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:
This Guide Is Intended For:
Questions? Email the Virginia Room: va_room@fairfaxcounty.gov
Are you a night owl family historian? This is your night! Join fellow researchers and genealogists for after-hours research in the Virginia Room. Staff will be on hand to connect you with resources. R…
In May 1944, eight women from Howard University sought to challenge Virginia's Jim Crow bus transportation laws after boarding a bus outside of Vienna and refusing to move to the back. NOVA Parks Hist…
Join Lacey Villiva and Rachel Anderson of George Mason’s Gunston Hall for a session exploring how to decipher and modernize historic recipes for a modern kitchen.
They’ll demonstrate preparing a re…
Come enjoy a Sunday afternoon with the Friends of the Virginia Room! Following a brief Business Meeting, there will be a featured program speaker and refreshments.
Historian and realtor Karen Washbu…
Discover ghostly history from Arlington to Occoquan with local author and paranormal researcher Alex Matsuo. She'll discuss her book, Haunted Northern Virginia, and chill you with local lore. Register…
Join Dr. Elizabeth Rule to discuss her book Indigenous DC: Native Peoples and the Nation's Capital. Dr. Rule is an enrolled Chickasaw citizen and American University professor of critical race, gender…
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…
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.
