Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-07-01
FAIRFAX COUNTY COURT
HOUSE

The following interesting his
tory of the Fairfax County Court
House was prepared by Represent
tative r. Walton Moore for the
Herndon Observer, and will be OF
interest to many AleXandrianS on
account OF the intimate connection
of this city with its fortunes. 1t
is especially interesting to note
that in the court house at AleNan-
dria the meetings were held, with
Washington as chairman, and Ma
/. son as secretary, at which the free
holders Of the county adopted the
famous Fairfax Resolves, writ
ten by Mason and approved by
Washington, which embodied the
principles OF the Declaration Of
independence. We give Mr..
Moore's valuable account in full.
The recent action OF the Board
OF Supervisors in determining not
to remodel the present court house,
will result in leaving the exterior
of the building exactly as 1t was
originally constructed. The first
term of court held in the now We
nerable structure opened on the
DIST day OF April, 1900, which
was the year following the death
of General Washington, and since
then the court house has been III
tinately associated with all OF the
events that have marked the his
tory and development OF the coun-
ty. Whenever it ceases to be used
for court purposes, it is the conh-'
dent hope and expectation that 1t
will be devoted to other purposes
which will maintain its dignity and
make it a place Of unending inter
est to the citizens OF the county
and to those of other sections who
delight in visiting the historic
shrines Of Virginia.
Fairfax Couny was carved out
of Prince William, in 1742, and
for short time the business OF
the court was transacted at the
residence of its clerk, near the old
village OF Colchester. Very soon,
however, county buildings were
erected on land north of Vienna.
donated by Col. William Fairfax,
and which was point perhaps not
far from the center OF county ac-
tivitieS, considering that at that
time what is now Loudom County
was a part Of Fairfax. The build
ings have disappeared, but the To-
cation which | believe is marked
by a tablet is now spoken of as
Old Court House Hill. In 1752,
pursuant to a proclamation of the
Colonial Governor DinWiddie, the
county seat was removed to the
town of Alexandria, which was
within the limits Of Fairfax Coun-
ty. where the court was thereafter
held until under legislation and
the orders OF the court itself,
county buildings. including the
present court house, were erected
on land given by MIR. Richard Rat
clife. The new location was then
called Erp'S store, but was subse-
quently called Providence. Be
fore a final conclusion was reached
there was a great deal OF agitation,
acute differences of opinion hav-
ing developed, and probably the
site was fixed upon because OF be-
ing about the geographical center
OF the county. In one OF the his
tories | have examined it is stated,
but l do not know whether reliably
or not. that the removal to Alex
audria was from fear OF depreda-
tons BY the Indians in the west OF
the Blue Ridge Mountains. 1t was
at Alexandria that the meetings
were held with Washington as
chairman, and Mason as secretary,
which took action in resentment
of the attitude Of the mother coun-
trfv towards the colonies. 1t was