Ravensworth Farm Development

Ravensworth Farm was among the first subdivisions to develop during the boom of the early 1960s.

The Washington Post advertisement, October 15, 1960 courtesy of Mary Lipsey

Kings Park Realty Advertisements

Kings Park was part of the growth of suburban communities in the Braddock District during the 1960s. Most residents were families with a stay-at-home mother, and community activities for children and adults developed including Friday night movies for children, adult dinner dances, and sports teams.

Courtesy Robert Hunt

Annandale Women's Club, 2001

In 2001, members of the Annandale Women's Club recreated David Robinson's 1927 painting, The Women's Club. (back row, left to right: Helen Mobley, Alice Snitzer, Priscilla Dodge, Helen Winter, Bette McBeth. Middle row: Marion Poats, Peggy Longmeier, Elizabeth Barrow. Front row: Moira Leite, Edith Livengood, Ann Dohleman.

Sun-Gazette, April 26, 2001

Fairfax County Bookmobile, 1960

During the 1960s, bookmobiles brought library materials to new suburban communities because libraries themselves were far away. During the summer, the bookmobile came about every three weeks to some neighborhoods and children looked forward to their arrival.

Virginia Room, Fairfax County Public Library

Burke International Airport Proposal, Letter of Opposition

A 1951 letter from Paul C. Kincheloe, Chairman of the Northern Virginia Committee Opposed to a Supplemental Airport at Burke, Virginia. This letter to Kincheloe's unnamed senator argued against support for the airport.

Courtesy Susanne Fowler Neale

Burke International Airport Proposal, Land Auction Announcement

In 1959, the federal government advertised the sale at auction of land originally purchased and consolidated to construct an international airport at Burke. When an alternate site in Chantilly was chosen, almost 900 acres of land formerly designated for the airport passed to the Fairfax County Park Authority. Burke Lake and Burke Lake Park were built on that land.

Information courtesy of Frederic Kielsgard and Ross Netherton (from Memories of Beautiful Burke)

Map: Proposed Burke International Airport

The map shows the proposed location of the Burke International Airport, on a 4,500-acre tract near Burke. According to The Evening Star, June 14, 1951, the airport would be completed by 1955 and would "dwarf both Washington National and Baltimore's Friendship terminals."

From the book Braddock's True Gold: 20th Century Life in the Heart of Fairfax County by Marion Meany and Mary Lipsey; map prepared by George Mason University Department of Geography GIS Center of Excellence.

Copyright 2006 County of Fairfax. All rights reserved.

Burke International Airport Proposal, Artist's Rendition

The 2005 pen and ink sketch of local artist, Chris Lipsey illustrated probable effects of the Burke International Airport, had the proposal succeeded.

Courtesy Chris Lipsey.

Copywrited material, not to be reproduced without permission of owner

Postcard, Bill Sheads to Doris Hollis, World War II

Drafted at age 19 during World War II, Delbert (Bill) Sheads mailed this humorous post card to his fiancee, Doris Hollis in January 1943, shortly after his induction into the Army.

Courtesy Bill Sheads

Delbert [Bill] Sheads and Doris Hollis, Wedding, World War II

Delbert [Bill] Sheads was drafted when he was 19 years old and inducted into the U.S. Army in January 1943. and was assigned to the 113th Armored Cavalry Reconnaissance Regiment. He and his girlfriend, Doris Hollis, attended Fairfax High School together, and were engaged before Bill left. They decided to marry when Bill came home on a ten-day pass in July 1943 before going overseas to Europe. They rushed to Falls Church for blood tests, and then to the County Courthouse in Fairfax, which was closed. Mr. Tom Chapman, Clerk of the Court came to the rescue, unlocked the courthouse and gave them their marriage license. They were married on July 30 in the old Good Shepherd Church, located where the current Twinbrooke Shopping Center now stands. While Bill was deployed, Doris worked at Ft Belvoir as a typist and secretary.

Courtesy Delbert [Bill] Sheads