Slide Show: Burke Historical Society Slide Presentation

The history of Burke, Virginia is told in 80 captioned images, from the village's start in the 1850's as a railroad depot to the early 1990's. The slide set was originally put together by the Burke Jaycees for the U. S. Bicentennial Celebration. The slides were taken and organized originally during 1974-76. The slide set was given to the Burke Historical Society in 1978. From 1988 to 1990, the slides were updated and more were taken in the early 1990's. The slides subsequently were archived and organized by Tom Giska. The slides were digitally scanned, edited and "recreated" by Gil Donahue in 2005-2006, and some of them were used in Braddock's True Gold: 20th-Century Life in the Heart of Fairfax County, which was published by the County of Fairfax in June 2006.

The slide show has been divided into six numbered parts to keep file sizes low for faster download and viewing. They are best viewed in sequence from part one to six.

Tom Giska was a member and president of the Burke Historical Society. The Society, which was inactive for many years, resumed operations under a new charter and leadership in May 2010.

Courtesy Tom Giska

Oral History: Tom Giska

Tom Giska joined the faculty as a science teacher at Lake Braddock High School in 1974, the school's second year in operation. He discusses the growth of the school and historic events in the early history of Fairfax County. Tom Giska has compiled a comprehensive history of the Burke area including people and events.

Burke Volunteer Fire Department, circa 1950

Burke Volunteer Fire Department fire truck and firemen working to put out a fire, circa 1950.

Courtesy Tom Giska, History of Burke Slide Collection

Burke Station

A new railroad station was built in Burke in 1903, when the railroad tracks were relocated northward several hundred feet to their present location. This building in the photo no longer exists.

Courtesy Tom Giska, History of Burke Slide Collection

Burke Post Office, circa 1900

In 1900, the Burke Post Office was located in one end of the Burke train station.

Courtesy Tom Giska History of Burke Slide Collection

Burke Elementary School, 1917

Burke Elementary opened in 1912 as a two-room schoolhouse, and later was expanded to three rooms. This photograph of the building was taken in 1917. By the 1930s, population growth required a larger school, and a second Burke Elementary was constructed through the Works Progress Administration (WPA) under the New Deal. The building was later converted to a private residence named Whiteoaks.

Courtesy Tom Giska, History of Burke Slide Collection