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Fairfax County History

Virginia Room Research Last Updated: Apr 9, 2025 7:29 PM

Fairfax County History

Formed in 1742, Fairfax County has a long and fruitful history. The Virginia Room, located on the second floor of the City of Fairfax Regional Library, collects, preserves, and makes accessible local history resources. Researchers can find historical information on Fairfax County individuals, locations, and events. This Local History page serves as a guide to some of our local history resources which include:

  • Photographs
  • Yearbooks
  • Local Newspapers
  • Subject Files
  • Archival Collections

This Guide Is Intended For:

  • Researchers interested in the history of their neighborhood
  • Genealogists seeking their Fairfax County ancestors
  • Historians investigating histories of local buildings
  • School alumni searching for old yearbooks
  • Anyone curious about Fairfax County’s history

Questions? Email the Virginia Room: va_room@fairfaxcounty.gov

Local History Library Events

Burke Historical Society Presents: Professor Meredith Lair: History, Lessons and Legacies of the Vietnam War

Burke Historical Society Lecture Series. As the nation observes and reflects on the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, Professor Meredith Lair (Department of History & Art History, Georg…

Date:
Sunday, Apr 13, 2025
Time:
3:30pm - 5:00pm
Location:
,
Categories:
History/Culture Presentation/Performance

Fairfax County History Book Club

Join the Virginia Room as they read Landmarks of Old Prince William: A Study of Origins in Northern Virginia in Two Volumes by Fairfax Harrison. Published in 1924, the book is a voluminous detailed ea…

Date:
Tuesday, Apr 15, 2025
Time:
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Location:
,
Categories:
History/Culture

Women and American History: Mary Lincoln

  Mary Lincoln was born in Kentucky and was known for being a spirited, tomboyish young woman who married a struggling lawyer from Illinois. As the spouse of a circuit lawyer, Mary actively supported…

Date:
Wednesday, Apr 16, 2025
Time:
1:00pm - 2:00pm
Location:
,
Categories:
History/Culture Virtual Program

Women and American History: Mary Custis Lee

  As the great-granddaughter of George Washington, Mary Lee spent her childhood at Arlington House, surrounded by the legacy of her famous ancestor. In her youth, she developed feelings for a distant…

Date:
Wednesday, Apr 30, 2025
Time:
1:00pm - 2:00pm
Location:
,
Categories:
History/Culture Virtual Program

Capital Centre: A Retrospective

Join us for a panel session on the Capital Centre, the historic Washington metropolitan arena for the Washington Capitals, Washington Bullets and the scene of countless legendary concerts. The authors…

Date:
Sunday, Jun 8, 2025
Time:
3:00pm - 6:00pm
Location:
City of Fairfax Meeting Room 101A, City of Fairfax Meeting Room 101B, City of Fairfax Meeting Room 101A, City of Fairfax Meeting Room 101B
Categories:
Author Event

New Guide to Black History Materials in the Virginia Room

The Virginia Room has created a new guide to research materials relating to Black history in Fairfax County, Virginia. While this guide aims to offer a robust selection of available resources, it is not exhaustive. Included are books, school yearbooks, oral histories, manuscript collections, photographs, and subject files available in the Virginia Room on Black history. This guide will be periodically updated with additional resources.

 Fairfax County Black History Resources 

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