In 1933 the United States elected President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who promised to ease the pains of the Great Depression. In 1929, the nation had suffered the worst stock market crash in its history. By 1933, the unemployment rate had increased to thirty-three percent. Many businesses and banks had closed and thousands of Americans were homeless. Food riots broke out in several cities.
In Baltimore, Maryland on April 19, 1861, Union soldiers of the 6th Massachusetts Infantry, who were traveling to defend Washington DC, were badly injured by Confederate sympathizers. Learning that the men were being cared for in the US Senate Chambers, Clara Barton, who grew up in Massachusetts. used her own supplies to minister to her “Massachusetts boys.” Barton’s requests to friends and relatives for additional supplies were quickly answered.
By Debra DeLoose
Accotink Creek is around 25 miles in length. It begins north of Lake Accotink in the area of Fairfax City and ends at Accotink Bay where it empties into the Potomac west of Fort Belvoir. However, there has not always been a Lake Accotink.
By Brian Slawski One of the pleasures of studying Burke’s history is discovering how many notable and interesting individuals have lived in our ostensibly small and sleepy stretch of Fairfax County. Any list of these individuals would surely include Walter Macomber.
Walter Mayo Macomber was born February 25, 1894, in Revere, Massachussetts, just outside Boston. While he was still a boy, his family moved to nearby Waltham, “The Watch City,” and by the age of 16 he was working as an “errand boy” in the city’s major employer, the American Waltham Watch Company. Soon, however, he would find his way to much bigger things.
Historian John Browne speaks to Burke Historical Society. Burke Connection Last Sunday, March 31, the Burke Historical Society hosted historian John Browne at the Pohick Regional Library where he spoke to about 50 guests about his new book, The Story…
Historic Burke family grave has been target of vandals over the years. Burke Connection By Mike Salmon Members of the Marshall family, Burke Historical Society and student history group broke out the weed trimmers and shovels to beautify and preserve…
Burke Connection By Mike Salmon In 1799, a 17-pound nugget of gold was found near Charlotte, N.C., starting the lesser known East Coast Gold Rush, that spread into Virginia. As the years passed, and gold coins were produced in Charlotte,…
Burke Connection By Steve Hibbard A few dozen people attended the Fairfax Station Railroad Museum’s special exhibit called “Memories of the Orange and Alexandria Railroad” on Sunday, Sept. 23. With 17 poster displays, it also featured original artifacts from the…
Burke Connection By Steve Hibbard Despite the intermittent rain, the crowds were steady at the first day of the 41st annual Burke Centre Festival on Sept. 8 at the Burke Conservancy Festival Grounds. (read more)
Burke Connection By Mike Salmon Burke — Karenne Wood gave a presentation for the Burke Historical Society on July 15. Hollywood and the retail world planted a seed for the stereotypical Native American, and it has been exploited more in…