Centreville 1955 Braddock Road (then 211) looking west (north).

https://goo.gl/maps/HXTqS
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Wider angle view
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Fischers hardware fire, Jan 4 1969. Pics courtesy of the Franconia museum.
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Dave Henery did you live in Kings park west?

Dave Henery Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> $62,500 for a Glencourse condo in Reston? What do
> they sell for now?


~$430,000

A good friend and co-worker Rick Markham was upbraided by his grade school teacher for spelling it CentREville. He asked her to look it up and she made an apology in open class. The area was named when it was under British rule and so followed that spelling.

Before moving to McLean in 58, I lived in Arlington In the Highland Hall apts. at Glebe and rt. 50. First we liven at 26 Old Glebe Rd. then spent a year and a half in New Jersey while dad worked at Bell Labs, then back to 30 Old Glebe Rd. While living at 30, I walked up to the Buckingham to see a sci fi called Spacemaster X-7 sub-titled bloodrust. At either 9 or 10 yrs. it scared the devil out of me. When the movie was over I came out and it was Dark, no I correct myself it was DARKER than DARK. That was one of the worse walks home in my entire life.

Thanks Len, did you ever visit Timber Lake or Lake Accotink back in your day?

I moved to Annandale in 1948 I can name every establishment in thi picture. I LOVED growing up in Annandale.

There was a gas shortage ... or so we were told. At one time you got gas according to your house # Odd #'s on odd days & even # on even days

Hi, new here, but just spent the past 3 days reading this thread!
I have a lot of old pictures but I'll start with this one, I used to shop here when it was Appalachian Trail Outfitters. Apparently they have preserved the original school and moved it to a new location.
http://www.hmdl.org/History/history.htm

I can't figure out how to attach more than one pic to this post, if someone will let me in on that secret I'd appreciate it!

A question, do photos have to be resized before they are posted or is there some html to use in the post for it?

Another question, my roommate and I used to live in Arlington and would go for late night munchies to a place which may or may not have been on Wilson Blvd; it was a steak & pizza place (I think) called Angelo's or Anthony's? I remember it started with an A! Does anybody recall? They had the best steak and cheese sandwiches ever!

Oakton school house 1907
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oldie newbie Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ...
>
> I can't figure out how to attach more than one pic
> to this post, if someone will let me in on that
> secret I'd appreciate it!
>
> A question, do photos have to be resized before
> they are posted or is there some html to use in
> the post for it?
>

You can use the following html. Take out the space after the angle bracket and before the img. Replace file_name with the URL. Replace NNN with some number (e.g, 600, 800, etc.):

< img src="file_name" width="NNN">

With more than one you'll need to include some character (e.g., a period, etc.) after each image to break the line; otherwise, they'll appear side-by-side.

< img src="file_name" width="NNN">.
< img src="file_name" width="NNN">.
< img src="file_name" width="NNN">

pic poster Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> oldie newbie Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > ...
> >
> > I can't figure out how to attach more than one
> pic
> > to this post, if someone will let me in on that
> > secret I'd appreciate it!
> >
> > A question, do photos have to be resized before
> > they are posted or is there some html to use in
> > the post for it?
> >
>
> You can use the following html. Take out the
> space after the angle bracket and before the img.
> Replace file_name with the URL. Replace NNN with
> some number (e.g, 600, 800, etc.):
>
> < img src="file_name" width="NNN">
>
> With more than one you'll need to include some
> character (e.g., a period, etc.) after each image
> to break the line; otherwise, they'll appear
> side-by-side.
>
> < img src="file_name" width="NNN">.
> < img src="file_name" width="NNN">.
> < img src="file_name" width="NNN">

THANKS pic poster!

Poo Poo and Pee Pee Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I crossed over the Occoquan River via Old Yates
> Ford Road going into Prince William County the
> other day. I saw some old bridge in the river on
> the right-hand side. Was that a former road
> alignment of Old Yates Ford Road, or something
> else?

This is a question from a few months ago, but pick me! pick me! I know the answer!
(I think...)
If this is what you were looking at, there are two cement pilings in the river that used to hold up a bridge. On the right are boat launches for Bull Run Marina.
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Damaged Goods Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Midgetville Vienna
>
> https://www.flickr.com/photos/8503162@N02/sets/721
> 57600270358668/

Thanks for those pictures, DG!

A friend of mine lived there in one of the tiny houses. Her family owned the property, and her mother lived in "the big house." It was a beautiful place, despite the run-down-looking little houses. There was a beautiful lawn in the middle edged by huge evergreen trees where we used to have picnics with the kids.

WingNut Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Haha, I saw "Star Wars" and I think "Jaws" when
> they premiered at the Uptown on Connecticut Ave, I
> think the State probably got the second run a
> month or two later.
>
> src=http://www.fairfaxunderground.com/forum/file.p
> hp?2,file=172475,filename=state1111.jpg>
>

I think I saw "A Hard Days Night" and "Help" at that theatre. Not the first time, we went all the way to downtown DC to see them when they opened.

Around the corner on Broad St was a record store about where Applebee's is now. I can't remember the name of it right now... We used to drive there all the way from Herndon to buy records. The only other place closer was a Drug Fair in Herndon which carried a very small selection of 45s.

Driving an old boat of a Buick, then we'd stop at Tops drive-in on the west end of FC for a Jim Dandy and a Coke before heading back to Herndon.

oldie newbie Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Around the corner on Broad St was a record store
> about where Applebee's is now. I can't remember
> the name of it right now... We used to drive
> there all the way from Herndon to buy records.
> The only other place closer was a Drug Fair in
> Herndon which carried a very small selection of
> 45s.
>


That was Giant Music. It is in the street level of the building.

oldie newbie Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hi, new here, but just spent the past 3 days
> reading this thread!
> I have a lot of old pictures but I'll start with
> this one, I used to shop here when it was
> Appalachian Trail Outfitters. Apparently they
> have preserved the original school and moved it to
> a new location.
> http://www.hmdl.org/History/history.htm
>
> I can't figure out how to attach more than one pic
> to this post, if someone will let me in on that
> secret I'd appreciate it!
>
> A question, do photos have to be resized before
> they are posted or is there some html to use in
> the post for it?
>
> Another question, my roommate and I used to live
> in Arlington and would go for late night munchies
> to a place which may or may not have been on
> Wilson Blvd; it was a steak & pizza place (I
> think) called Angelo's or Anthony's? I remember
> it started with an A! Does anybody recall? They
> had the best steak and cheese sandwiches ever!
>
> Oakton school house 1907

The steak and cheese, and pizza, place on Wilson Blvd. is Mario's Pizza House. It is still operating there, although its days are numbered due to redevelopment plans. They once launched what turned out to be a pretty unsuccessful franchise system locally, with those operations using the name "Marino's". Recently, they opened a second location, in a strip mall at Lee Highway and Gallows Road in Merrifield.

There was an Anthony's on Broad Street in Falls Church which also offered steak and cheese sandwiches. It had to shut down due to redevelopment, but has recently reopened in a new strip mall at Rt. 50 and Annandale Road.

Pic above is near Farfax County Courthouse, before they levelled the hill and took down the sign.

Yeah! I see your mom walking in that picture!

Sheilaboo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>

Cool picture. Where in Fairfax is this?

Ye Olde Hoodson Man Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Pic above is near Farfax County Courthouse, before
> they levelled the hill and took down the sign.

Where was the hill? I can't place it and I don't remember the sign.

April Fools?

- dA nU fArTiAn - Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Sheilaboo Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> >
>
>
> Cool picture. Where in Fairfax is this?


Probably the Fairfax district in Los Angeles. That's where the "other" Fairfax High School is.

That very late-model semi truck in the foreground tells me that it's a recent pic.

Fairfax Theatre 1932
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That hill is actually Mt. Murtaugh before it became Mt. Stinkmore.

Fairfax Theatre in Fairfax, California.. just north of the Golden Gate Bridge.. I believe that the theatre is owned by George Lucas..

oldie newbie Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Poo Poo and Pee Pee Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I crossed over the Occoquan River via Old Yates
> > Ford Road going into Prince William County the
> > other day. I saw some old bridge in the river
> on
> > the right-hand side. Was that a former road
> > alignment of Old Yates Ford Road, or something
> > else?
>
> This is a question from a few months ago, but pick
> me! pick me! I know the answer!
> (I think...)
> If this is what you were looking at, there are two
> cement pilings in the river that used to hold up a
> bridge. On the right are boat launches for Bull
> Run Marina.


Those pilings are made of concrete not cement. Cement would have washed away decades ago.

Intersection of Prosperity Ave and Leroy Place, late 1950s.
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Another angle of the intersection of Prosperity Ave and Leroy Place, late 1950s.
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Prosperity Ave, late 1950s. School bus coming from direction of Little River Tnpk.
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Prosperity Ave, late 1950s. School bus heading towards Little River Tnpk.
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This is the house in the first pic.
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It looks like the back of that bus ran into something. Prosperity hasn't changed much. At first, I thought that house was the one on Rt 7 just east of Pimmit Hills, across from the church under 66 overpass. Cant think of the name of that road.

^^^^ I've been in that house when the Hendersons lived there.

cP63Y Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Prosperity hasn't changed much.


I guess one thing's that's changed is the traffic - someone told me it used to be a quiet enough road that a dog could sleep alongside it.

Anne Girl Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Prosperity Ave, late 1950s. School bus heading
> towards Little River Tnpk.


Those pictures are so awesome! Thanks Anne Girl!
How about some more?

Dave Henery Wrote:

> Those pictures are so awesome! Thanks Anne Girl!
> How about some more?

Sure - here is Fairfax Pool (off Roberts Rd) in the late 1950s. (These are screen captures of old home movies from my grandparents, so a little fuzzy.)
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Parking lot of Saint Michael's School in Annandale, late 1950s.
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Somewhat spectral image of a procession at Saint Michael's School in Annandale, late 1950s, when the nuns wore habits like this.
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Yeah I visited Timberlake with my older brother when I was younger, so I don't remember much about it. Lake Accotink was a big hit with me in my teens. It was one of the places we could go to ice skate in the Winter. The whole family would go and have a ball. We also skated at a pond on what was Evans Farm, but I seem to remember it having a name other that Evans. It bugs me that I can't remember that name. The pond was cut off from the rest of the property by "Dolly Madison Blvd" which they were just beginning to build when we moved to McLean in 58. My mother waited tables for a little while at Evans Farm Inn. Later in life I became a Park Manager for the Fairfax County Park Authority and worked at many of the sites I haunted as a kid. I was all over these sites before they became Park Authority property.Colvin Run Mill, Lewinsville Park, Lake Fairfax Park, Drianesville House, Riverbend Park. My Mom worked at the Water Gate Inn, a restaurant run by Marjory Hendricks that was torn down to build the WATERGATE complex. The Watergate gets its name because it was the terminus for the C&O Canal it actually was a water Gate into the Potomac. It was about as far up river as larger ships of trade could travel. The canal was used to bring farm goods down river and products back up river. I lost my High school class ring jumping off the rocks below Greatfalls at the "Jumps", hung out at Black pond off Maderia School. Scrambled over the rocks at Great Falls like a Pica. I climbed the wall next to the gas station on the Georgetown end of Key Bridge, back when the D.C.Transit bus barns were still in use. Does any one remember the "caves" between the upper and lower G. W. Parkways just up river of Key Bridge. They weren't much but to a 13 year old the fact that college kids from both American and Georgetown used them lent a certain air of mystery.

Great stuff Mr.len, Was North Springfield still under constuction when you first hung out at Lake Accotink? Watergate history lesson was great, Did you ever watch speedboat races on the Potomac? Hydro boat race Known as Black Sunday in which the driver of the Miss Budweiser boat and several others had fatal crashes.

Very cool len little. I heard about the caves off the parkway but never ventured although not for any reason other than opportunity. Dangerously played and climbed on those rocks below Great Falls. Dangerously played and swam under and around the falls and at that black pond quarry. Although, I don't remember so much actually getting in it but getting to it mostly.

I Never saw what was there before Watergate but the history (which I never heard before) is so cool. During the summer when I was 12- or 13-years old, I would ride my bike from S.Arl through Arl Cem, across mem brdg to Watergate and all the way down to the zoo sometimes. One big ride down from start to finish and murder Huffing-it back. I probably never would have done it if the climb came first.

National airport 1941
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NS 13 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Great stuff Mr.len, Was North Springfield still
> under constuction when you first hung out at Lake
> Accotink? Watergate history lesson was great, Did
> you ever watch speedboat races on the Potomac?
> Hydro boat race Known as Black Sunday in which the
> driver of the Miss Budweiser boat and several
> others had fatal crashes.


That boat race was the President's Cup Regatta, which was an annual tradition going back to at least the 1920's. I watched it from the water every year from 1965 until the final race in the late 70's. I kept my little plywood cabin cruiser just up the way at Columbia Island Marina. After the Fourth of July, race weekend saw the most boats leave their slips.

Black Sunday was the 1966 (June 19) race with three fatalities. Unlimited hydroplane racing was extremely dangerous back in those days. Allison aircraft engines drove those boats to speeds (160+) that were often fatal if something went wrong. Almost all the great drivers got killed eventually. My favorite driver, Bill Muncey was killed in 1981 in a race in California. Today, the Unlimited boats are jet turbine-powered and the driver is in an oxygen-equipped capsule that breaks free from the boat in a crash. Still dangerous (going 200 mph on the water will always be!) but deaths are rare nowadays.

There was a race in 70's that two drivers were killed. The river was rough that year and that had a part in it. I think that's what killed the Regatta in the end. It was too often that the River was rough on race weekends, which made it more dangerous. Most of the other venues on the Unlimited circuit were on glass-calm lakes and such.

^Not in Fairfax County, but super cool photo nonetheless.

1966 President's Cup - Black Sunday
Rex Manchester and Don Wilson lost their lives in this collision between Notre Dame and Miss Budweiser during the President's Cup on the Potomac River
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Is that your boat?
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to see a photo album of these boats, go to: http://www.vintagehydroplanes.com/albums/todd/todd-f.html
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Way cool, Thanks white dude.

My brother-in-law knew some people in "Midgetville". We used to hang out there in the '70s. We called it "Mortville" in honor of Mortville,MD., the town in the John Waters CLASSIC, "Desperate Living" where everyone lived in a constant state of motification. Both places had the same vibe! (Yes, the trees there were beautiful, what a shame THEY wiped them out. So called progress!)

Who remembers Lee Volkswagen? Right next door to Arthur Treachers in Springfield.
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I’m guessing the picture above entitled “Fairfax Theatre 1932” is California. Although I can’t see the trees in that picture, I don’t believe there were that many people in one place at one time in Fairfax County in 1932.

Lake Accotink began as a water resivoir for Ft. Belvoir in the 1920's. The construction practices of the 40's and 50's allowed unlimited erosion which resulted in severe sedimentation of the lake reducing its depth from over 20 feet to less that 5. The Park Authority dredged the lake several times (the latest I have direct knowledge of was in the 90's. I retired in 2002) as well as raised the sill height to increase the area and usability of the lake. If you look at either end of the dam, there is a large grate covering a vertical shaft. it leads to the hollow interior of the dam. It is divided into 10 foot long walled sections with a central walkway along its length. The down stream side of the dam has hundreds of holes in it to allow air flow under the falling water. This reduces the low pressure effect of the flowing water to keep it from trying to tear the surface of the dam away.

My "Dutch uncle", Bennett Rivers Miller was on the Presidents Cup Regatta committee. I had a pass that allowed me to roam pretty freely anywhere I wanted. I was watching the crews put the boats in the water once, and was amazed how skinny the propellers were. I was on the timing barge when the Miss Thriftway dipped her bow under the water and exploded just before reaching the clock. I was also there when the Miss Bardahl hit a log that got through the net at the 14th St. Bridge. I don't remember the years that these happened, I guess I could look it up.

I love remembering the early days of the County, and seeing all the pictures.

Dave Henery Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Who remembers Lee Volkswagen? Right next door to
> Arthur Treachers in Springfield.

If memory serves, the Greyhound Bus Station was nearby the VW dealership. So was Norms tv repair.

Good stuff len, Do you remember an ampitheater near Kennedy Center? I saw boats anchored in the river watching concerts in the sixties, the story and photos were in a old National Geographic mag.

>
That boat race was the President's Cup Regatta, which was an annual tradition going back to at least the 1920's. I watched it from the water every year from 1965 until the final race in the late 70's. I kept my little plywood cabin cruiser just up the way at Columbia Island Marina. After the Fourth of July, race weekend saw the most boats leave their slips.

Black Sunday was the 1966 (June 19) race with three fatalities. Unlimited hydroplane racing was extremely dangerous back in those days. Allison aircraft engines drove those boats to speeds (160+) that were often fatal if something went wrong. Almost all the great drivers got killed eventually. My favorite driver, Bill Muncey was killed in 1981 in a race in California. Today, the Unlimited boats are jet turbine-powered and the driver is in an oxygen-equipped capsule that breaks free from the boat in a crash. Still dangerous (going 200 mph on the water will always be!) but deaths are rare nowadays.

There was a race in 70's that two drivers were killed. The river was rough that year and that had a part in it. I think that's what killed the Regatta in the end. It was too often that the River was rough on race weekends, which made it more dangerous. Most of the other venues on the Unlimited circuit were on glass-calm lakes and such.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------^
Good history of these races. I had heard of them and I knew some people died, but was surprised there were so many. The seawall at Haines Point helped cause a fatal accident with a fast moving boat about 25 years back that nose dived into a wave. Waves hit it and bounce back into the river and I believe the area off Haines Point in DC on the Potomac was where were these races were held.

>Do you remember an amphitheater near Kennedy Center? I saw boats anchored in the river watching concerts in the sixties
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I know there was a floating stage on the water near the site of the Kennedy Center at Lincoln Memorial and have seen pictures of people in canoes and other small craft there, probably the same pictures you saw. At Wash Harbor one of the restaurants there has some great pictures of the river back in time. I think they are in Sequoia.

Lisa from the block Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Dave Henery Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Who remembers Lee Volkswagen? Right next door
> to
> > Arthur Treachers in Springfield.
>
> If memory serves, the Greyhound Bus Station was
> nearby the VW dealership. So was Norms tv repair.


Yes, there used to be another small strip shopping center between the VW dealership (before it was expanded) and the existing Outback. That old shopping center was where the bus stop and Norm's TV were located. That old shopping center was torn down to enlarge the VW dealership.

The amphitheater near the Kennedy Center was discussed, and pictures were posted, on pages 20 and 21 of this thread. I got schooled by Blanche on some of the specifics.

Springfielder1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Lisa from the block Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Dave Henery Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Who remembers Lee Volkswagen? Right next door
> > to
> > > Arthur Treachers in Springfield.
> >
> > If memory serves, the Greyhound Bus Station was
> > nearby the VW dealership. So was Norms tv
> repair.
>
>
> Yes, there used to be another small strip shopping
> center between the VW dealership (before it was
> expanded) and the existing Outback. That old
> shopping center was where the bus stop and Norm's
> TV were located. That old shopping center was torn
> down to enlarge the VW dealership.

How about the Arthur Treachers in the Rose Hill Shopping Center?

len little Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Lake Accotink began as a water resivoir for Ft.
> Belvoir in the 1920's. The construction practices
> of the 40's and 50's allowed unlimited erosion
> which resulted in severe sedimentation of the lake
> reducing its depth from over 20 feet to less that
> 5. The Park Authority dredged the lake several
> times (the latest I have direct knowledge of was
> in the 90's. I retired in 2002) as well as raised
> the sill height to increase the area and usability
> of the lake. If you look at either end of the
> dam, there is a large grate covering a vertical
> shaft. it leads to the hollow interior of the
> dam. It is divided into 10 foot long walled
> sections with a central walkway along its length.
> The down stream side of the dam has hundreds of
> holes in it to allow air flow under the falling
> water. This reduces the low pressure effect of
> the flowing water to keep it from trying to tear
> the surface of the dam away.
>
> My "Dutch uncle", Bennett Rivers Miller was on the
> Presidents Cup Regatta committee. I had a pass
> that allowed me to roam pretty freely anywhere I
> wanted. I was watching the crews put the boats in
> the water once, and was amazed how skinny the
> propellers were. I was on the timing barge when
> the Miss Thriftway dipped her bow under the water
> and exploded just before reaching the clock. I
> was also there when the Miss Bardahl hit a log
> that got through the net at the 14th St. Bridge.
> I don't remember the years that these happened, I
> guess I could look it up.
>
> I love remembering the early days of the County,
> and seeing all the pictures.

You have quite an oral history to tell. I'm glad you have shared here and hope you continue. I had begun to believe i'd seen all there was to offer on this site.

job foreman Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> oldie newbie Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Poo Poo and Pee Pee Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > I crossed over the Occoquan River via Old
> Yates
> > > Ford Road going into Prince William County
> the
> > > other day. I saw some old bridge in the river
> > on
> > > the right-hand side. Was that a former road
> > > alignment of Old Yates Ford Road, or
> something
> > > else?
> >
> > This is a question from a few months ago, but
> pick
> > me! pick me! I know the answer!
> > (I think...)
> > If this is what you were looking at, there are
> two
> > cement pilings in the river that used to hold up
> a
> > bridge. On the right are boat launches for
> Bull
> > Run Marina.
>
>


>>>>>>> Those pilings are made of concrete not cement.
> >>>>>>Cement would have washed away decades ago.

"Well, if you want to get technical about it." ~(Ringo)

*Picture not related*
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Appalachion Outfitters?

Vask hicking boots Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Appalachion Outfitters?


There are many things about the old Fairfax County that you missed.

Like what what short pants?

While researching building permits I found a video.
Early U.S. History of Southeast Fairfax County - Part 1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b13UI74X7FY

I was the Park Manager of Riverbend Park in Great Falls from 1984 till my retirement in 2002. I am very familiar with the local history of that area of the County. The River, the Washington Aqueduct dam and pipes built in the Civil War, and still in use. Conns Island. Great Falls Park now a National Park was actually Fairfax County Park Authorities first Parkland acquisition and the Park Authority still collected the gate fee until I took over in the early 80's. Remember the Carousel operated by Mr, Jackson that hurricane Agnes washed away in 1972. His grandson Ted worked for me at Riverbend and the family still lived off Jackson lane from Georgetown Pike near Ad Hoc road. Riverbend Park was made up of over 70 distinct properties purchased in the late 60's and early 70's I met a number of the original land owners and had the pleasure of listening to their family histories. Unfortunately I did not have the foresight to tape record (yes I am that old) those conversations. I will sit down and try to write down some of their names and stories rebuilding from my memory as best I can. I have been writing stories of my mothers family in South Alabama for the past several years, but until finding this site never thought of writing down my own stories of Farifax. Thanks for giving me something to do in my retirement. more to come if there is any interest.

Len, bring the stories...most here would love to see them!

If you've read through other posts on this site, you may have noticed some very weird, perhaps rude responses...

Ignore those, and post your stories...part of the history of Fairfax, and most everybody here will appreciate greatly!

yes sirreee Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Len, bring the stories...most here would love to
> see them!
>
> If you've read through other posts on this site,
> you may have noticed some very weird, perhaps rude
> responses...
>
> Ignore those, and post your stories...part of the
> history of Fairfax, and most everybody here will
> appreciate greatly!


+1!!!
Love to hear about the old days.

nice 22 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> GBW, re post of said pic.

Man I remember that year like yesterday. 8 years old at the time :-)

bring ‘em on little len

School in the days before air conditioning (Saint Michaels School in Annandale, late 1950s).
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Bradlees at former Memco location (I think) was this old lee hwy near fairfax circle?
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The now Home Depo at Ffx Cir

Dave Henery Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Bradlees at former Memco location (I think) was
> this old lee hwy near fairfax circle?

I remember that old Bradlees (the one off Old Lee Highway and Old Pickett Road). Now a Home Depot. Somewhere on this board is a pic of the old Memco, I think.

I would love a pic of the old Juvenile Sales store in Annandale, and the interior of Fair City Mall back in the 1970s/80s, w/ Kemp Mill records, Erol's, the Christian Science Reading Room, and I think a Hallmark.

Speaking of the Juvenile Sales store in Annandale I remember my Mom buying my cub scout uniform and gear from them. JC penny also sold scout supplies. Do kids still do the cub scout thing anymore??
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Good Scout Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Speaking of the Juvenile Sales store in Annandale
> I remember my Mom buying my cub scout uniform and
> gear from them. JC penny also sold scout supplies.
> Do kids still do the cub scout thing anymore??


Is that a wood burning fireplace? Looks dangerous!

Dave Henery Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Bradlees at former Memco location (I think) was
> this old lee hwy near fairfax circle?


Definitely not FFX circle location. Maybe Annandale?

I don't believe it is Annandale. The Annandale Memco had the entrance on the short side of the building facing LRT, so the front would not be that big. Fairfax, route 1 and a couple of Maryland locations were oriented with the entrance on the long face of the building.

Those angle opening windows remind me of McLean high. We had a physics teacher named General Rumbold if I remember his name correctly. There was an 8 foot long SLIDERULE hanging over the chalkboard and the General was a bit of a fuss budget about keeping the slide centered when not in use. We used to push it out about a foot each morning and when he entered the room he would almost absently mindedly give it a hard push to re-center it. It did not move all that easily. One morning a friend and I got in early so we could remove the slide, clean the grooves and put a liberal coating of graphite on the slide. It moved extremely easily after that. As per usual the slide was out of place and as he entered, the General gave it the usual heavy shove. In stead of moving just a foot, it literally shot out of the device and the slide sailed out the window. There was a terrifying scream from outside. We all bolted to the windows and there two stories down was a student who had been catching a few rays laying on the grass, the slide was impaled into the grass about a foot from him. God only knows what went through his mind in that split second as he saw this "spear" coming at him. Other than scaring the hell out of him, he wasn't hurt. That kind of thing sticks in your mind even from 1965.

The other day I said that Great Falls was the Park Authorities first acquisition, I have to correct myself, the first property was Eakin Park. For most of my service James Heberlien was the Asst. Director. I think he was the first park employee to work Great Falls. The Park Authority did not have any snow removal equipment in the early 50's. He kept a bottle of whiskey in the gatehouse, so that when it snowed the state plow boys would plow Old Dominion into the Park and get a snort or three for their efforts.

Lewinsville Park was owned in my youth be a retired Juvenile Court Judge Hammil. His house was (at least when I retired in 2002 still) used as the park offices. When facing down the driveway to the house, and off to the left was a 5 story barn/milkhouse. J. Preston Rodgers rented the fields and barn from the Judge and baled hay off these and other fields in the area. About half way down Davidson road on the left was the house of Willie Gains, we also baled hay from around his house. Behind the Main house as it was called was a row of low one story housing units. Actually they were left over slave quarters from the old days. The only tenet was Sylvester and his wife Ruby. Sylvester drove for the judge and his wife took care of the house. As a teen I never learned their last name, or if I did I don't remember it. In the hottest days of haying the fields when we brought a load of hay to the barn, Ruby would always bring out a pitcher of what tasted like the best coldest water ever.

The lowest level of the barn was at ground level from the back and the dairy stalls and milk coolers were there. Even in the 60's the coolers still had spring fed water running through them and it was cold. Shortly before I retired, I visited the property and almost everything but the Main house had been torn down. I walked the area behind the house and helped the site Manager relocate where the quarters and the barn were. No one had thought to record any of that information before razing the structures. Fortunately I was able to locate the stepping stone path from the Main house to the quarters and some of the foundation stones. Enough for the history types to dig around and get an idea of what it looked like. I had lived on Audmar Drive just across old 123 from the fields, so getting to that work was easy.

At the end of Davidson road across from McLean High School was a farm of sorts belonging to lemuel Northern. He raised ponies, ran an upholstery shop and his wife ran a ceramics shop. I and a number of other teens did work for him and in return got to ride the ponies and horses. We were paid very little for the work but the horse riding made up for it as far as I was concerned. When I was in high school we were not allowed to wear blue jeans(it was a capital offense according to J.J. Lyons the Asst. Principle.) I got away with wearing Lee jeans in Natural color. After classes I would walk over to Northerns and work on breaking horses for him. Each Spring he would buy a few up in Winchester, and I and one other fool would bronc then to saddle and bridle. Damned hard way to make money, but I was young, stupid, and loved working with horses.

Down the hill of Davidson road from the High School was a creek. Next to it was the driveway to one of my best friends house. Their mail box read T.P.(Thomas Paige) Nelson. You can imagine the ribbing over that. Bill his son and I were into every kind of trouble imaginable from the age of twelve until I went into the army at nineteen. His parents property backed up to Judge Hammil property. There was a very thick fencerow from the back of bills yard all the way to rt. 123. Behind the Giant food store in McLean was a telephone warehouse for the McLean area. In back of the warehouse were recycle bins (yes even in the early 60's) the repairmen dropped off sections of wire they thought were to short to be useful and dry cell batteries from remote equipment. Bill and I would sneak into the work yard and steal wire in the longest sections we could find. We would hand splice wire together so that we ended up with a pair of wires long enough to reach from his bedroom down the length of the fence row onto the telephone poles, across 123 and down Audmar Dr. to my house (about half a mile). We would toss the wire over the regular telephone wire to support it. Bill's dad had a set of old Army field telephones. And as the Brits would say "Bob's your uncle" we had our own telephones. Now at this point I should say that my father was fairly high up in the telephone company management. He was an electronics engineer and growing up with him I learned quite a bit about wire and phones. One afternoon Bill rang me and my father heard the bell, we were discovered. He raised holy hell. Not only were we stealing from the company he worked for, we had not installed any sort of lightning protector and could have burned down both houses. We were of course required to take it all down and return all the wire and stuff to the warehouse. RATS. I really was in hot water for quite a while. Several months later, I overheard Dad talking to my Mom about the adventure. Dad was actually proud that I had learned enough to do all the splicing weatherproofing and figured out how to run the wire without anyone finding out about it. Not to shabby for thirteen year olds was how he put it.

more later.

We moved here to fairfax area 30 years ago. I left in the late 90's for most part never returned at least not to live. Just came back to visit. Yes it has changed and for the worst. Way to much traffic, peopel that hardly speek english, worst customer service i ever see anywhere at alot of business's. And i can understand why people who remember it here years ago befor it got this built up dont like it now. How do you keep puting houses closer together, build more apartments, make cops increasingly more prevolent and more apt to bother you just for giggles triple the population in 30 years and make the cost of liveing way to high and call that progress. Fairfax now is far worse than it was 30 years ago. And all these people that dont speek english make it even worse. And you comment on the homeless well you can blame all the people who keep making things the way they are. Cost of living much higher, and lower minimum wage. Not everyone here makes 1o0k a year, but if you dont your near poverty here. Yet they call this progress. Stop building up, stop destroying whats left of the natural beauty. Learn to speek english, do basic math, lower the prices and learn to actualy drive like you dont own the damn road which you do not. Then yes Fairfax could be worth living in again.

Good Scout Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Speaking of the Juvenile Sales store in Annandale
> I remember my Mom buying my cub scout uniform and
> gear from them. JC penny also sold scout supplies.
> Do kids still do the cub scout thing anymore??

My nephew was in scouts, but then left since he got too busy (sports, other activities, generally hyper-scheduled, as kids tend to be these days).

len little Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Those angle opening windows remind me of McLean
> high. We had a physics teacher named General
> Rumbold if I remember his name correctly. There
> was an 8 foot long SLIDERULE hanging over the
> chalkboard and the General was a bit of a fuss
> budget about keeping the slide centered when not
> in use. We used to push it out about a foot each
> morning and when he entered the room he would
> almost absently mindedly give it a hard push to
> re-center it. It did not move all that easily.
> One morning a friend and I got in early so we
> could remove the slide, clean the grooves and put
> a liberal coating of graphite on the slide. It
> moved extremely easily after that. As per usual
> the slide was out of place and as he entered, the
> General gave it the usual heavy shove. In stead
> of moving just a foot, it literally shot out of
> the device and the slide sailed out the window.
> There was a terrifying scream from outside. We
> all bolted to the windows and there two stories
> down was a student who had been catching a few
> rays laying on the grass, the slide was impaled
> into the grass about a foot from him. God only
> knows what went through his mind in that split
> second as he saw this "spear" coming at him.
> Other than scaring the hell out of him, he wasn't
> hurt. That kind of thing sticks in your mind even
> from 1965.
>
> The other day I said that Great Falls was the Park
> Authorities first acquisition, I have to correct
> myself, the first property was Eakin Park. For
> most of my service James Heberlien was the Asst.
> Director. I think he was the first park employee
> to work Great Falls. The Park Authority did not
> have any snow removal equipment in the early 50's.
> He kept a bottle of whiskey in the gatehouse, so
> that when it snowed the state plow boys would plow
> Old Dominion into the Park and get a snort or
> three for their efforts.
>
> Lewinsville Park was owned in my youth be a
> retired Juvenile Court Judge Hammil. His house
> was (at least when I retired in 2002 still) used
> as the park offices. When facing down the driveway
> to the house, and off to the left was a 5 story
> barn/milkhouse. J. Preston Rodgers rented the
> fields and barn from the Judge and baled hay off
> these and other fields in the area. About half
> way down Davidson road on the left was the house
> of Willie Gains, we also baled hay from around his
> house. Behind the Main house as it was called was
> a row of low one story housing units. Actually
> they were left over slave quarters from the old
> days. The only tenet was Sylvester and his wife
> Ruby. Sylvester drove for the judge and his wife
> took care of the house. As a teen I never learned
> their last name, or if I did I don't remember it.
> In the hottest days of haying the fields when we
> brought a load of hay to the barn, Ruby would
> always bring out a pitcher of what tasted like the
> best coldest water ever.
>
> The lowest level of the barn was at ground level
> from the back and the dairy stalls and milk
> coolers were there. Even in the 60's the coolers
> still had spring fed water running through them
> and it was cold. Shortly before I retired, I
> visited the property and almost everything but the
> Main house had been torn down. I walked the area
> behind the house and helped the site Manager
> relocate where the quarters and the barn were. No
> one had thought to record any of that information
> before razing the structures. Fortunately I was
> able to locate the stepping stone path from the
> Main house to the quarters and some of the
> foundation stones. Enough for the history types
> to dig around and get an idea of what it looked
> like. I had lived on Audmar Drive just across old
> 123 from the fields, so getting to that work was
> easy.
>
> At the end of Davidson road across from McLean
> High School was a farm of sorts belonging to
> lemuel Northern. He raised ponies, ran an
> upholstery shop and his wife ran a ceramics shop.
> I and a number of other teens did work for him and
> in return got to ride the ponies and horses. We
> were paid very little for the work but the horse
> riding made up for it as far as I was concerned.
> When I was in high school we were not allowed to
> wear blue jeans(it was a capital offense according
> to J.J. Lyons the Asst. Principle.) I got away
> with wearing Lee jeans in Natural color. After
> classes I would walk over to Northerns and work on
> breaking horses for him. Each Spring he would buy
> a few up in Winchester, and I and one other fool
> would bronc then to saddle and bridle. Damned
> hard way to make money, but I was young, stupid,
> and loved working with horses.
>
> Down the hill of Davidson road from the High
> School was a creek. Next to it was the driveway
> to one of my best friends house. Their mail box
> read T.P.(Thomas Paige) Nelson. You can imagine
> the ribbing over that. Bill his son and I were
> into every kind of trouble imaginable from the age
> of twelve until I went into the army at nineteen.
> His parents property backed up to Judge Hammil
> property. There was a very thick fencerow from
> the back of bills yard all the way to rt. 123.
> Behind the Giant food store in McLean was a
> telephone warehouse for the McLean area. In back
> of the warehouse were recycle bins (yes even in
> the early 60's) the repairmen dropped off sections
> of wire they thought were to short to be useful
> and dry cell batteries from remote equipment.
> Bill and I would sneak into the work yard and
> steal wire in the longest sections we could find.
> We would hand splice wire together so that we
> ended up with a pair of wires long enough to reach
> from his bedroom down the length of the fence row
> onto the telephone poles, across 123 and down
> Audmar Dr. to my house (about half a mile). We
> would toss the wire over the regular telephone
> wire to support it. Bill's dad had a set of old
> Army field telephones. And as the Brits would say
> "Bob's your uncle" we had our own telephones. Now
> at this point I should say that my father was
> fairly high up in the telephone company
> management. He was an electronics engineer and
> growing up with him I learned quite a bit about
> wire and phones. One afternoon Bill rang me and my
> father heard the bell, we were discovered. He
> raised holy hell. Not only were we stealing from
> the company he worked for, we had not installed
> any sort of lightning protector and could have
> burned down both houses. We were of course
> required to take it all down and return all the
> wire and stuff to the warehouse. RATS. I really
> was in hot water for quite a while. Several
> months later, I overheard Dad talking to my Mom
> about the adventure. Dad was actually proud that
> I had learned enough to do all the splicing
> weatherproofing and figured out how to run the
> wire without anyone finding out about it. Not to
> shabby for thirteen year olds was how he put it.
>
> more later.

Thank you for this history. It's local details like these that tend not to get preserved; and we should try to leave something to posterity to let them know what it was like in the (better) old days of Fairfax.

Erick Richardson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> We moved here to fairfax area 30 years ago. I left
> in the late 90's for most part never returned at
> least not to live. Just came back to visit. Yes it
> has changed and for the worst.

I hear ya. I grew up here, and have seen the area "evolve" through the decades. For me, it is sad to see the transformation. And such a huge transformation in relatively little time.

I remember not so long ago, maybe 10 years ago or so, that the old "driveway posts" for the Hamill property were still up and visible from Chain Bridge Road. Said Hammil at the top, nothing too ornate, though.

Just stone, maybe 5 feet tall and two or three feet square.

As kids (in the late 70's early 80's) whenever we had a sports event there (usually soccer) it was referred to as Hammil tract.

Thought the spelling was Hamill, but I guess not.

So cool Len Little. It’s hard to believe, but I do. I’ve heard others tell of the country Fairfax once was. Plus, you see remnants of it; even remnants of the ole people, sometimes. Few and far between, but sometimes. I grew up in Arlington, for the most part. Fairfax, when we ever ventured that far, was the boondocks.

E.R. as I read your post about change for the worse, I couldn’t help but think “that’s the way the government wants us” poor and dependent. stupid don’t hurt them none either.

This aerial photo of Broyhill McLean Estates was taken in May 1960 by original homeowner, Robert Reid of Wasp Lane. The green field in the upper center is today Lewinsville Park.
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In the above picture, it looks like Dolley Madison Blvd is still under construction...from the lower left corner to about 2/3 of the way over...

And, that part of the pond "across" 123 from the Old Evans Farm Inn seems visible...

"In 1961, the neighborhood was extended along Hornet Lane and Fern Oak Court. In 1962, a four-lane bypass of the McLean Central Business District was built from Churchill Road to Anderson Road. The road, called Dolley Madison Boulevard, was built in state right-of-way in the original subdivision plats, and bisected the subdivision. The Capital Beltway opened later that year."

If you go to this site:
https://sites.google.com/site/mcleanbroyhill/history
that’s where I’m getting this; and there’s more. Not more pictures, but more stories you may be interested in.

PLEASE don't hold my feet to the fire on the spelling of peoples names from 50 years ago. I will go up in flames soon enough, thank you.

When my family first moved to McLean we were the fourth home in our section of Broyhill McLean Estates. Most of the homes around us were still in stud wall configuration. Even as an eleven year old, I learned a lot about how houses were built by watching the whole process take place around me. At that time Dolly Madison Blvd. was still in the earliest stages of construction. Enterprise Ave. ended with a barricade on the other side of which was a wide mud swath. As the Blvd was slowly built, we kids played in the closed off area. Once the road was paved, but not yet ready to open to traffic, we would start at the top of the hill near Anderson rd.(I think) and could ride as fast as possible on new smooth asphalt all the way down to Old Dominion drive, which was the bottom of a very long hill. We could really build up some speed with our three speed "English Racer" bikes. I even talked my dad into getting his Mercury around the barricade and pacing us to see how fast we were able to go. One of the kids got almost to sixty miles per hour. Remember in those days there were no helmets, gloves, knee, or elbow pads. I can not even imagine the carnage that would have happened if one of us fell off our bikes. But that was a part of being a kid in those days. Even my dad wasn't worried.

At first there were no stop lights on Dolly Madison, but several years later a dump truck coming down the hill ran a stop sign and totally crushed a car and occupants at Dolly Madison and Old Dominion. Then came the lights. By the way Dolly Madison Blvd. gets its name from James Madisons wife Dolly. When the British burned the Whitehouse, she grabbed the painting of George Washington and a lot of other stuff and fled across into Virginia. She stopped at a private residence called Salona House, just off Chainbridge rd. at the far end of Salona Village. which still stood when I left NoVa in 2002. Guess where Salona Village got its name.

The Whitehouse was rebuilt after the War of 1812. When Harry Truman moved in he had his piano installed and one of the legs punched through the floor. A survey of the building showed extensive rot and the flooring and support beams had to be replaced. The people who were tearing out the flooring and etc just threw it onto a pile alongside the Whitehouse. A friend of my fathers who was an amateur furniture maker salvaged a lot of the wood. Remember in those days you could still just walk right into the Whitehouse. It was the Peoples Whitehouse after all. He made quite a number of footstools out of the wood, and mounted little brass plaques on each one saying where the wood came from. He gave one to my father, and when my father passed away I got it from him.
About 1995 as a Manager from the Fairfax County Park Authority, I attended an interagency meeting with the National Park Service. During a break I was talking to one of the NPS folks and mentioned the footstool. She went BALLISTIC. I was in possession of "Stolen National Treasure". I reminded her that the material was "thrown away as trash" and therefore it was not stolen. The next thing I know the FBI came to my home to recover the "stolen Property". I reminded them that the Supreme Court had ruled years ago that once an item was placed in the trash, it could be claimed by anyone. In fact that is how the FBI had gotten evidence on a number of Mafia types. I suggested that they check with the Attorney General before pestering me again. They even tried to get my boss to order me to return the footstool. He rightly so told them which Metro stop was closest to the FBI building and suggested that they use it. If I can figure out how to post photos, I will show you what it looks like.

At the corner of a two lane Chainbridge road, and a two lane Rt. Seven, there was a rather weird auto body shop that was decorated by several people of unique perspective. You probably know I am talking about Johnson Autobody. When Tysons Corner began to build up, they packed up and moved to Merrifield. Somewhere in the photos is a shot of a lawn jockey that is mounted on the side of their building in Merrifield.

Open your minds eye map of old McLean and you can see that the Giant Food store and Peoples drugstore on old chainbridge rd. the old telephone company warehouse. and Old Dominion Dr, form a rather odd square.on the Old Dominion side there was a grocery store the IGA(Independent Grocers Assn.) It was run by a Masonic member who was a butcher by trade. A friend of mine Charlie had a dog named Pogo who was front half bulldog and rear half beagle. Charlies dad ran a furniture repair shop behind the McDonalds. Once a week or so Pogo would drop by the IGA and the butcher would give him a beef knuckle or joint of some kind. Imagine this horrific looking dog, so large in front and so small in the rear, snarfing and growling as he carried his bone home. It could badly affect the personality of any small children or ladies of delicate nature to be exposed to such a sight. Next door to the IGA was Prestons Drugstore. Their food counter was much superior to the one at the Peoples Drug next to Giant food. Later McLean Auto Parts moved in and the cook opened a small diner at the far end of that strip mall called the Sunrise Diner or Sunrise something or other. He still made good food.

There was a barbeque shop called Three Pigs run by a guy named Bill. Their barbeque is still one of my favorites, and I have eaten barbeque in about seventeen different States. I Managed Twin Lakes Golf Course in Clifton for a while and Bill used to play there. He always looked me over as if trying to figure out where he knew me from, and it was well over a year before I told him. You could tell if Bill felt he was making money at the shop. If he did he would put more meat in the barbeque beans. If he felt poor, very little meat.

The picture and link to the homeowners assn. was posted while I was typing my latest. I love that photo because it shows the neighborhood just as it looked when we moved in. The wide road from 123 toward the mud swath is AUDMAR dr. My step dads house was 1430 the fifth down on the right side from 123 as viewed in this picture. The third house was where the Brucks lived, then the Augeries, then my dad Albert Child, then the Greys were number six on our side of the street. Just across from us was a dead end and a dentist owned the house on the far corner. our lot number was 113 and our original address was 311 Audmar but when the postal realignment went through the number changed to 1430. the large green field across 123 was the left side of Judge Hammils property. You can just make out the Main house and the barn to its left Look carefully and you can see a cedar tree about half way back on the left side of the green field and the square abutment of Bill Nelsons house behind it. We ran the Phone line down that thick fence row, across 123 down the left side of Audmar then across to the fifth house and my bedroom. Dad bought a split-level and with upgrades paid $24,950 in 1958. We traveled out from Arlington every weekend to clean up the yard of junk left there by the builders, plus Dad wanted to really prewire the house before the inside walls were finished. Being an electrical engineer and a phone company supervisor, the whole house was wired for several phone jacks in all rooms. Including much to my mothers dismay the bathrooms. Additional wire was run throughout the house for almost any possible future use. When dad retired in 1982 he sold the house for $133,000. I believe that the article describing the trees at the corner of Dewberry as pines is incorrect. I remember them being hardwoods. When the property was leveled out for building the houses, they were raising the surface area about 1 to 2 feet and they built several stone wells 8 to 10 feet across to keep from burying the trunks of those trees. We kids used those stone wells as "forts" of course. On the right side of the picture just about where Dolly Madison seems to end is the pond that I think belonged to Evans Farm. Turning from Mayberry onto Dewberry the second house or third on the left was the McCormacks. He taught English at McLean High then the Smoots. Chip McCormack was a year or so younger than I was. One winter he, I and the kid with the trees in his front yard were at the pond. Chip had his rather young German Shepard with him. The pond was lightly frozen over and we kids were skimming pieces of ice across the frozen surface. Chips dog took off after a piece and broke through the ice about thirty feet from the shore. The kid with the trees in his front yard (I want to call him henry, but I just can't remember his name) threw off our coats and broke ice out to the dog. Once back on the shore we got our coats and ran like the devil was after us back to Henery's house stripped off and jumped into the shower. Try explaining that to parents with a straight face.

better picture.
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Merrifield, before
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a slide rule like this?
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Did little len fess up to his teacher for that prank? Anybody remember clapping errasers, and haircut checks?

What year was this?? And would it be okay if I used this picture as part of my thesis for my photography final??

don’t ask me... http://museum.mit.edu/nom150/entries/1385

Yes the slide rule was something like the one in the photo. However we did not intend to prank the General. He was very well liked by the students, our reason was to make the slide rule work more smoothly, because he really had to shove and pull on it to use it in his classes. And yes we explained to him what we had done. By the way I still have my slide rule it is an ACU-MATH No. 1311 and has a total of twenty scales on it. NO. I do not remember how to use most of them.

On a side note, my name is Len, or my nickname since age 5 has been Buddy. I got tired of the "Little" thing as a young boy. I am over six feet tall so it has been a constant source of amusement for a lot of people, but not for me. Thank you in advance for your understanding.

Mr.len, did you ever go into the little waterfall cave under a steam off George Pike?