Gum Springs is a community in

Fairfax County Fairfax County, officially the County of Fairfax, is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. With a population of 1,150,309 as of the 2020 census, it is the most populous county in Virginia, the most populous jurisdiction in the Washington ...

in Hybla Valley along

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(Richmond Highway). The African American community, the oldest in the county, was established in 1833 by West Ford, a

freedman A freedman or freedwoman is a person who has been released from slavery, usually by legal means. Historically, slaves were freed by manumission (granted freedom by their owners), emancipation (granted freedom as part of a larger group), or self- ...

who had been manumitted by Hannah Bushrod Washington (widow of John Augustine Washington), in 1805. A historical marker (Number E-04) was erected by the

Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

in 1991.

History

Founding

In 1833, Gum Springs was founded by West Ford, a freed slave, skilled carpenter, and manager on

George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...

's plantation, Mount Vernon. Ford was able to develop this 214-acre farming community from the sale of land he inherited from Hannah Washington, the sister-in-law of George Washington. By 1866, Ford was the second richest free black farmer in Fairfax County, Virginia. Gum Springs Farm became the nucleus of an African-American community throughout the 1800s.

Gum Springs School

The school was established after the Civil War.

Bethlehem Baptist Church

The church was established in 1863.

Odd Fellows Hall

The Pride of Fairfax Lodge #298 building, formerly known as the Mount Vernon Enterprise Lodge No. 3488, is listed on the Fairfax County Inventory of Historic Sites and was listed to the

Virginia Landmarks Register The Virginia Landmarks Register (VLR) is a list of historic properties in the Commonwealth of Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atla ...

in 2021 and the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

in 2022.

Joint Stock Club

In 1890, the Joint Stock Club was formed by five men. This endeavor helped create a safe place for African Americans to obtain land. All land was collaboratively bought, sold and subdivided at cost to other African Americans at a price of $30 an acre.

Snowden Cemetery

Woodland Baptist Church

Gum Springs Historical Society and Museum

Gum Springs Historical Society and Museum is dedicated to preserving the legacy of Gum Springs Community and regularly disseminates information that tells the story of the Community's economic struggle and dedication to building an African-American community. A historical marker is located at the corner of Richmond Highway and Fordson Road ( 38° 44.909′ N, 77° 4.965′ W).

Notable people

*West Ford *Saunders B. Moon *Annie M. (Dandridge) Smith *Reverend Samuel K. Taylor