Twentieth Century

1900

Fairfax County population: 18,580

c.1900

Ilda community started

1908

Copperthite Racetrack opening day

1910

Fairfax County population: 20,536

1912

Burke Elementary opened (today, a private residence, Whiteoaks)

1920

Fairfax county population: 21,943

1922

First meeting of the Fairfax County School Board on September 6

1925

Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce established

1929

Burke United Methodist began meeting in former Burke Railroad Station

1930

Fairfax County population: 25,264

1939

“New” Burke and “New” Fairview Elementary schools opened, both built as a result of President Franklin Roosevelt’s Works Progress Administration (WPA)

1940

Fairfax County population: 25,264

Annandale Volunteer Fire Department started

On March 16, first Fairfax County Public Library bookmobile began operation

1941

First Fairfax County zoning ordinance

Burke forest fire began on April 20

Shirley Highway construction began

1943

The Pentagon opened on January 15

1945

From June until November, German POWs worked on Fairfax County residents’ farms

1948

Burke Volunteer Fire Department formed

1950

Fairfax County population: 98,557

Fairfax County Park Authority created on December 6

1951

Federal government condemned 4,520 acres of land in Burke for building of international airport on June 13

1952

First meeting of Board of Supervisors under County Executive form of government on Jnauary 1

Shirley Highway completed to Woodbridge

1953

Board of Supervisors approved first purchase of land for public parks on August 1

1954

Luther Jackson opened as first high school for black students in Fairfax County in September

1957

University College of University of Virginia (later George Mason University) opened at Bailey’s Crossroads in September

1958

On January 14, President Eisenhower recommended to Congress that airport site be Chantilly, instead of Burke

1959

On June 13, Federal government conducted an auction of Burke property, which former owners did not repurchase, after airport defeated. Fairfax County acquired approximately 900 acres for creation of Burke Lake Park

University College became George Mason College on December 12

1960

Fairfax County population: 248,897

On September 12, 19 black students enrolled in eight previously all white schools in Fairfax County

Fairfax County began leasing Lake Accotink

1961

Fairfax Hospital opened on February 6

1963

Opening day at Burke Lake Park on May 25

1964

Last section of Capital Beltway formally opened on August 17

1965

Northern Virginia Technical College (later NVCC) opened on September 20

1966

First day of blizzard, 12- 24 inches of snow, winds 50 mph, drifts 10 feet on January 29

1968

Annandale District, later named Braddock District, established

1970

Fairfax County population: 454,275

Bunny Man sightings

1973

Tornado struck Woodson High School on April 1

1977

Wakefield Center opened on May 7, the first indoor recreation center in county

Burke Centre started construction

1979

On September 3, tornado hit Woodson High School a second time

1980

Fairfax County population: 596,901

Terra Centre Elementary School opened on September 2

1982

Interstate Route 66 opened between 495 and Washington, D.C. on December 22

1983

Ground broken for construction for Dulles Toll Road on January 29

1990

Fairfax County population: 818,584

1991

Annandale District boundaries changed and renamed Braddock District

1992

Virginia Railway Express (VRE) opened from Manassas to D.C. on June 22

VRE opened from Fredericksburg to D.C. on July 22

1992-2001

Fairfax Corner in Moscow—local officials visited Russia to explain local governing; Russians visited Fairfax County to get first-hand experience

Twenty-First Century

2000

Fairfax County population: 969,749

2001

Braddock District Office Dedication and Time Capsule Ceremony on October 24

2004

Saving of Historic Oak Hill Ceremony on October 23

2005

Fairfax County population tops one million at 1,041,200