ANNANDALE OF OLD                   MORE ANNANDALE RETROSPECTIVE AND HISTORY
THE YEAR WAS 1955

By:  M. Callahan

Frozen Dairy Bar on Arlington Blvd. at Annandale Road

GOVERNMENT
US President:  Dwight Eisenhower

Vice President:  Richard Nixon
VA Governor:  Thomas B. Stanley

US Senators from VA:  Harry Flood Byrd & Absalom W. Robertson
Chief Justice US Supreme Court:  Earl Warren
Speaker of the House:  Joseph W. Martin then Sam T. Rayburn

MAJOR EVENTS
Winston Churchill retires as British Prime Minister.
US occupation of Japan ends.
The Warsaw Pact is signed.
Federal Republic of West Germany becomes a Sovereign State.
Argentina’s Pres. Juan Peron is overthrown.
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat in Alabama.
Hurricane Diane wrecks havoc on NE US.
Annandale High School completed in 1954.

AWARDS & PRIZES
Pulitzer Prize:  A Fable by William Faulkner
Nobel Peace Prize Winner:  None was awarded.
Miss America:  Lee Meriwether from CA
Best Picture of the Year:  Marty
Best Actor:  Ernest Borgnine, Marty
Best Actress:  Anna Magnani, The Rose Tattoo

SPORTS
NCAA Basketball Champion:  San Francisco

Stanley Cup Winner:  Detroit Red Wings
College Football Champion:  Oklahoma
Heisman Trophy Winner:  Howard Cassady from Ohio State
US Open Winner:  Jack Fleck
World Series Champion:  Brooklyn Dodgers

EVERYDAY LIFE
Velcro and Legos are invented.
Fish Fingers marketed by Birds’ Eye
The Johnny Carson Show airs on TV.
Captain Kangaroo, a locally produced show, premiers on TV.
The minimum wage increases to $1 per hour.
Disneyland opens in California.
First McDonald’s opens.
Col. Sanders opens Kentucky Fried Chicken.
Cost of a new house:  $10,950.00
Average Income:  $4,147.00
New Car:  $1,910.00
Gasoline cost $.023 per gallonUS Postage Stamp cost $.03
Gallon of milk cost $.92.

BIRTHS:
Bruce Willis, Kevin Costner, Kelsey Grammer

Ryker Farm, Lincolnia

DEATHS:
James Dean, Albert Einstein.

 

What was happening in Annandale?
Saturday, September 24, 1955

A festival, simply known as Annandale Days, was celebrated by merchants and citizens alike.  The following schedule provides an insight into the activities. According to their program, the stores in Annandale featured the best bargains of the year along with free balloons and other gifts for children.

10:00 AM - DOG SHOW - on the grounds of the new Annandale Recreation Center Entries in the following classes were judged. Two prizes in merchandise certificates were awarded for each class.  The judge was Frank S. Deane.

  • Sporting Dogs
  • Non-sporting dogs
  • Hounds
  • Working Dogs
  • Toy Dogs 6.       
  • Terriers
  • Best dressed dog (Child’s entry)  

10:30 AM – BABY SHOW - at the auditorium of the Annandale Elementary School on Columbia Pike where ACCA can now be found,  babies had to be 6 month to 2 years of age.  Separate classes were judged for boys and girls, and two prizes in merchandise certificates were awarded for each class.  The judges were John Ferguson and Thelma S. McLaughlin.  

11:15 AM – DEDICATION OF SWIMMING POOL – Annandale Recreation Center (Little River Turnpike behind Burger King)  This was the largest community swimming pool in the entire Metropolitan Washington area.  There was also a ball field to be well used throughout the coming years, and the first wing of the Community Center Building – the TEENSPOT.  In order to finance the entire project, shares of stock were sold to community members.  Their long term plans were to build a skating rink, a large community center building, tennis courts, playgrounds, and as many other facilities as they could find the money and/or the help to build. For the dedication ceremony picnic tables and facilities were available along with sandwiches and soft-drinks. (Interesting to note, Annandale is still waiting for our Community Center to be built.)  

1:00 PM – PARADE Starting at Chatelain Village just east of the Baptist Church and traveling west on Columbia Pike and Little River Turnpike, the PARADE will proceed to McWhorter Place where they will take a left to disband.  Prizes were awarded to the following groups and judged by Charles R. Chase and J. Leslie Ehringer.

1.        Best band
2.        Best float entry
3.        Best Marching unit
4.        Best fire department unit
5.        Most original entry  

2:30 PM – PARADE PRIZES to be awarded – Football Grounds at Annandale High School Announcement of Winners and Awarding of Prizes for the Annandale Essay Contest for School Children – Sponsored by Mr. Henry J. Rolfs  

3:00 PM – FOOTBALL GAME – At Annandale High School, opened in 1954  -  Annandale High vs Falls Church High Half-time activities by the Annandale High School Band
This is the first game to be played on home grounds. 
Game Results:  Annandale 0, Falls Church 7 (AHS went on to be a football powerhouse ten years later.)

9:00 PM – DANCE – At Annandale Fire House sponsored by the Ladies Auxiliary. The Popularity Queen was crowned at 10 PM.

 

Annandale Volunteer Fire Dept, Summer of 1954. Photo courtesy of the Annandale Chamber of Commerce Photographic Archive with all rights of use reserved.Annandale Retail Establishments in 1955

The number of businesses in Annandale more than doubled between 1950 and 1955.  At least 100 businesses belonged to the Chamber.  You were able to live in Annandale and buyall commodities and services right in town.  During this same five year period the housing developments of Broyhill Crest, Rolf Heights, Lake Barcroft, and Raymondale were built.  Because of the huge influx of new Annandale residents, retail and business development also increased.It was possible to live in Annandale in 1955 and purchase most every commodity and service right in town.

 

 

Annandale Animal Hospital                                                 
Annandale Associates, Inc.                                                                   

Annandale Barber Shop                                             .                   
Annandale Cab Co.                                                                                     

1953:  7th grade class at Annandale Elementary School

Annandale Co-Op Pre-School                           
Annandale Dry Cleaners
                                                          Annandale Florist                                                      
Annandale Hardware & Supply Co.   
                                      Annandale Market                                                    
Annandale Millwork Corp.                                                      
Annandale Motor Clinic                                                          Annandale Pet Supply                                            
Annandale Pharmacy                                              
Annandale Recorder 
                                        
Annandale Service Co.                                                                       
Annandale Sheet Metal Co.     
                                                                     

 

Annandale Supply Co.1954 Annandale Elementary School Graduation Roster
Annandale TV Service                                                                    
Annandale Variety Shop                                           
Arfax Furniture & Carpet                                                                   |
The Bank of Annandale                                                                    Bergen’s Men Shop                                                                        

Berry’s Sawmill & Lumber Yard             
                   
Besley Realty Co.            
                                                               
M.T. Broyhill & Sons Corp                                    
         
Campbell & Ferrara Nurseries                                  

Casa Mia Italian Restaurant                                                       
RM Cantrell & Sons                                                                        
HD Deavers Electric Motor Service  
                                         
DeLaughter TV Sales & Service                              
                           Ellicott’s 5 & 10                                                                              
Galanis Service Station                                                                   
Garwood & Claffy                                                                    
Hagan’s Bakery                   
Iva Trice Dress Shop      
                                  

                              
John Hampton Plumbing & Heating     
                                                           
FW Harris Plumbing & Heati
ng                                                          
Harvey’s Hickory Hut

Will Esso at the Triangle in late '40-early '50's.Mason and Omar Hirst
Portraits by Julian
Kirby's Sales and Service,Inc.
E.W. Long & Sons, Inc.
Lake Barcroft Developpment
McCormick Jewelers 
Merrydowns School (present Pinecrest School) 

Michael Development Corp.
Mike's Barber Shop 
Mills Realty Co.  
J. Mettauer (Original Occupants of Omni Building)
Justus 'Jack" Ange Well Drilling
Nay's Garage 
Dr. Gilbert Nelson, Optometrist
O'Brien & Rohall, Inc.
Martin T. Webb, Real Estate
Payne-Oliver Concrete Co.

Produce Stand (The)

Realty Investment Corp.
Reid's Amoco 

Roadside Market
Robert's Esso, Inc.
Rolf Heights Development  
Raymondale Development
Shirkey Drug

Star Supply
Stewert's Radio & TV Service  

Stokely-Simpson Equipment Co.

Swanee-Lee Antiques  

 

Rolf Heights Sales Sign 1955 - Photo courtesy of the Annandale Chamber of Commerce Photographic Archive with all rights of use reserved.Taylor Insurance Co.
Taylor Appliances
Todd's Texaco Service  

Triangle Shell Service
Turnpike Press
E.K. Uhler & Co. Insurance 
Wanner's Amo
co Service Station 
Wes's Tavern   
         

  

 

  

 

 

Annandale Rd. Little River and Columbia Pike meet in front of the Annandale Market.

   

The Teen Spot at the Annandale Rec Club.  Fairfax County had planned to build a community center at the Annandale Community Park, then at this location, then as a public private partnership at the old Annandale Elementary School when it first closed.  It has never been built.

The Annandale Rec Club on Little River in 1954 - To raise the building capital, shares were sold to the residents of Annandale

 

St. Michael's School opened in 1957.  Church services were held in the auditorium until the large round church was built.

 

 

Original Fall Church High School Stadium

 

 

 

Annandale High Scool Gym Entrance 1958

 

 

(Copyright © 2012 Annandale Chamber of Commerce. All rights reserved.  (Photographs & images, on this page, and on this website, are not available for use by other publications, blogs, individuals, websites, or social media sites.)  For More on Annandale read,

 

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