Historic Maps of Burke, No. 1
In 1862, the United States was in the middle of a civil war. Maps were a key part of fighting an effective and strategic war. This map was created by engineers working for General Irwin McDowell, a career soldier of the United States Army and the chief commander of the troops at the Battle of […]
Burke’s Bluesman
It’s a good time to revisit the theme of “notable people from the Burke area.” On this occasion, we’ll look at one of our most renowned musicians. John Jackson was born February 25, 1924, in Woodville, Rappahannock County, Virginia, to tenant farmers Suddy and Hattie Jackson. (Sources vary as to a middle name, but his […]
Celebrating Our Regional Cryptids, Urban Legends, Folklore, and Mythology
Happy Halloween, Burke! This is not your typical BHS blog post about historical events and persons of note. Rather, it is to pose a question to you, Dear Reader: Shouldn’t your inner child be allowed to come out to play at least once a year?
Fairfax County Irish Residents
The early population of Fairfax County, Virginia was composed primarily of Northern Europeans, many of whom were holders of land grants or individuals designated to act as caretakers of land grants for their proper owners living in England. Over time, English paupers migrated to this country and served as laborers or overseers for the large […]
Changing Agriculture of the 19th Century in Fairfax County, Virginia
From the settlement of Jamestown, Virginia through the mid-19th century, the primary agricultural cash crop of the Commonwealth of Virginia was tobacco. The crop required large acreage (thousands of acres) and cheap labor. The labor was supplied by Africans.
History of Lake Accotink – Part Three
(In case you missed it, “A History of Lake Accotink- Part 1 and Part 2” can be found at https://burkehistoricalsociety.org/a-history-of-lake-accotink-part-1/ and https://burkehistoricalsociety.org/a-history-of-lake-accotink-part-2/ When we left Lake Accotink in Part 2 of the History of Lake Accotink it was the end of WWII. The lake, designed to be a reservoir for Fort Belvoir, and its surrounding […]
Burke’s “Little Post Office”
The current post office for Burke opened in 1989 but the history of postal service and post offices in Burke goes back over 150 years beginning in 1852 with the appointment of John A. Marshall as postmaster of what was then Burke’s Station. The history continued through 1903 when the name was changed to Burke […]
Burke’s Famous Architect
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. […]