The Civil War Because of Fairfax’s proximity to Washington, DC, it was a key strategic target of the Confederacy and Union. In the Battle of Ox Hill, which is commemorated by Ox Hill Battlefield Park, popular Union generals Isaac Stevens and Philip Kearny were killed in a messy fight best known for being fought during a thunderstorm. In Centreville on Route 29 just west of Interstate 66 is Cub Run, site of the Cub Creek Bridge. At Cub Creek, curious everyday citizens who had gone out to see the Battle of First Manassas were fired upon, causing a mob panic at the bridge. Fairfax’s strategic location was a key target for Confederate forces; its rail and river links to Washington, DC, played decisive roles. For instance, the Orange and Alexandria Railroad kept supply lines filled. Being just behind the front lines meant that Fairfax dealt with thousands of injured and dead soldiers; the Fairfax Station Railroad Museum tells the story of Clara Barton, who founded the American Throughout the county, parks and house museums tell pieces of the rich Fairfax County story. Red Cross after her experiences dealing with the misery of war dead and wounded, much of it in Fairfax. Fairfax history did not end at the Civil War. The Lorton Reformatory, once a prison for the city of Washington, DC, is now the Workhouse Arts Center. President Teddy Roosevelt spearheaded the construction of Lorton after learning of horrible conditions at DC’s prisons. Instead of criminals, artists now occupy the old Workhouse prison complex, which was originally opened in 1912. Its classical design, archways and courtyards make it look as if it could be a university. At the end, main buildings in the Colonial Revival style echo the plantation style of nearby Gunston Hall. At its height, the Lorton complex housed more than 7,000 criminals; it gained fame in 1917 for being the home of force-fed suffragettes imprisoned after White House demonstrations. It’s a true community; artists pool together for regular human figure drawing sessions and volunteer to sell art at the galleries. It’s a modern scene in a historic setting and emblematic of Fairfax County — a very modern place with deep historic roots. TO CONNECT WITH HISTORY, visit www.fxva.com/things-to-do. Civil War reenactment Check out the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton, a former historic prison turned thriving arts center filled to the brink with all types of art. Fairfax County Visitors Guide 25
Fairfax County Official Visitors Guide 2017: Page 25
