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Fairfax County History

Virginia Room Research Last Updated: Oct 13, 2025 9:35 AM

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: Civil War Culpeper and Culpeper National Cemetery

Burke Historical Society Lecture Series. Jeff Joyce, a volunteer historian at Culpeper National Cemetery, will discuss Culpeper’s role and engagements during the Civil War—including the famous Battle…

Date:
Sunday, Oct 26, 2025
Time:
3:00pm - 4:30pm
Location:
Pohick Meeting Room 1, Pohick Meeting Room 2, Pohick Meeting Room 1, Pohick Meeting Room 2
Categories:
History/Culture Presentation/Performance

Photos, Letters, Ledgers and More: Exploring Special Collections in The Virginia Room

Interested in local history or genealogy? Discover the resources that Fairfax County Public Library's Virginia Room has to offer you! Learn about their special collections, genealogy resources and fre…

Date:
Wednesday, Nov 5, 2025
Time:
10:30am - 11:30am
Location:
Great Falls Meeting Room, Great Falls Meeting Room
Categories:
Presentation/Performance

Escaping Detection: Women in the Civil War

Author and local historian Mary Lipsey will give us a look at women who participated in the Civil War as spies and as soldiers. Register if you'd like a reminder. Adults and teens. Mary Lipsey Bio M…

Date:
Monday, Nov 17, 2025
Time:
7:00pm - 8:15pm
Location:
George Mason Meeting Room, George Mason Meeting Room
Categories:
History/Culture

The American Revolution and the Fate of the World | An electrifying global history of a not-so local war

  When we think of the American Revolution, we often picture a parochial drama: thirteen colonies squaring off against the British Crown in a spirited bid for independence. But this version of the st…

Date:
Saturday, Apr 25, 2026
Time:
2:00pm - 3:00pm
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:
History/Culture Presentation/Performance

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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