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History · Fairfax

A history of Fairfax,
since 1805

Postcards, papers and photographs of Fairfax from public archives, woven together by decade. Neighbors fill in the gaps.

1805established
14old images & papers
6historic places
10recent photos
From Fairfax’s archive · credits on each photo

The story

from WikipediaRead it all ↗

Both the City and County of Fairfax take their names from Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron, a Scottish nobleman and colonial landowner. In the 18th century, Lord Fairfax held the Northern Neck Proprietary, a vast land grant of more than five million acres between the Potomac and Rappahannock Rivers.

The area now known as the City of Fairfax began as the Town of Providence, a rural crossroads and the administrative seat of Fairfax County in the early 19th century. The town grew around the courthouse and developed as a local center for governance and commerce. In 1874, the town changed its name to Fairfax.

Early history19th century20th century

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

built from the dates on the items below
1805Established
1860s5 items · Fairfax Seminary now General Hospital…Commons
1910s4 items · Fairfax Court House, [Fairfax, Virgin…LOC
1920s2 items · Fairfax Seminary, VaCommons
1930House beyond Fairfax Court on Route 50LOC
1940–1969Nothing in the archives yet
1974Ford A0604 NLGRF photo contact sheet (1974-09-0…Commons
1981The Cincinnati Enquirer 1981-03-15 page K-4Commons
1990–1999Nothing yet. Family albums go here.
Help out

Finish Fairfax’s story

Most archives stop around 1920. The photos from after that are in family albums, not libraries.

5 of 10 decades since 1900 have photos 🔁Retake an old viewFairfax Seminary now General Hosp…, 1860: stand where they stood+15 📦Share a family photoSign in to add one+10

Famous people from Fairfax

See all 57 →
Jason SudeikisJason SudeikisFilm, TV & StageAriel WinterAriel WinterFilm, TV & StageIMIlia MalininSportsBrian KendrickBrian KendrickSportsAlex RileyAlex RileySportsJoey MercuryJoey MercurySports
By decade

Fairfax, decade by decade

1860s5 items
Fairfax Seminary now General Hospital Headquarters for the Army of the PotomacCommonsFairfax Seminary now General Hospital Headquarters for the …1860The Civil War in America, Carolinian Pickets flying before the Advance of the Federal Troops onCommonsThe Civil War in America, Carolinian Pickets flying before …1861Illustrations from The Illustrated London News, 17 August 1861CommonsIllustrations from The Illustrated London News, 17 August 1…1861Ferdinand von Zeppelin in June 1863 detail- Virginia, Fairfax, a group of officers at Headquarters, Army of the Potomac…CommonsFerdinand von Zeppelin in June 1863 detail- Virginia, Fairf…1863Virginia, Fairfax, a group of officers at Headquarters, Army of the Potomac, Fairfax Courthouse. Studying the art of...…CommonsVirginia, Fairfax, a group of officers at Headquarters, Arm…1863
1910s4 items
Fairfax Court House, [Fairfax, Virginia]LOCFairfax Court House, [Fairfax, Virginia]1918Fairfax Court House, [Fairfax, Virginia]LOCFairfax Court House, [Fairfax, Virginia]1918Fairfax Court House, [Fairfax, Virginia] interiorLOCFairfax Court House, [Fairfax, Virginia] interior1918Fairfax Courthouse, [Virginia]LOCFairfax Courthouse, [Virginia]1918
1920s2 items
Fairfax Seminary, VaCommonsFairfax Seminary, Va1921Fairfax Seminary, VaCommonsFairfax Seminary, Va1921
1930s1 item
House beyond Fairfax Court on Route 50LOCHouse beyond Fairfax Court on Route 501930
1940s–
1960s
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
📷 Add from your album
1970s1 item
Ford A0604 NLGRF photo contact sheet (1974-09-06)(Gerald Ford Library)CommonsFord A0604 NLGRF photo contact sheet (1974-09-06)(Gerald Fo…1974
1980s1 item
The Cincinnati Enquirer 1981-03-15 page K-4CommonsThe Cincinnati Enquirer 1981-03-15 page K-41981
1990s–
1990s
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
📷 Add from your album
Today10 photos
Exacum affine 5zzCommonsExacum affine 5zz2006Exacum affine 4zzCommonsExacum affine 4zz2006Eranthemum nigrum Ebony 1zzCommonsEranthemum nigrum Ebony 1zz2006Cyanotis somaliensis 5zzCommonsCyanotis somaliensis 5zz2006Coleus Color Pride 3zzCommonsColeus Color Pride 3zz2006Chrysanthemum Cesaro 2zzCommonsChrysanthemum Cesaro 2zz2006Chamaecyparis obtusa Lougheed 1zzCommonsChamaecyparis obtusa Lougheed 1zz2006Ajuga x Chocolate Chip 0zzCommonsAjuga x Chocolate Chip 0zz2006Ajuga Catlins Giant 0zzCommonsAjuga Catlins Giant 0zz2006Bunnyman HatchetCommonsBunnyman Hatchet2004
National Register of Historic Places

6 historic places in Fairfax

Fairfax has 6 listings on the National Register, and they protect 33 historic buildings, because City of Fairfax Historic District (Additional Documentation) alone counts 28.

#62
In Virginiaby listings · the typical town has 1
6places listed5 buildings · 1 district
0National Historic LandmarksNone here yet
33historic buildings protectedcounting each building in a district
1973first listedRatcliffe-Logan-Allison House · newest: Blenheim, 2001

Where they are

Tap a dot for a photo and link. Districts show at their center.
Ratcliffe-Logan-Allison HouseFairfax County CourthouseCity of Fairfax Historic District (Additional Documentation)Fairfax Public School29 DinerBlenheim
BuildingsDistricts

Architectural styles

From each listing’s National Archives record · 3 of 6 name a style
Vernacular1
Colonial1
Roman Revival1
Greek Revival1

When they were listed

The Register began in 1966. Fairfax’s busiest decade was the 1970s.
Ratcliffe-Logan-Allison HouseListed 1973Ratcliffe-Logan-Allison HouseVernacularTransportationArchitectureFairfax County CourthouseListed 1974Fairfax County CourthouseColonialMilitaryPoliticsArchitectureCity of Fairfax Historic District (Additional Documentation)Listed 1987City of Fairfax Historic District (Additional Documentation)DistrictCommercePoliticsArchitectureFairfax Public SchoolListed 1992Fairfax Public SchoolBuildingEducation29 DinerListed 199229 DinerBuildingArchitectureBlenheimListed 2001BlenheimGreek RevivalArchitectureMilitary
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places (05/22/2026) · styles from the National Archives catalog · photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place

Then & now

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as Fairfax Seminary now General Hospital Headquarters for the Army of the Potomac (1860) and it appears here side by side.

🔁 Retake this view · +15

Stories next door

nearby towns’ history
📜 Vienna📜 Clifton📜 Falls Church📜 Herndon

From Wikimedia Commons (19) and the Library of Congress (5). Images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.

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