I think there is nothing that we need to be
cover that we hasn't covered already. The History
Commission is pretty much a body of like minded
preservationists. Anybody who disagrees is likely to keep
their silence. Over the last fifty years, the Fairfax
County History Commission has accomplished a great deal in
terms of preserving Fairfax County's history. One of it's
early accomplishments was instigating the establishment
of the Fairfax County archive system. Establishing the
Fairfax County archaeology program. We've built a solid
body of research and tools.
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The History Conference is an
annual event which we started in 2004. These conferences
include exhibits, arthurs, trivia contests. There are
presentations by local and nationally known historians.
Topics over the years have covered the Civil War,
founding fathers and the 275 years of Fairfax County history.
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The History Commission also suports the
Virginia Room, a local history and genealogy collection for
the Fairfax County Library system. The commission has
provided photos and preservation materials for the
photographic archives project dating back to the late 1970s.
In return the Virginia Room has provided research support
to the commission and a place to store their minutes and
other records.
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Over the years, the Fairfax County History
Commission has been a host to many influential members who
have left a legacy of notable achievements. For instance,
Edith Sprouse, an original commission member, served over
35 years from 1969 to 2004. One of her noteworthy
accomplishments was her effort to index the early circuit
court archives. Another influential member of the
commission was Mayo Stuntz. Mayo was a native of Vienna
and an original member of the Fairfax County History
Commission from 1969 to 2012 where he served as chair for a
number of years. He also assisted in the establishment
of the Landmarks Preservation Committee and served on the
Sully Foundation for a quarter of a century. And Jack Hiller
was appointed to the commission in 1981 and served
as chair from 1994 to 1995. One of his most memorable
achievements was initiating and overseeing the creation of
the commission's Historical Marker Program. Under his
leadership, over 50 markers were installed throughout the
county. This program, established in 1998, has
brought place 56 highway markers throughout the County
on sites of local significance. These markers
are very, very carefully vetted to be historically
accurate and also significant to our local history.
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The history commission is important for Fairfax County
because it is important to remember our past. And it is
also important to remember the people who were enslaved or
the people who were poor living in small places where
there's not as much written about them. So it is very
important to mention, to remember them and it's also
important to remember all the different groups who came into
the county over the years and have built it to be
what it is now.
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The History Commission meets at 7:30pm at the Fairfax
Regional Library on the first Wednesday of every month. For
more information, please visit
fairfaxcounty.gov/history-commis ssion