The City of Fairfax ( ), colloquially known as Fairfax City, Downtown Fairfax, Old Town Fairfax, Fairfax Courthouse, FFX, or simply Fairfax, is an
independent city
An independent city or independent town is a city or town that does not form part of another general-purpose local government entity (such as a province).
Historical precursors
In the Holy Roman Empire, and to a degree in its successor states ...
in the
Commonwealth
A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...
of
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
in the United States. At the
2010 census the population was 22,565,
which had risen to 24,146 at the 2020 census.
The City of Fairfax is an
enclave
An enclave is a territory (or a small territory apart of a larger one) that is entirely surrounded by the territory of one other state or entity. Enclaves may also exist within territorial waters. ''Enclave'' is sometimes used improperly to deno ...
surrounded by the separate political entity
Fairfax County
Fairfax County, officially the County of Fairfax, is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is part of Northern Virginia and borders both the city of Alexandria and Arlington County and forms part of the suburban ring of Washington, D.C. ...
. Fairfax City also contains an
exclave
An enclave is a territory (or a small territory apart of a larger one) that is entirely surrounded by the territory of one other state or entity. Enclaves may also exist within territorial waters. ''Enclave'' is sometimes used improperly to deno ...
of Fairfax County, the Fairfax County Court Complex.
The City of Fairfax and the area immediately surrounding the historical border of the City of Fairfax, collectively designated by Fairfax County as "Fairfax", comprise the
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
of Fairfax County. The city is part of the
Washington metropolitan area
The Washington metropolitan area, also commonly referred to as the National Capital Region, is the metropolitan area centered on Washington, D.C. The metropolitan area includes all of Washington, D.C. and parts of the states of Maryland, Virgin ...
as well as a part of
Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia, locally referred to as NOVA or NoVA, comprises several counties and independent cities in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. It is a widespread region radiating westward and southward from Washington, D.C. Wit ...
. The city is west of
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
The Washington Metro's
Orange Line serves Fairfax through its
Vienna station, which is a mile northeast of the
city limits
City limits or city boundaries refer to the defined boundary or border of a city. The area within the city limit can be called the city proper. Town limit/boundary and village limit/boundary apply to towns and villages. Similarly, corporate limi ...
.
CUE Bus
CUE Bus (City-University-Energysaver) is a bus service operated by the City of Fairfax, Virginia, and is completely separate from the Fairfax Connector bus service run by Fairfax County. In , the system had a ridership of , or about per weekday ...
and
Metrobus operate in Fairfax.
Virginia Railway Express
Virginia Railway Express (VRE) is a commuter rail service that connects outlying small cities of Northern Virginia to Union Station in Washington, D.C. It operates two lines which run during weekday rush hour only: the Fredericksburg Line from ...
's
Burke Centre station
Burke Centre station is a railway station in Burke Centre, Burke, Fairfax County, Virginia. It is served by the Virginia Railway Express Manassas Line, as well as one daily Amtrak ''Northeast Regional'' round trip.
History
The station opened ...
is situated three miles southeast of the city's boundaries. Virginia's largest public educational institution with 35,189 students in 2017 is
George Mason University
George Mason University (George Mason, Mason, or GMU) is a public research university in Fairfax County, Virginia with an independent City of Fairfax, Virginia postal address in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area. The university was origin ...
, which is located in unincorporated Fairfax County, along the city's southern border while still having a City of Fairfax address and sharing the same public transportation system.
History
![Fairfax court house during the Civil War](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/Fairfax_court_house_during_the_Civil_War.jpg)
Fairfax was founded on land originally occupied by indigenous people of the Siouan and Iroquoian tribes. The city derives its name from
Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron
Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron (22 October 16939 December 1781), was a Scottish peer. He was the son of Thomas Fairfax, 5th Lord Fairfax of Cameron, and Catherine Colepeper, daughter of Thomas Colepeper, 2nd Baron Colepeper.
The on ...
, who was awarded of land in northern Virginia by King Charles. The area that the city now encompasses was settled in the early 18th century by farmers from Virginia's
Tidewater region
Tidewater refers to the north Atlantic coastal plain region of the United States of America.
Definition
Culturally, the Tidewater region usually includes the low-lying plains of southeast Virginia, northeastern North Carolina, southern Maryl ...
. The town of "Providence" was established on the site by an act of the state legislature in 1805.
The scene of the first land battle of the
Civil War
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
, the
Battle of Fairfax Court House took place here on June 1, 1861, after a
Union
Union commonly refers to:
* Trade union, an organization of workers
* Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets
Union may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
Music
* Union (band), an American rock group
** ''Un ...
scouting party clashed with the local militia with neither side gaining advantage. A
second battle
The second (symbol: s) is the unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), historically defined as of a day – this factor derived from the division of the day first into 24 hours, then to 60 minutes and finally to 60 seconds ...
took place here two years later on June 27, 1863, where Union troops were defeated. This battle delayed the movements of
Confederate
Confederacy or confederate may refer to:
States or communities
* Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities
* Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...
cavalry chief
Jeb Stuart
James Ewell Brown "Jeb" Stuart (February 6, 1833May 12, 1864) was a United States Army officer from Virginia who became a Confederate States Army general during the American Civil War. He was known to his friends as "Jeb,” from the initials of ...
with disastrous consequences for
Lee
Lee may refer to:
Name
Given name
* Lee (given name), a given name in English
Surname
* Chinese surnames romanized as Li or Lee:
** Li (surname 李) or Lee (Hanzi ), a common Chinese surname
** Li (surname 利) or Lee (Hanzi ), a Chinese ...
at
Gettysburg a few days later.
Fairfax was officially renamed the "Town of Fairfax" in 1859.
It was incorporated as a town in 1874.
It was incorporated as a city in 1961 by
court order
A court order is an official proclamation by a judge (or panel of judges) that defines the legal relationships between the parties to a hearing, a trial, an appeal or other court proceedings. Such ruling requires or authorizes the carrying out o ...
.
Under Virginia law the city was separated from Fairfax County yet remains the county seat. In 1904, a
trolley line
A tram (called a streetcar or trolley in North America) is a rail vehicle that travels on tramway tracks on public urban streets; some include segments on segregated right-of-way. The tramlines or networks operated as public transport are ...
connected Fairfax with Washington, D.C.
[ At ]Google Books
Google Books (previously known as Google Book Search, Google Print, and by its code-name Project Ocean) is a service from Google Inc. that searches the full text of books and magazines that Google has scanned, converted to text using optical c ...
.
Architecture
The former Fairfax County Courthouse is the oldest historic building in Fairfax. The first Fairfax courthouse was established in 1742 near present-day
Tysons Corner
Tysons, also known as Tysons Corner, is a census-designated place (CDP) in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, developed from the corner of Chain Bridge Road ( SR 123) and the Leesburg Pike ( SR 7). Located in Northern Virginia between the c ...
, and is the namesake for Old Courthouse Road. It intersects with Gallows Road, which today is a major commuter route, but at the time was the road where condemned prisoners were led to the
gallows
A gallows (or scaffold) is a frame or elevated beam, typically wooden, from which objects can be suspended (i.e., hung) or "weighed". Gallows were thus widely used to suspend public weighing scales for large and heavy objects such as sacks ...
at the old courthouse. In 1752, the courthouse was moved to
Alexandria
Alexandria ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandria ...
, which offered to build the new courthouse at their own expense. The reason the courthouse was moved from the Tysons Corner location was because of "Indian hostilities", as noted on the stone marker at the northwest corner of Gallows Road and
Route 123. The courthouse operated there until 1790, when Virginia ceded the land where the courthouse was located for the creation of Washington, DC. The General Assembly specified that the new courthouse should be located in the center of the county, and was established at the corner of what was Old
Little River Turnpike
State Route 236 (SR 236) is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The state highway runs from U.S. Route 29 and US 50 in Fairfax east to SR 400 in Alexandria. SR 236 is a major suburban arterial highway that connects the inde ...
and is now Main Street and what was Ox Road and is now
Chain Bridge Road
State Route 123 (SR 123) is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The state highway runs from U.S. Route 1 (US 1) in Woodbridge north to the Chain Bridge across the Potomac River into Washington from Arlington. It goes by fo ...
on land donated by town founder Richard Ratcliffe. The courthouse changed hands repeatedly during the Civil War, and the first Confederate officer battle casualty, John Quincy Marr, occurred on its grounds. The first meeting of the Fairfax Court was held April 21, 1800.
The oldest two-story building in the city, the
Fairfax Public School was built in 1873 for $2,750. In addition to elementary school use the building has also housed special education, adult education, and police academy training.
[ an]
''Accompanying photo''
On July 4, 1992, the building became the Fairfax Museum and Visitor Center.
Joseph Edward Willard
Joseph Edward Willard (May 1, 1865 – April 4, 1924) was an American politician, philanthropist, and diplomat.
Early life
The son of prominent Washington hotelier and Union Army commissary major Joseph Clapp Willard (1820–1897) and former C ...
built the town hall building in 1900 then gifted it to the then town in 1902. The Old Town Hall now houses the Huddleston Library and the Fairfax Art League.
Sites on the National Register of Historic Places
Geography
The city of Fairfax is located close to the geographic center of Fairfax County, at (38.852612, −77.304377). According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the city has a total area of , of which all but is land.
While the city is the county seat, a small portion of the county comprising the courthouse complex, the jail and a small area nearby is itself an exclave of the county within the city.
[Fairfax city, Virginia]
." ''U.S. Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
''. Retrieved on April 4, 2009.[Fairfax County General District Court]
." ''Fairfax County''. Retrieved on April 4, 2009. Fairfax County's Government Center is west of the City of Fairfax.
[Facilities & Locations]
." ''Fairfax County''. Retrieved on April 4, 2009.
Demographics
2020 census
''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.''
2010 Census
![Fairfax City Parade - 2014-07-04 - Tinkus Wapurys dancers - 3](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fe/Fairfax_City_Parade_-_2014-07-04_-_Tinkus_Wapurys_dancers_-_3.JPG)
As of the census
of 2010, there were 22,565 people, 8,347 households, and 5,545 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,581.7 people per square mile (1382.9/km
2). There were 8,680 housing units at an average density of 1,377.8 per square mile (532.0/km
2). The racial makeup of the city was 69.6%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 15.2%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 4.7%
Black
Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...
or
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.5%
Native American, 0.1%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, 5.9% from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 4.0% from two or more races. 15.8% of the population were
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race.
In 2000, there were 8,347 households, out of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.1% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.6% were non-families. 24.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 20.4% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 36.2% from 25 to 44, 27.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $67,642, and the median income for a family was $78,921 (these figures had risen to $93,441 and $105,046 respectively as of a 2007 estimate). Males had a median income of $50,348 versus $38,351 for females. The per capita income for the city was $31,247. About 2.4% of families and 5.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.3% of those under age 18 and 2.1% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Old Town Fairfax has undergone an extensive redevelopment, which began in 2005. The redevelopment added a new City of Fairfax Regional Library, more than of retail and restaurant space, more than of office condominiums, and 85 upscale residential condominium units.
In May 2009, Fairfax was rated as No. 3 in the "Top 25 Places to Live Well" by ''Forbes'' Magazine.
[In Depth: America's Top 25 Towns To Live Well 3. Fairfax, Va]
. ''Forbes
''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also re ...
'' (May 22, 2002). Forbes commended Fairfax for its strong public school system, high median salary, and a rate of sole proprietors per capita that ranks it in the top 1 percent nationwide. According to the magazine, "These factors are increasingly important in a recession. When businesses and jobs retract, as they have nationwide, municipalities with strong environments for start-ups, and those that offer attractive amenities, are better suited to recover from economic downtimes, as there are more business activity filling the void."
Top employers
According to the city's 2021 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:
Annual events
![Low-riders - Fairfax, Va - 2011 - 2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/87/Low-riders_-_Fairfax%2C_Va_-_2011_-_2.jpg)
* Chocolate Lovers Festival
:The annual Chocolate Lover's Festival is held in the heart of Old Town Fairfax during the first full weekend in February. Events have included craft shows, historic building open houses, children's activities, collections of vendors selling various edible chocolate products, and even chocolate sculpture contests.
* Fairfax Civil War Day
:Every year, during the Spring, a Civil War re-enactment camp is held at the Blenheim estate, a city-owned historical property. The encampment features cultural information about Civil War-era people and practices, military muster, drill, and a firing demonstration.
* Fairfax Spotlight on the Arts
:Each April, the City of Fairfax, in cooperation with George Mason University, Northern Virginia Community College and City of Fairfax schools, sponsors the Fairfax Spotlight on the Arts Festival. The festival runs for three weeks and features music, dance, theater, art and choral concerts. Events take place at venues throughout the city and the colleges.
* National Trails Day
:In June, a National Trails Day is held to celebrate the trails, open spaces and parks in the City of Fairfax.
* Independence Day Celebration Parade and Evening Show
:The largest hometown parade and fireworks celebration in the Washington metropolitan region is held in the City of Fairfax. The day's events include a parade through Old Town Fairfax, tours of historic buildings and local museums, an Old Fashioned Fireman's Day at the Fire Station #3, and a live concert and fireworks display at Fairfax High School.
* Irish Festival
:In September, a festival of Irish and Celtic song, dance and music is held in and around Old Town Fairfax.
* Fall for the Book Festival
:Each fall, the Fall for the Book Festival features readings, discussions, lectures and exhibits from nationally recognized writers and professionals. Festival events are held in the City of Fairfax, at George Mason University, and throughout the metropolitan Washington region. Two community reading programs coordinate with Fall for the Book: "All Fairfax Reads," coordinated by the Fairfax County Public Library, and "Mason Reads" at George Mason University.
* Fall Festival
:A Fall Festival is held in historic Old Town Fairfax on the second Saturday in October. This event includes more than 500 arts, crafts, and food vendors, and is usually held outdoors on the streets of the city. Attendance is about 35,000 to 45,000.
* The Holiday Craft Show
:An annual Holiday Craft Show is held at Fairfax High School on the third Saturday and Sunday of November. The event features hundreds of craft vendors. Attendance is about 8,000 to 10,000.
* Festival of Lights & Carols
:On the first Saturday in December, the city holds a Festival of Lights and Carols. Activities include photos with Santa, caroling, a yule log, hot mulled cider, illumination of Old Town Fairfax, and the lighting of the city Christmas tree.
Local government and politics
As an independent city of Virginia rather than an incorporated town within a county, Fairfax derives its governing authority from the
Virginia General Assembly
The Virginia General Assembly is the legislative body of the Commonwealth of Virginia, the oldest continuous law-making body in the Western Hemisphere, the first elected legislative assembly in the New World, and was established on July 30, 161 ...
. In order to revise the power and structure of the city government, the city must request the General Assembly to amend the charter. The present charter was granted in 1966.
An
exclave
An enclave is a territory (or a small territory apart of a larger one) that is entirely surrounded by the territory of one other state or entity. Enclaves may also exist within territorial waters. ''Enclave'' is sometimes used improperly to deno ...
of Fairfax County is located within the City of Fairfax.
Elected officials
In May on even-numbered years, city voters elect a Mayor, six at-large Councilmembers, and five at-large School Board members to serve two-year terms. These offices are non-partisan and at-large, and there are no term limits.
City voters also elect the two city constitutional officers: Treasurer and Commissioner of the Revenue for four-year terms. Other elected officials who serve the city elected by city voters include the Sheriff (four-year term), Commonwealth's Attorney (four-year term), and Clerk of the Court (eight-year term). State elected officials who represent the City of Fairfax include the Virginia Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Virginia Senator (34th District), and Virginia Delegate (37th District). Federal elected officials who represent the City of Fairfax include the U.S. President, U.S. Vice President, two U.S. Senators (six-year terms), and one U.S. Representative, 11th District (two-year term).
Mayor arrested for distribution of methamphetamine
On August 4, 2016, then-Mayor Scott Silverthorne was arrested in a sting operation conducted by the Fairfax County Police Department. After receiving a tip that he was involved in drugs-related activities online, a police detective engaged Silverthorne on an online website "...used to arrange for casual sexual encounters between men."
The detective then arranged a meeting with Silverthorne and two other men, in which they agreed to exchange methamphetamine. At the meeting in
Tyson's Corner, Virginia
Tysons, also known as Tysons Corner, is a census-designated place (CDP) in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, developed from the corner of Chain Bridge Road ( SR 123) and the Leesburg Pike ( SR 7). Located in Northern Virginia between the c ...
, detectives performed the exchange and then arrested Silverthorne along with the two other men. He was charged with felony distribution of methamphetamine and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.
He announced his resignation on Monday, August 8, 2016, in a letter to the City Council.
Despite news media seizing the salacious "drugs-for-sex" aspect of the story, Silverthorne maintains that he was not distributing methamphetamine "for sex," and he was not tried for any sexual crimes.
Education
Primary and secondary schools
![Fairfax High School](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/14/Fairfax_High_School.jpg)
The school district for the city is Fairfax City Public Schools. The public schools in the City of Fairfax are owned by the city, but administered by the
Fairfax County Public Schools
The Fairfax County Public Schools system (FCPS) is a school division in the U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. It is a branch of the Fairfax County government which administers public schools in Fairfax County and the City of Fairfax. FCPS's headqu ...
(FCPS) system under contractual agreement with Fairfax County. This arrangement began to be in place in 1961.
U.S. News & World Report often ranks Fairfax County schools among the best in the country. City of Fairfax schools are
Fairfax High School, Lanier Middle School, Daniels Run Elementary School, Providence Elementary School, and Fairfax Academy.
Schools within the city that are not owned by the city government include the Boyd School, Gesher Jewish Day School, Kellar School of
Inova
Inova Health System (stylized INOVA) is a not-for-profit health organization based in Falls Church, Virginia, near Washington, D.C. The system is a network of hospitals, outpatient services, assisted living and long-term care facilities, and heal ...
Kellar Center, Lee Highway
KinderCare, Little Flock Christian School, Northern Virginia Christian Academy, Oak Valley Center,
Paul VI Catholic High School
St. Paul VI Catholic High School (known as PVI or Paul VI) is a Catholic school, Roman Catholic University-preparatory school, college preparatory school in Chantilly, Virginia, United States.
The school was previously located in southwest Fairfa ...
(moved in 2020-2021), The
Salvation Army
Salvation (from Latin: ''salvatio'', from ''salva'', 'safe, saved') is the state of being saved or protected from harm or a dire situation. In religion and theology, ''salvation'' generally refers to the deliverance of the soul from sin and its c ...
University View Child Care Center, Saint Leo The Great School,
Trinity Christian School, and Truro Preschool & Kindergarten.
Colleges and universities
George Mason University
George Mason University (George Mason, Mason, or GMU) is a public research university in Fairfax County, Virginia with an independent City of Fairfax, Virginia postal address in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area. The university was origin ...
, the largest university in the Commonwealth of
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
, is located just to the south of the Fairfax city limits. Mason began as an extension of the
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia (UVA) is a Public university#United States, public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United S ...
in 1949 named the Northern Virginia University Center of the University of Virginia. The Town of Fairfax purchased for the university in 1958, though the property remained within the county when the town became a city. After several name changes in 1972 the institution became George Mason University. Mason is most known for its programs in
economics
Economics () is the social science that studies the Production (economics), production, distribution (economics), distribution, and Consumption (economics), consumption of goods and services.
Economics focuses on the behaviour and intera ...
,
law
Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been vario ...
,
creative writing
Creative writing is any writing that goes outside the bounds of normal professional, journalistic, academic, or technical forms of literature, typically identified by an emphasis on narrative craft, character development, and the use of literary ...
,
computer science
Computer science is the study of computation, automation, and information. Computer science spans theoretical disciplines (such as algorithms, theory of computation, information theory, and automation) to Applied science, practical discipli ...
, and
business
Business is the practice of making one's living or making money by producing or Trade, buying and selling Product (business), products (such as goods and Service (economics), services). It is also "any activity or enterprise entered into for pr ...
. In recent years, George Mason faculty have twice won the
Nobel Prize in Economics
The Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, officially the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel ( sv, Sveriges riksbanks pris i ekonomisk vetenskap till Alfred Nobels minne), is an economics award administered ...
. The university enrolls 33,917 students, making it the largest university by head count in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Public libraries
Fairfax County Public Library
The Fairfax County Public Library (FCPL) is a public library system headquartered in Suite 324 of The Fairfax County Government Center in unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, United States.
Hennen's American Public Library Ratings ...
operates the City of Fairfax Regional Library in Fairfax. The library includes the Virginia Room, a collection of books, photographs, and manuscripts related to Fairfax County history, government, and genealogy.
Sports
Rugby League
The
Fairfax Eagles
The Northern Virginia Eagles are a rugby league team based in Manassas, Virginia, U.S. The club currently plays in the USA Rugby League (USARL). From 2007 to 2011 they were known as the Fairfax Eagles and were based in nearby Fairfax, Virginia. ...
rugby league
Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres (75 yards) wide and 112 ...
team plays in the
American National Rugby League
The American National Rugby League (AMNRL) was a rugby league organization in the United States that operated from 1997 to 2014. The country's first domestic rugby league competition, it hosted an annual league from 1998 through 2013. Throughout it ...
.
Infrastructure
Roads
The intersection of
U.S. Route 50
U.S. Route 50 or U.S. Highway 50 (US 50) is a major east–west route of the U.S. Highway system, stretching from Interstate 80 (I-80) in West Sacramento, California, to Maryland Route 528 (MD 528) in Ocean City, Maryland, on the Atlanti ...
and
U.S. Route 29
U.S. Route 29 (US 29) is a north–south United States highway that runs for from Pensacola, Florida to the western suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland in the Southern United States, connecting the Florida Panhandle to the Baltimore-Washington me ...
is located in the northeast corner of the city. The two major highways join to form Fairfax Boulevard for approximately through the city before separating.
State Route 123,
State Route 236 and
State Route 237 pass through the city. SR 236 is named Main Street in the city and then becomes Little River Turnpike once the city line is crossed.
Interstate 66
Interstate 66 (I-66) is an east–west Interstate Highway in the eastern United States. It runs from an interchange with I-81 near Middletown, Virginia, on its western end to an interchange with U.S. Route 29 (US 29) in Washingt ...
passes just outside the city limits and is the major highway serving the Fairfax region. Connections to I-66 from the city can be made via U.S. Route 50 and State Route 123.
Public transportation
Rail
Although these stations are located outside city limits, trips to and from Fairfax are served by:
* The
Vienna
en, Viennese
, iso_code = AT-9
, registration_plate = W
, postal_code_type = Postal code
, postal_code =
, timezone = CET
, utc_offset = +1
, timezone_DST ...
station of the
Washington Metro
The Washington Metro (or simply Metro), formally the Metrorail,[Google Books search/preview ...](_blank)
* The
Burke Centre station
Burke Centre station is a railway station in Burke Centre, Burke, Fairfax County, Virginia. It is served by the Virginia Railway Express Manassas Line, as well as one daily Amtrak ''Northeast Regional'' round trip.
History
The station opened ...
of
Virginia Railway Express
Virginia Railway Express (VRE) is a commuter rail service that connects outlying small cities of Northern Virginia to Union Station in Washington, D.C. It operates two lines which run during weekday rush hour only: the Fredericksburg Line from ...
and
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...
Bus
* The City of Fairfax operates the
CUE Bus
CUE Bus (City-University-Energysaver) is a bus service operated by the City of Fairfax, Virginia, and is completely separate from the Fairfax Connector bus service run by Fairfax County. In , the system had a ridership of , or about per weekday ...
, an independent bus network.
* Multiple routes of the
Washington Metrobus serve Fairfax.
E-Scooters and Dockless Mobility
* In February 2019, the city has launched a one-year pilot program for e-scooters and other dockless transportation. Three micro-mobility companies have been chosen to run the pilot,
Bird company alongside Lime and Spin.
Notable people
*
Adam Birch
Adam Birch (born July 18, 1979), better known by the ring names Joey Mercury and Joey Matthews, is an American professional wrestler who is best known for his two tenures in WWE. Birch was most recently signed to Ring of Honor, where he worked ...
, former
WWE
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...
professional wrestler known as Joey Mercury; born in Fairfax
*
Bobby
Bobby or Bobbie may refer to:
People
* Bobby (given name), a list of names
* Bobby (actress), from Bangladesh
* Bobby (rapper) (born 1995), from South Korea
* Bobby (screenwriter) (born 1983), Indian screenwriter
* Bobby, old slang for a constabl ...
(Kim Ji-Won), rapper in popular South Korean pop group iKon
*
Sam Champion
Samuel James Champion (born August 13, 1961) is an American weather anchor who is best known for his combined 25-year career on the ABC flagship station WABC-TV and ''Good Morning America''. He formerly co-anchored '' AMHQ: America's Morning Hea ...
(raised in Fairfax and a graduate of Fairfax High School),
weather anchor of
ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster
** Disney–ABC Television ...
's ''
Good Morning America
''Good Morning America'' (often abbreviated as ''GMA'') is an American morning television program that is broadcast on ABC. It debuted on November 3, 1975, and first expanded to weekends with the debut of a Sunday edition on January 3, 1993. Th ...
'' and weather editor of
ABC News
ABC News is the news division of the American broadcast network ABC. Its flagship program is the daily evening newscast ''ABC World News Tonight, ABC World News Tonight with David Muir''; other programs include Breakfast television, morning ...
*
Serena Deeb
Serena Deeb (born June 29, 1986) is an American professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). She is well known for her first stint with WWE, appearing on the SmackDown brand and also known for her time with the develop ...
, former WWE professional wrestler; born in Fairfax
*
Lewis J. Fields
Lewis Jefferson Fields (October 1, 1909 – March 5, 1988) was a highly decorated officer of the United States Marine Corps with the rank of Lieutenant general (United States), lieutenant general. He served with 1st Marine Division (United State ...
,
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...
Lieutenant general
Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...
, lived in Fairfax following his retirement from military.
*
Victor Gold, journalist and
political consultant
Political consulting is a form of consulting that consists primarily of advising and assisting political campaigns. Although the most important role of political consultants is arguably the development and production of mass media (largely tel ...
who resided in Fairfax.
*
Will "Meteos" Hartman, ''
League of Legends
''League of Legends'' (''LoL''), commonly referred to as ''League'', is a 2009 multiplayer online battle arena video game developed and published by Riot Games. Inspired by ''Defense of the Ancients'', a Mod (video games), custom map for War ...
'' player for
Cloud9
Cloud9 Esports, Inc., or simply Cloud9 (C9), is an American professional esports company based in Santa Monica, California. The company was originally founded as a professional ''League of Legends'' team by Jack and Paullie Etienne in May 2013 ...
and Phoenix1, born in Massachusetts and raised in Fairfax
*
Christina Hendricks
Christina Rene Hendricks (born May 3, 1975) is an American actress and former model. With an extensive career on screen and stage, she has received various accolades, including six Primetime Emmy Award nominations, two Screen Actors Guild Awa ...
, actress, went to high school in Fairfax
*
Joseph R. Jelinek,
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
brigadier general
Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
, lived in Fairfax while serving as Deputy Director of the
Army National Guard
The Army National Guard (ARNG), in conjunction with the Air National Guard, is an organized Militia (United States), militia force and a Reserve components of the United States Armed Forces, federal military reserve force of the United States A ...
*
Courtney Jines
Courtney Elizabeth Jines (born May 4, 1992) is an American actress, producer, and screenwriter. She is best known for her roles as Demetra in '' Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over'' and Amanda Wilkinson in ''Because of Winn-Dixie''. In 2012 Courtney fou ...
, actress
*
Lamar Johnstone
Edward Lamar Johnstone (March 15, 1884 – May 21, 1919) was an American silent film actor and director.
Biography
Born in Fairfax, Virginia, Johnstone starred in 82 films as an actor between 1911 and his death in 1919. He often starred alongs ...
(1886–1919), silent film actor
*
Brian Kendrick
Brian David Kendrick (born May 29, 1979) is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time in WWE. Kendrick is also known for his appearances with Ring of Honor (ROH), Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), New Japan Pro-Wrestli ...
,
WWE
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...
wrestler, born in Fairfax
*
Sabrina Lloyd
Sabrina Anne Lloyd (born November 20, 1970) is an American retired film and television actress. She is known for portraying Wade Welles in the science fiction series ''Sliders'', Natalie Hurley in the ABC sitcom '' Sports Night'' and Kelly in ''Fa ...
, actress on the TV series ''
Sliders
Slider or Sliders may refer to:
Arts
* K.K. Slider, a fictional character within the ''Animal Crossing'' franchise
* ''The Slider'', a 1972 album by T. Rex
* ''Sliders'' (TV series), an American science fiction and fantasy television series
* S ...
'' and ''
Sports Night'', born in Fairfax
*
Jay Matternes
Jay Howard Matternes (born April 14, 1933) is an American painter, paleoartist, and naturalist. His work recreating early mammals from the Oligocene, Miocene, and Pliocene epochs was widely published in the 1950s and '60s, including in the Time ...
,
paleoart
Paleoart (also spelled palaeoart, paleo-art, or paleo art) is any original artistic work that attempts to depict prehistoric life according to scientific evidence. Works of paleoart may be representations of fossil remains or imagined depiction ...
ist
*
TobyMac
Toby McKeehan (born Kevin Michael McKeehan; October 22, 1964), better known by his stage name TobyMac (styled tobyMac or TOBYMAC), is an American contemporary Christian music singer, rapper, songwriter, and record producer. He was first known f ...
, award-winning Christian singer/songwriter
*
Lorenzo Odone
Lorenzo may refer to:
People
* Lorenzo (name)
Places Peru
* San Lorenzo Island (Peru), sometimes referred to as the island of Lorenzo
United States
* Lorenzo, Illinois
* Lorenzo, Texas
* San Lorenzo, California, formerly Lorenzo
* Lorenzo State ...
, subject of the 1992 film ''
Lorenzo's Oil
''Lorenzo's Oil'' is a 1992 American drama film directed and co-written by George Miller. It is based on the true story of Augusto and Michaela Odone, parents who search for a cure for their son Lorenzo's adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), leading to ...
''
*
Jeremy Olander, Swedish DJ and electronic music producer, born in Fairfax
*
Park Yu-hwan
Park Yu-Hwan (born March 9, 1991) is a South Korean actor.
Early life
On March 9, 1991, Park was born in Seoul, South Korea. His father was a businessman, and he has an older brother, Park Yoo-chun, who is also an actor and singer.
His famil ...
, South Korean-born actor, and brother of
Yoochun
Park Yoo-chun (born June 4, 1986), formerly known as Micky Yoochun and better known by the mononym Yoochun, is a South Korean singer-songwriter and actor. He is a former member of the South Korean boy bands JYJ and TVXQ. He has starred in drama ...
; raised in Fairfax.
*
Aldric Saucier
Aldric Saucier (April 29, 1936 – December 8, 2016) was an American scientist and whistleblower. Saucier lost his job and security clearance after he criticized the Strategic Defense Initiative in 1992.
Early life
Aldric Saucier was born on Apri ...
, scientist and whistleblower.
*
Mike Schleibaum
Darkest Hour is an American heavy metal band from Washington, D.C., formed in 1995. Though failing to break through early in their tenure, the band has received acclaim for their albums ''Undoing Ruin'', '' Deliver Us'', and '' The Eternal Retu ...
, band
Darkest Hour founding member and guitarist, born in Fairfax
*
Michael Schwimer
Michael Fredarick Schwimer (born February 19, 1986) is an American businessperson and former Major League Baseball (MLB) relief pitcher who played for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2011 and 2012.
Amateur career High school
In high school, Schwimer ...
, Major League Baseball player
*
Nathan Sonenshein
Nathan Sonenshein (August 2, 1915 – April 13, 2001) was a rear admiral in the United States Navy.
Early life and education
A native of Lodi, New Jersey, Sonenshein began his four-decade naval career by attending and receiving a commission from ...
,
rear admiral
Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star "admiral" rank. It is often regarde ...
*
Frank Stephens, disability advocate, actor and athlete
*
Victoria Stiles, makeup artist
*
Jason Sudeikis
Daniel Jason Sudeikis ( ; born September 18, 1975) is an American actor, comedian, producer, and writer. In the 1990s, he began his career in improv comedy and performed with ComedySportz, iO Chicago (Improv Olympic), and The Second City. In 200 ...
, actor and comedian, formerly a cast member of ''
Saturday Night Live
''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves a ...
''
*
Pierre Thuot
Pierre Joseph Thuot (; born May 19, 1955) is a retired United States Navy captain and NASA astronaut. He went into space three times, spending over 650 hours in space, including over 15 hours in three space walks. He is a former U.S. record hol ...
,
Space Shuttle
The Space Shuttle is a retired, partially reusable low Earth orbital spacecraft system operated from 1981 to 2011 by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as part of the Space Shuttle program. Its official program na ...
astronaut aboard ''
Atlantis
Atlantis ( grc, Ἀτλαντὶς νῆσος, , island of Atlas (mythology), Atlas) is a fictional island mentioned in an allegory on the hubris of nations in Plato's works ''Timaeus (dialogue), Timaeus'' and ''Critias (dialogue), Critias'' ...
'', ''
Endeavour'', and ''
Columbia'', raised in Fairfax and graduated from Fairfax High School
*
Matt Tifft
Matthew Kenneth Tifft (born June 26, 1996) is an American former professional stock car racing driver, and current team owner. He last competed in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 36 Ford Mustang for Front Row Motorsports unt ...
, NASCAR driver
*
Jarvis Varnado
Jarvis Lamar Varnado (born March 1, 1988) is an American professional basketball player for Club Atlético Aguada of the Liga Uruguaya de Básquetbol. Varnado is known as a defensive specialist and is especially adept at shot blocking where he's ...
, former NBA player
*
Yoochun
Park Yoo-chun (born June 4, 1986), formerly known as Micky Yoochun and better known by the mononym Yoochun, is a South Korean singer-songwriter and actor. He is a former member of the South Korean boy bands JYJ and TVXQ. He has starred in drama ...
, South Korean-born actor, member of pop band
JYJ
JYJ (formerly known as Junsu/Jejung/Yuchun in Japan) is a South Korean boy band formed in 2010 by Kim Junsu, Kim Jae-joong, and Park Yoo-chun, the three former members of TVXQ. Their group name is taken from the initial letters of each member's n ...
, and former member of
TVXQ
TVXQ (stylized as TVXQ!), an initialism for Tong Vfang Xien Qi (), is a South Korean male pop duo consisting of U-Know Yunho and Max Changmin. They are known as in Japanese releases, and are sometimes referred to as DBSK, an abbreviation of ...
; raised in Fairfax
*
Philip, Hereditary Prince of Yugoslavia
Filip Karađorđević ( sr-Cyrl, Филип Карађорђевић; born 15 January 1982), known in English as Prince Philip Karageorgevitch and unofficially titled Philip, Hereditary Prince of Serbia and Yugoslavia ( sr-Cyrl, Филип, пр ...
*
Prince Alexander of Yugoslavia (born 1982)
Alexander Karageorgevitch ( sr-Cyrl, Александар Карађорђевић, Aleksandar Karađorđević; born 15 January 1982), also known as Prince Alexander of Serbia and Yugoslavia or Prince Aleksandar III Karađorđević, is a member ...
See also
*
Fairfax County, Virginia
Fairfax County, officially the County of Fairfax, is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is part of Northern Virginia and borders both the city of Alexandria and Arlington County and forms part of the suburban ring of Washington, D.C. ...
*
List of Famous People from the Washington Metropolitan Area
This is a list of prominent people who were born in, lived in, or are otherwise closely associated with Washington, D.C., and its surrounding metropolitan area, which includes portions of Maryland and Virginia.
Actors
*Gbenga Akinnagbe (bo ...
*
National Register of Historic Places in Fairfax, Virginia
__NOTOC__
This is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Fairfax, Virginia.
This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in the independent city of F ...
Notes
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fairfax, Virginia
Cities in Virginia
Washington metropolitan area
County seats in Virginia
Populated places established in 1805
1805 establishments in Virginia