braddockheritage.org/

Memories: Anne C. Brown

2011-10-05T16:58:22-04:00

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Memories: Anne C. Brown

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Anne C. Brown shares memories of growing up and living in Burke, VA, which has been home to several generations of her family. Born in 1921, she recalls growing up in the Depression, classes in Burke's original 3-room elementary school, World War II, commuting to work and small town life.

Historic Marker: Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)

2011-10-04T15:52:02-04:00

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Historic Marker: Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)

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On April 5, 2008 at Lake Accotink Park, Fairfax County celebrated the CCC's 75th anniversary and unveiled an historic marker commemorating the CCC's contributions to the county.

In the photo on the right, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Gerald E. Connolly (center), Vice Chairman and Braddock District Supervisor Sharon Bulova, and Bill Sheads unveil the marker. In the second photo, Park Director Tawny Hammond (left, partially obscured) and Mary Lipsey join the group.

Bill Sheads' memory of a CCC-built fire road provided the seed for Mary Lipsey's research and effort within the Fairfax County History Commission to approve the historic marker.

The marker stands beside the path of the former fire road, now entrance to the park headquarters building. It reads: "THE CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS - During the Depression, in 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt's administration established the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) to help unemployed men, ages 18 to 25. CCC men created state parks, improved soil conservation, conducted reforestation and constructed fire trails. The men received food, clothing, shelter, health care, education and were paid $30 monthly, of which $25 was sent home. Projects of the racially segregated Fort Belvoir CCC camp, Army 3 VA-2399 C ("Colored"), included building fire trails through forested areas of Fairfax County. One such trail started at Old Keene Mill Road, crossed nearby Accotink Creek, and ended at Backlick Road. The Fairfax County History Commission, 2007"

Source

Photos courtesy of John Browne

Camp Reports: Civilian Conservation Corps No. 2339C Camp

2011-10-04T15:48:46-04:00

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Camp Reports: Civilian Conservation Corps No. 2339C Camp

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CCC No. 2399C Camp, also known as Army-3VA Camp, was located at the U.S. Army's Fort Belvoir in Fairfax County. A racially segregated unit, it was comprised of African Americans except for assigned Army Reserve officers and other leaders. The Camp's work on reforestation and fire control projects included road construction and firefighting in and near Braddock District. A significant but nearly forgotten contribution was construction in the 1930s of an access road through an extensive forest area bounded by Braddock, Rolling, Backlick and Old Keene Mill roads. Erased by suburban development, the road no longer appears on current maps. Today, that former forest has been replaced largely by the community of Springfield and Lake Accotink Park. Lake Accotink was originally created during World War I as a water source for Fort Belvoir.

Two camp inspection reports - for March 21, 1936 and March 8, 1938 - provide insights into the people, operations and life of CCC No. 2399C Camp, including:
--Location, size and description of camp and its facilities
--U.S. Army Reserve officers, camp leaders and personnel assigned
--Compensation
--Details about camp sanitation, medical services, motor vehicles and safety program
--Evaluation ratings on camp facilities, conditions, personnel and morale
--Food, meals and daily menus
--Mission, responsibilities, work projects and plans
--Sports and recreation
--Religious services
--Health, including deaths of camp personnel
--Education, including efforts to eliminate illiteracy

Source

Courtesy of Mary Lipsey; obtained during her research of the CCC from the The National Archives and Records Administration.

Map: Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Road

2011-10-05T16:41:23-04:00

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Map: Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Road

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This 1939 map shows the location of the road built by the CCC in the 1930s to provide access to what was then an extensive forest, likely for fire control. Marked by a triangular symbol enclosing the letter "C", the road connected Old Keene Mill Road (Rt. 644) and Backlick Road (Rt. 617). The road, used by fire equipment and also by residents as a shortcut, was erased by suburban development and no longer appears on current maps.

This map is a detail taken from a highway map of Fairfax County, Virginia. Symbols are explained in the separate map legend.

Source

General Highway and Transportation Map, Fairfax County, Virginia, prepared by the Virginia State Highway Department and Virginia State Planning Board in cooperation with the Federal Works Agency, Public Roads Administration, 1939; provided by The National Archives and Records Administration.

Essay: Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)

2011-10-04T15:43:23-04:00

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Essay: Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)

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In a chance conversation with Mary Lipsey, Bill Sheads mentioned the CCC's work in the 1930s in building a road through what was then an extensive forest, likely for fire control access. The CCC's role was all but forgotten and the road, erased by suburban development, had disappeared from current maps. Mary's research has verified the road's construction and location and led to creation of the first historic marker to commemorate the CCC's contributions to Fairfax County.

Source

Courtesy of Mary Lipsey

Oral History, Part 2: Lee Hubbard

2011-10-04T15:25:53-04:00

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Oral History, Part 2: Lee Hubbard

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Part 2 of two parts. Lee Hubbard's family can trace its roots in Fairfax County to the 1700s. He discusses his childhood and milestone events. Lee Hubbard became a member of the police department and he talks about criminal cases, traffic, and the growth, administration, and operation of the police department.

Oral History, Part 2: Delbert (Bill) Sheads and Elsie Sisson (1921 - 2008)

2011-10-04T15:17:53-04:00

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Oral History, Part 2: Delbert (Bill) Sheads and Elsie Sisson (1921 - 2008)

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In Part 2 of two interview sessions, Bill and Elsie (Sheads) Sisson, brother and sister, reminisce about their family, which came to the Braddock District from Culpepper, Virginia, in 1903. They talk about people and places, schools, lumbering and saw mills, and church life.

Slide Show: Burke Historical Society Slide Presentation

2012-09-27T18:21:37-04:00

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Slide Show: Burke Historical Society Slide Presentation

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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.

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Courtesy Tom Giska

Burke Forest Fire

2011-09-10T21:54:15-04:00

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Burke Forest Fire

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On April 20, 1941, a forest fire that ignited along the railroad near Guinea Road and Zion Road eventually burned an extensive area southward toward Lorton. Local fire fighters battled for several days before bringing it under control with help from Ft. Belvoir soldiers and prisoners from the Lorton Workhouse. The fire is a vivid memory for residents who experienced it. They and contemporary newspaper accounts report that the previous winter had been extremely dry and temperatures were unusually hot for April.

Source

Courtesy Chris Lipsey

Rights

Copyrighted material, not to be reproduced without permission of owner

Oral History, Part 1: Delbert (Bill) Sheads and Elsie Sisson(1921 - 2008)

2011-08-04T14:14:21-04:00

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Oral History, Part 1: Delbert (Bill) Sheads and Elsie Sisson(1921 - 2008)

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In Part 1 of two interview sessions, Bill and Elsie (Sheads) Sisson, brother and sister, reminisce about their family, which came to the Braddock District from Culpepper, Virginia, in 1903. They talk about people and places, schools, lumbering and saw mills, and church life.