Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-04-24

WIG OAAAoAA6 Va . S1SS4AAoS SASJ
Today that city is erupting
fax County at a rate that surpris
ties and the home owners.
Edward r. Carr. realtor
ding Of the 1852 inaugural pa
rade and Cherry Blossom Fes-
tivals, master-planned the satel-
lite. Springfield, Va. In 1916.
The first houses were built in
1852. Soon there1l be 1000
houses in Springfield. Thousands
more will be built. spreading
over q vast area that was farm
and wood land four years ago.
Eventually 10000 residents will
live In the area, Mr.. Carr be-
lieyes.
Struggle for Unity
Out of the dust of creation
at Springfield, residents are
struggling to evolve a unified
community in the face Of the
constant change.
To date they've done well.
says Knox Singleton, first pres
ident of the Springfield Civic
Association and a leader in a
variety Of community projects.
But q more leisurely growth
would have eased problems Of
schools, recreation and parks,
he says.
Springfeld's developme n t
shows up many Of the grinding
irritations which accompany the
placing Of mass housing In q
rural area, though in several
fields permanent cures appear
near.
The area came into being be-
cause Mr.. Carr looked at a map
In 1916 and discovered the
Springfield area was the last
stable tract Of undeveloped
land within the 12-mile zone
about Washington.
Bought $500 Acres
He bought 1890 acres, once
part Of the 4,000-acre Bristow
estate. In 1947, at the request
Of county authorities. he says.
he presented plan for filling
the area with housing. He has
built only one-fourth of the
existing houses but plans to
launch several new subdivisions
on both the original tract and
later acquisitions.
Extension of the Shirley high
way southwark from darlington
opened up the Springfield area
for development. Springfield
lies east Of the highway, near
the Franconia traffic circle.
Water lines Of the Alexandria
Water Co. service the area. Mr..
Carr built his own trunk sewer
five miles, in order to provide
sewerage service. Later tn
csunty bought the sewer lines.
With utilities under control.
Mr.. Carr mapped out a com
plete community" with
churches. schools, parks and
shopping centers intersperSed
among the mass Of houses.
The facilities have been slow
In realization. but the pace is
picking up.
Mr.. Carr is building q new
shopping center and an existing
one is being expanded. Until now
the area has been serviced by
only one shopping block.
Churches to Go Up
Church steeples soon will be
raised over the community. The
Springfield Methodist Church
broke ground for a building last
month, and Lutheran, Presbyter-
Ian, Baptist and Episcopal con-
gregations are working on build
ing plans.
Development Of parks and rec
reation areas are picking up
steam.
After residents staged q sub
scription drive to build an $50, 900
private swimming pool. the
county announced plans for con-
struction Of a public pool in the
27-acre park given to the county
by the developers.
The private pool is scheduled
to be built this year; the county
one at q distant date. The county
has budgeted $12,400 this year
for q fish pond and picnic area
at the park site.
Schools are the No. l concern
of Springfield home-owners.
most of whom are young parents.
A new 16-classroom school in