ANNANDALE
   The Crossroads of Northern Virginia TMRead Annandale's News Magazine,
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Annandale News & Latest Articles
Annandale News: Meet the Artisan Jean Lee
Annandale News:  Gifts for Every Occasion
Annandale News:  2019 General Assembly News
Annandale News: Demographics
Annandale Real Estate: Three Factors to Consider
Annandale History: Gallows Road Army Antiaircraft Base
Local HIstory: UnCovered-Jefferson Era Coulter Discovered  
History:  What Great Grandma Knew Part V
History:  Historic Smithfield Plantation
History: Fincastle, VA
VIEW ON NATURE: Virginia's Forgotten Fruit

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

ANNANDALE News, Events & Networking

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Fairfax County Deer Management Archery Program
Beware of Hunters

By:  FCPD

The county’s annual Deer Management Archery Program begins this Saturday, Sept. 7 and runs through Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020.  The archery program is conducted in parks and other locations throughout the county under our oversight and working closely with the Park Authority and NOVA Parks.

These signs are posted in archery program areas, at park entrances and trailheads.

The archery program began in 2010 and is part of an integrated Deer Management Program to reduce and stabilize the white-tailed deer population in our county. The program aims to minimize safety and health hazards related to an overabundance of deer, including:

• Deer-vehicle collisions
• Potential spread of diseases and environmental damage attributed to deer that can impact the ecosystem.

The county’s Deer Management Program was approved by the Board of Supervisors in 2000 and is recognized as a safe and efficient method of deer population control by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.

Because of its proven track record of safety, archery is a preferred deer management method. Archery is a compatible use with residential areas and community parks, allowing for deer population management in urban and suburban areas.

Since Virginia began tracking hunting injuries in 1959, no bystanders have been injured by an archer hunting deer anywhere in the commonwealth. Last year, 89% of the total deer harvests in our Deer Management Program were through the use of archery.

The county’s Archery Program standards require that all archers meet state hunter licensing, education and safety requirements and must pass qualifications to demonstrate skill and marksmanship, in addition to carrying program identification. Archers are also required to pass a criminal background check and complete additional training through the International Bowhunter Education Program to participate in the Deer Management Program.

Parks remain open to the public during the archery program and florescent orange signs are posted in parks where hunting is authorized. Harvest attempts will be accomplished from elevated tree stands; hunting from the ground level is prohibited in county parks. Tree stands must not be located closer than 100 feet from property lines or closer than 50 feet from established park trails.

Archers are approved to hunt at assigned sites Monday through Saturday during legal hunting hours, 30 minutes prior to sunrise until 30 minutes after sunset. No hunting is allowed on Sundays in county parks. Archers are not allowed on private property without permission by the owner or tenant.

For more information visit:   www.fairfaxcounty.gov/wildlife/deer-management-program

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BUSINESS PREPAREDNESS CHECKLIST
How ready is your business to weather a disaster?

A recent survey revealed that 74% of American small businesses do not have a disaster plan, 84% do not have adequate insurance, and 71% lack a back-up generator.  According to FEMA, 40 percent of small businesses never reopen after a disaster and another 25 percent, that do reopen, fail within a year. It is important for the business itself, their employees, and the community to get back into business as soon as possible. 

PREPARE IN ADVANCE AND REGULARLY:

• Assembled a “team” of individuals within the business who know key operations and can provide important perspectives when planning for and responding to disasters.
• Assigned someone to lead business disaster planning efforts for your business.
• Organized all your critical documents and information so they are easily accessible when needed most.
• Identified and prioritized which business operations are critical so you know what to recover first, second, etc.
• Identified the possible hazards (natural and man-made) which could interrupt your business.
• Developed continuity or emergency procedures so you can continue to provide products or services after a disaster.
• Make accessible all important data or files for decision-making if you were unable to access your facility, e.g. after a fire.
• Maintain updated emergency contact information for employees, vendors, suppliers, customers, and other key contacts?
  
  

HAVE YOU:

• Trained employees to assist (e.g. respond to injuries, evacuate the building ) when an emergency occurs?
• Maintained emergency supplies for your businesses to address immediate needs, such as if employees are unable to go home?
• Encouraged employees to be prepared at home?
• Regularly backed-up your data?
• Taken steps to safeguard against potential damage to your equipment, buildings or facilities?
• Protected inventory/storage from theft, loss or damage during an earthquake, fire, water pipe break, etc.?
• Maintained procedures to communicate after a disaster with employees, suppliers, vendors, customers, and the public?
• Put a current continuity/emergency/disaster plan in place?
• Established partnerships with other businesses, government and/or community organizations that can serve as resources when the next crisis arrives. If YES, also store your data back-ups offsite, test it regularly and update it at least annually.

Thanks to the US Chamber Foundation, Shell, and FEMA for making this information available. 

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VIEW ON NATURE:  Virginia’s Forgotten Fruit  

What fruit has a creamy, custard-like flesh with a tropical flavor often described as a combination of mango meets banana meets pineapple or vanilla?  It’s the largest tropical fruit native to Virginia and the US (up to 6 inches & 16 ounces) and grows wild in over 25 states.  Many towns, parks, lakes, etc. have been named after it. It fruits in the fall and has twice the sugar of a peach or apple and is high in vitamins A and C.  Give up?  It’s the pawpaw.

The earliest record of pawpaws came from the destructive de Soto expedition in 1541. Native Americans were actively cultivating pawpaw trees east of the Mississippi River and are said to have also spread them from Texas to the Midwest. It was a very important fruit to the colonists and westward settlers, including Lewis and Clark who at one point heavily relied on wild pawpaws, nuts and seeds when game ran scarce.
George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were particularly fond of pawpaw fruit. Washington favored it for dessert and wrote in his diary on March 7^th 1785 that he, “planted all my Cedars, all my Pawpaw, and two Honey Locust Trees…”.  Thomas Jefferson cultivated them at his much-loved Monticello, with some saying it was his favorite fruit.  READ MORE

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On the Energy Front: 
Take Charge of Your Energy Bill This Summer

School’s out, people are taking vacations and the temperatures are getting hotter each day. Summer is here and the warmer weather across Virginia can lead to increased energy bills at home due to lowering the AC and other ways.

As the Commonwealth’s energy education program, Virginia Energy Sense’s mission is to help Virginians understand their energy use, and what they can do to save energy cost effectively and easily. We want to make sure you’re well equipped to beat the heat this summer and help Virginia progress toward its goal of reducing electric energy consumption by 10 percent below.

We’re working to equip you with resources to help you with the energy consumption challenges you may face this summer. Below are several easy DIY tips you can have a big impact on your energy usage while still keeping you cool at home!

 Summer Energy Saving Tips at Home  READ MORE

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Army Antiaircraft Base 1951
Gallows Road in Annandale                                                     

Following the initial pattern of forts established for the defense of Washington during the American Civil War, Antiaircraft bases were established surrounding DC for the defense of the city during the Cold War.

Annandale folklore includes the story that a NIKE missile defense base was located in Annandale during the 1950’s.  According to research, Project Nike was a U.S. Army project, proposed in May 1945 by Bell Laboratories.  Bell had been charged to develop a line-of-sight anti-aircraft missile system. The project delivered the first US operational anti-aircraft missile system in 1953 known as the Nike Ajax.  A great number of the technologies and rocket systems used for developing the Nike Ajax were re-used for other programs functions, many of which were given the Nike name (after Nike, the Greek goddess of victory). The missile's first-stage solid rocket booster became the basis for many types of rockets including the Nike Hercules missile and NASA's Nike Smoke rocket, used for upper-atmosphere research. ₍₁₎

_{READ MORE}

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UnCovered:  Jefferson Era Coulter Found in Fairfax Park 

Thomas Jefferson loved inventions, and Fairfax County Park Authority archaeologists recently discovered a Jeffersonian-era artifact that illustrates some of the inventive work that was going on in farming in the late 1700s. 

When archaeologists work at historic sites occupied after the arrival of Europeans in the Americas, it is not uncommon for them to come across large pieces of metal. When one of these pieces cannot be immediately identified, the default ID is usually “plow part.” Sometimes, it actually is a plow part.

During recent excavations of a circa 1760 to 1820 slave quarters site on Patriot Park North, Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) archaeologists recovered this bar-like, cast metal artifact with holes that appeared to allow for some kind of adjustments. One of the agency’s amazing volunteers researched the object and discovered it was called a “coulter.” The coulter would have been vertically mounted to cut into the ground before a plow separated the dirt, creating a deeper cut with less effort than other designs.  READ MORE

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LAMBROS GOLDSMITH AND FINE JEWELRY

Sparkling, even inspiring are the jewelry designs exhibited in abundance at this charming retailer. Lambros and Jayne Magiafas, goldsmith and geologist, are a team made in Jewelers Heaven. Lambros began his goldsmith apprenticeship at the age of 12 in his native Greece while Jayne started her career in the US at the age of 16.

Lambros Goldsmiths is a family owned and operated, full service Fine Jewelry retailer.  Founded in 1987, Lambros Goldsmiths has been serving the Fine Jewelry needs of people from around the country. Nestled in our friendly town of Annandale, Lambros Goldsmiths offers uniquely handcrafted Fine Jewelry at competitive prices. READ MORE

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 Annandale REAL ESTATE
You Can Get There from Here

There is no way to address real estate in this area without mentioning two, very important factors: Amazon’s progress in its creation of HQ2 and interest rates.  However, there is now a third factor to consider, the planned Virginia Tech innovation campus in Alexandria.  This three-way combination will continue its ripple effect throughout the entire area.  So, let’s deal with each of them.

Let’s take the state of interest rates first.  Month after month we have seen stability in interest rates that continue to hover around four percent.  There is little indication from the Federal Reserve that rates will rise and, in fact, at this writing there is some suggestion that rates may fall to the 3.85% range.  What this condition does is provide stability and greater certainty to the housing market.  Although the woeful lack of inventory has persisted for at least three years causing a seller’s market to be evident, the stabilization of interest rates provides consumer confidence that is essential to a healthy market.     READ MORE

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MEET THE ARTISAN:  Jean Lee
Gorgeous Reclaimed & Re-imagined Jewelry available at the Artisans United Gallery

Since childhood, jewelry designer Jean Lee has  been interested in  art, design, crafts, construction, and creatively experimenting with a variety of materials.

A native Washingtonian, Jean graduated from the University of Maryland with a Bachelor of Science degree and has held positions as a graphic designer, clothing designer, and floral designer in her family business for nearly 30 years.  The asymmetry of nature and indeed the most interesting of floral designs is apparent in her jewelry.

In the mid 1970’s she decided to enroll in a stained glass class offered at the Smithsonian to learn a more disciplined and structured artisan craft. Glass gave Jean a freedom in design she quickly embraced, experimenting with dimension, texture, and the refraction of light. Using the copper foil technique, Jean eventually developed wearables with a  whimsical element and later small sculptures.  Jean’s work incorporates beads, games, shells, stones, feathers, fossils, fibers, and vintage jewelry. In the early days, Jean visited Goodwill where  $5.00 quart jars filled with broken pieces or jewelry, sometimes a single earing, and obscure objects of various origins sparked imaginative possibilities in her creative hands. READ MORE

Artisans United Craft Gallery
4022 Hummer Road  (in the Annandale Community Park)
Annandale, VA  22003 
703-941-0202    www.augallery.org
10 am-4 pm Mon-Sat.
Nov. & Dec:  Sun. 1-4 pm

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The History of Little River Turnpike 

Did you ever wonder why a road through the heart of Annandale is named for a river nearly 30 miles west in Aldie, Virginia? A wonderful aspect of this story illustrates how some situations several hundred years ago have remained the same or have exact parallels today! 

Three major wagon roads were evolving for agricultural trade and migration in the mid-eighteenth century in northern Virginia: the Potomac Path, (today part of Rt. 1 to Fredericksburg); the nascent Leesburg Pike, (now Route 7 from Alexandria to Leesburg); and the Philadelphia Wagon Road, tying German-speaking western Pennsylvania and Maryland families migrating into the fertile Shenandoah Valley, (now seen as routes 11 and 81).

In 1772, Virginians in our area petitioned the House of Burgesses for funds for a Fredericksburg Road. The House rejected the proposal and recommended that local counties take over responsibility. Does this battle sound familiar? But something was changing in Virginia. By 1775, of the twenty listed mercantile firms in Alexandria – the wealthy regional trade center and river port – only three were exclusively dealing with tobacco. This agricultural shift meant changes in the Virginia landscape as well. Plantations needed rivers for tobacco.  However, “inner” plantations – soon-to-be-smaller farms – had discovered that tobacco was very hard on the soil, and they began the switch to wheat and other grains, which required roads to mills and central shipping areas, rather than to the larger plantations’ river routes.   READ MORE

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 Expanded Vital Records Services Offered
at Additional Office Locations

Certified copies of Virginia birth, death, marriage and divorce records are now available for purchase from the Fairfax County Health Department at four district office locations – in Fairfax, Herndon-Reston, Annandale and Mount Vernon.

Previously, the Health Department had two office locations that could provide residents and funeral home directors copies of death certificates and verification of death letters for the family of loved ones who died. By expanding its Vital Records services, the Health Department will now offer records for these life events occurring in the Commonwealth of Virginia:

• Births: June 1912 to present
• Marriages: 1936 to present
• Divorces: 1918 to present
• Deaths: June 1912 to present.

A client may request a certificate for oneself or next of kin/immediate family, which includes mother, father, current spouse, child, brother, or sister, and others under certain circumstances, with valid ID. Each copy is $12 and payable by cash, check or credit card.

READ MORE

While you are in the Blue Ridge
Visit Fincastle, VA

If you are traveling along Route 81 from Northern Virginia to VA Tech, take a break and visit Fincastle just off the Blue Ridge Parkway.  Fincastle was founded in 1772 and named after Lord Fincastle, son of Lord Dunmore, Virginia's last royal governor. Antebellum churches, ancient tree-lined streets, 100 restored homes and a quaint village atmosphere make it a wonderful place to saunter. 

A virtual museum of architectural history dating from the late 1770s to the present day, Fincastle was the home of Julia Hancock who married Explorer William Clark in 1808, a year following his Voyage of Discovery.  The marriage took place at Santillane, a plantation also known as the Col. George Hancock Mansion.  Santillane (ca. 1795) is one of only three residences that are associated with either Clark or Lewis, according to the National Park Service.

The Botetourt County Court House, known to draw visitors from around the country...
READ MORE

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Trust Properties

Trust Properties was founded in 1994 and is committed to providing a broad range of Commercial Real Estate Services throughout the Greater Washington Metropolitan area.  Staffed by knowledgeable, experienced and dedicated career professionals, Trust Properties takes pride in delivering impeccable levels of service and exceptional results to their clients and customers.

Greg McGillicuddy is a Vice President and Principal Broker at Trust Properties.  Greg grew up in Arlington and returned here after completing his studies at Harvard and Hopkins.  Greg is one of the most knowledgeable brokers in local real estate, with more than 27 years of experience in the sales and leasing of office, retail and industrial properties and has managed more than two million square feet of properties in the Greater Metro area, including numerous properties here in Annandale.        READ MORE

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 Year Round Farmers Markets

SEASONAL MARKETS

NOVA Central Farm Market 
OPENS April 7, 2019
(formerly the Mosaic District at Merrifield)
George C. Marshall High School
2910 District Ave, Fairfax, VA 22031
www.mosaic.centralfarmmarkets.com
Sundays 8:30 am to 1:00 pm

NOVA Central Farm Market, formerly Mosaic Central Farm Market, is a year-round farmers market located on Leesburg Pike, between Tysons Corner and the city of Falls Church, at Marshall High School in Falls Church, Virginia.

The market features fresh local pork, chicken, fish, cheeses, produce, dairy, baked goods, prepared foods to go, eggs, flowers, and ice cream. 

Parking:  Plenty of free parking surrounds the market

Mosaic District FreshFarm Market  (Mosaic District at Merrifield)
2910 District Ave, Fairfax, VA 22031
www.mosaic.centralfarmmarkets.com
Sundays 9:30 am-2 pm 

A year-round farmers market located in the heart of the vibrant Mosaic District in Fairfax, Virginia.  Mosaic District’s FreshFarm market will feature more than 50 regional farmers, producers, and concessionaires selling fresh produce, meats, eggs, bread, cheese, baked goods, prepared foods, flowers, and more, says Sara Beckstead, communications manager at Edens, the owner of the Mosaic District.

Some of the vendors include Angelic Beef, Chase Your Tail Bakery, Foggy Mountain Pasta, King Mushrooms, Liberty Delight Farms, Rita’s Crepes, and Zeke’s Coffee.

FreshFarm, a D.C.-based nonprofit has 16 markets in the region, including Ballston, Crystal City, and Rosslyn.

FreshFarm has a producers-only requirement, meaning all products sold are grown, raised, or produced by the business selling them. Its markets prioritize local sourcing and support local agriculture.
Parking:  There are 4 large parking garages with plenty of free parking located around the market. Look for the parking garage signs!

Falls Church Farmers Market 
Saturdays 9 am - noon Jan. - March
Saturdays 9 am - Noon April-Dec.

 

What's in a Name?
The Origins of the Street Name, John Marr Drive

All too often when history is being reported, let alone printed, facts are assumed when no explanation for an event or experience can be documented.  What is the "most logical" is proposed to fill in the blank as is often done with gaps in family or community history.  After a time in the public lore, the assumption becomes fact in the minds of many. Years ago a very affable new resident went in search of Annandale history and had his conclusions printed in a local circular. Whenever facts did not emerge, assumptions were inserted.  Many ridiculous stories appeared and since they appeared in print, without any editorial fact checking, many readers took them to be gospel. Many erroneous stories have been told about the Annandale United Methodist Church during the Civil War.  The stories are bold and far more exciting than the truth.  None-the-less, they are fabricated stories.
(SEE:  www.annandalechamber.com/annandale_united_methodist_church.rhtml)

Another example is the origin of the street name, John Marr Drive in Annandale.  The "assumption" proposed and now often believed to be fact is that it was named for a John Quincy Marr who Wikipedia tells us," was a Virginia militia company captain and the first Confederate soldier killed by a Union soldier in combat during the American Civil War.  Marr was killed at the Battle of Fairfax Court House, Virginia on June 1, 1861.”  Marr grew up in Warrenton and is not reported to have come any closer to Annandale than Fairfax Courthouse.  Other sources claim that Henry Wyatt or William Fox, both with the same North Carolina Confederate Regiment, were the first to die.

Instead, it is possible that the road was named for a local resident whose company, Marr, Incorporated, was in the building, developing, and real estate business.  Let’s be clear, this is proposed as the origin of the name, not yet a confirmed fact.  READ MORE

Chamber Membership is an Effective Business Strategy

According to a recent study conducted by the Shapiro Group: 

“When consumers know a small business is a member of the chamber of commerce, they are 49% more likely to think favorably of that business, and 80% more likely to purchase goods or services from the company in the future.”   For more information on benefits when joining the Annandale Chamber of Commerce please see......
Membership Information.

More News and Local Issues

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Read the Latest
ENDEAVOR News Magazine

The ENDEAVOR News Magazine is the Chamber's quarterly online publication and the must read magazine in Annandale.  Acquaint yourself with local businesses, community history, revitalization efforts, and issues that concern Annandale: The Crossroads of Northern Virginia TM.

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The Annandale American Legion
Post 1976 is recruiting new members.  Veterans and family members welcome to join.  Party hall rental is free for all members.  Call 703-408-9123 and ask for Diane Ramsey.

4206 Daniels Ave, Annandale, VA 22003
(behind the Bank of America building
on Columbia Pike)

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The Annandale Volunteer Fire Dept. host BINGO every Monday and Thursday with doors opening at 4:30pm – Early Birds start at 6:45pm – Regular Sessions starts 7:45pm

• 42” LCD TV monitors display next ball to be called.
• Must be 14 yrs of age to play bingo at AVFD.
• ATM machine available.
• Bingo Hotline is 703-941-1328
•  Non-smoking inside format

 7128 Columbia Pike, Annandale, VA  22003
Ample parking on site. www.avfd.org
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Youth Sports in Annandale
is best represented by:

Annandale Boys & Girls Club

Lee's Hapmudo Martial Arts Studio

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Homeless Shelters
in Northern Virginia through Fredericksburg (Fairfax, Loudoun, Culpepper, Arlington, Alexandria,  and Prince William Counties, plus Manassas & Manassas Park,  can be found at:  www.novaregion.org/DocumentCenter/View/11750

Families with children who need shelter must contact Coordinated Services Planning at (703) 222-0880 between the hours of 8:00 am and 4:30 pm to gain access. After business hours, families with children in need of shelter should go directly to the nearest family shelter.
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Local Web Links:

ACCA

Annandale Acres

Annandale Boys & Girls Club Blog

Annandale:  Comprehensive Plan Amendment

Annandale Revitalization Committee

Annandale Shopping Center

Braddock District Supervisor

Broyhill Park

Danbury Forrest

Elan Mews/Royal Court

ENDEAVOR News Magazine

Fairfax County Community Associations

Fairfax County Government

Fairfax County Schools

Falls Church News Press

Holmes Run Acres

Lafayette Village

Lake Barcroft

Leewoods

Long Branch

Mason District Supervisor

Mosaic District (Merrifield)

Oak Hill

Ravensworth-Bristow

Raymondale

Sleepy Hollow

Sleepy Hollow Woods

Tysons Corner

Washington Post

Woodburn Homes