A Virginia Village Part 1

A Virginia Village.

by Charles A. Stewart.

FOREWORD

Charles A. Stewart's _A Virginia Village_ is a charming depiction of the early days of Falls Church. It is the earliest attempt to put on paper the story of the Falls Church area. In addition to interesting stories about people and organizations and life generally in the small town of 80 years ago, the book contains photographs of 107 Falls Church houses, stores, and churches then standing. Reading it is a trip into nostalgia for old-timers--but the book is more than nostalgia. It pictures many elements which we a.s.sociate with the community's lovely historic character and interest, and which intrigues newcomers and older residents alike.

Charles A. Stewart produced the book with the help of friends, including M.M. Ogden, who wrote the preface, and Pickering Dodge, who took the photographs. Joseph H. Newell printed it in a small backyard shop owned by his father, which was located on what is today North Was.h.i.+ngton Street next to the Columbia Baptist Church.

Not all of the structures standing in the town of Falls Church in 1904 are pictured in _A Virginia Village_. Some owners perhaps were not asked, or they did not wish to pay the two-dollar fee, or they declined for other reasons. A number of these absent structures were well-known features of the community, including the two W.&O.D. railway stations (East and West Falls Church, now gone), Mt. Hope, Shadow Lawn (or Whitehall), Tallwood, Jefferson School (no longer standing) and the old I.O.O.F. Hall (also gone). _Falls Church--By Fence and Fireside_, published in 1964 by the Rev. Melvin Steadman, mentions many others, such as Big Chimneys, which was still standing in 1904.

Of the 107 structures pictured, 24 were located near the present City, particularly in what was then known as the "East End" or East Falls Church. This former part of the town of Falls Church was returned to Alexandria County (now Arlington) in 1936. A large number of homes, stores, and other business establishments which const.i.tuted East Falls Church disappeared with the building of I-66, especially that part of the highway that lies between Westmoreland and Sycamore Streets in Arlington County. East Falls Church extended from the present City/County line down Lee Highway, and thus was located on both the north and south sides of I-66.

A review of the available records and the recollections of older residents indicates that 57 of the buildings shown are no longer standing; of the some 50 not pictured, 14 are no longer standing. Thus, of at least 157 buildings known to have been standing in town in 1904, 71 are known to have been lost (almost half).

The sources consulted (other than the book itself) include extensive notes made about 1970 by Mrs. John C. (Frances b.u.t.terworth) Cline, who died in 1979; _Falls Church--Places and People_, by Henry H. Douglas, published by the Falls Church Historical Commission in 1981 (still available in paperback); Rev. Melvin Steadman's _Falls Church--By Fence and Fireside_, published in 1964 (out of print); Henry H. Douglas'

_Falls Church Historical News and Notes_, published between May 1970 and October 1972; Henry H. Douglas himself, who has made a hobby of Falls Church history; Mel and Ruby Bolster, charter members of VPIS; and many others.

While the City has lost much of its rural village character and charm, and has meanwhile acquired some ugly modernity in spots, the City's preservation ordinance, adopted in 1984, throws a protective cloak against further demolition around structures built as residences prior to 1911. Other buildings, such as churches and historic sites, are also protected by the ordinance, subject to certification by the Historical Commission to a Register. In addition, the Falls Church Village Preservation and Improvement Society and others continually seek ways to restore what aesthetic features have been lost.

Much additional information about houses, people and events in and around Falls Church will be found in the publications mentioned above and in other publications and doc.u.ments making up the Falls Church Local Historical Collection in the Virginia Room of the Mary Riley Styles Public Library. The Collection is a veritable treasure-house of historical information waiting to be explored, and anyone looking for more information concerning any of the persons or places mentioned in this book is urged to consult the Collection in the Virginia Room.

Edmund F. Becker, 517 Meridian St., Falls Church, Va.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

CHARLES ALEXANDER STEWART

Charles Alexander Stewart (1860-1950), who is best remembered in Falls Church for his estimable little book, _A Virginia Village_, which was published in 1904, was born at "Beechwood," the Stewart family farm at the intersection of the Dismal Swamp and Northwest Ca.n.a.ls. He was the fourth in a family of five. His father, William Charles Stewart (1810-1865), died at "Beechwood."

In 1887 Charles A. Stewart married Mary Isabella Tabb (1866-1939), daughter of Dr. Robert Bruce Tabb (1833-1906) and Elizabeth Anne (Warden) Tabb (1837-1891). Elizabeth Tabb Stewart, born in 1890, was the eldest of ten children and lived in the family home in East Falls Church from 1894 until 1971.

Mr. Stewart had a distinguished career in the United States Treasury Department where he became chief clerk in the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and was a bank examiner when he retired in 1930. He was active in many community affairs. He was a vestryman of The Falls Church, was chairman of the Falls Church School Board continuously from 1910 to 1927, was active in the creation of Madison School and, while he was still living, the Charles A. Stewart Elementary School, on Underwood Street, was named for him. He was a trustee of Oakwood Cemetery in 1918, and was a.s.sistant secretary of the Arlington/Fairfax Savings and Loan from 1933 to 1940.

(From _Falls Church Historical News & Notes_, October 1972.)

COMMENTS ON THE STRUCTURES PICTURED

These comments provide information on the present status of the 107 structures pictured. They are arranged in sequence by item numbers, which correspond to the page numbers in the original book, and repeat the names exactly as given. The people named were the owners of the structures pictured. Present street addresses are given when the building is still standing. In the case of the 57 buildings now gone (they are marked by asterisks), the former or present street address is usually not known, and in such instances the approximate location is given. When the date of destruction is known, it is given; when a destruction date is not given, it presumably was some time prior to 1969, when the City's Architectural Inventory was prepared. Construction dates and other interesting details are provided when known, in capsule form.

[Sidenote: Front] _The Lawton House._ 203 Lawton St. Also known as Lawton Manor and Home Hill. Built in 1859 but renovated many times. Once headquarters of Confederate Gen. James Longstreet and later the home of Gen. Henry Ware Lawton. Formerly housed Mattie Gundry's "Gun-Well"

school. Yard formerly used by Louise and Ernest Shepard to hold the first VPIS Attic Treasures sales. Threat to house stimulated formation of VPIS in 1965. Owners: Donald Rice and Elizabeth Loker.

[Sidenote: Front] _Mr. A.M. Lothrop._ Still standing at McKinley St. and Wilson Blvd. in Arlington. Beautiful estate known as "Fair Mount."

Owner: Randolph Rouse.

[Sidenote: *4] _Mr. E.T. Fenwick._ Was on Was.h.i.+ngton Blvd., East Falls Church, at the end of 24th Street.

[Sidenote: 5] _Presbyterian Church._ 225 E. Broad St. Built in 1884 with stone from the Tripps/Sisler quarry on S. Was.h.i.+ngton St., but the stone trim was transported from Seneca Maryland via the C.&O. Ca.n.a.l. Additions were built in 1968 from stone salvaged from the demolished old Columbia Baptist Church, thanks to architect and member, Kenton D. Hamaker, who died in 1982.

[Sidenote: *6] _Mr. W.M. Ellison._ Is the house built in 1852 by Wm.

Henry Ellison and later left to his son, Wm. McElfresh Ellison, who in turn left it to his daughter, Fannie May, who married Carroll Shreve.

Once housed the Falls Church library. Was torn down in 1955 to make way for the present Sunoco Gas Station on W. Broad and West St. (934 W.

Broad). Ellison owned at least four structures in the area, and Ellison Street no doubt is named for him.

[Sidenote: 7] _Mr. George G. Crossman._ Built 1892. Located on part of the former large Isaac Crossman farm near Lee Highway and Little Falls St. at 2501 Underwood St. in Arlington. Plaque on house describes it as the Crossman-Grey House. Home of Stephen B. Grey.

[Sidenote: *8] _Virginia Training School, Miss M. Gundry, Princ.i.p.al._ Was at 309 W. Broad St., immediately west of the present Post Office. On the present site of the Winter Hill subdivision, formerly Tyler Gardens.

Formerly the Schuyler Duryee House. Its large metal outside conduits, providing quick fire escapes for the mentally-handicapped inmates, attracted the attention of curious pa.s.sersby.

[Sidenote: *9] _Dr. J.B. Gould._ 120 E. Broad St.

[Sidenote: 10] _Mr. W.H. Nowlan._ 114 E. Columbia St. near the Crossman Methodist Church. Built 1885. Now owned by the City, which converted it for handicapped adults in 1981.

[Sidenote: 11] Mr. G.W. Poole. On N. Was.h.i.+ngton Blvd. in Arlington County just behind what is now the First Virginia Bank, 6745 Lee Highway.

[Sidenote: *12] _Mr. G.F. McInturff._ Was on N. Maple Ave. on the present site of Garden Court Townhouses, adjacent to the George Stambaugh house, which was located on Great Falls St. (See item 61.)

[Sidenote: *13] _Mr. M.E. Church._ Had a real estate and insurance office and drug store on W. Broad St. facing the present Brown's Hardware at 100 W. Broad St. Note windmill. On site of the George Mason Square complex, now under construction. (See p. 89 for more details about Mr. Church.)

[Sidenote: *14] _Mr. J.W. Brown Store and Residence._ Old store and residence gone, torn down in 1959. Was on the N. corner of N. Was.h.i.+ngton and W. Broad Sts., next door to the "new" Brown's store. Business recently celebrated its 100th anniversary.

[Sidenote: 15] _Mr. Geo. L. Erwin._ 300 W. Great Falls St., on corner of Little Falls and Great Falls Sts. A good example of what Falls Church was like at the turn of the century. Owners: Polly and Adrian Richey.

Built 1893.

[Sidenote: 16] _Mrs. Emma Garner._ 211 E. Columbia St. Built 1894. Home of David M. Garner, son of J.W. Garner. (See item 46.)

[Sidenote: *17] _Mr. E.C. Hough._ Was on E. Jefferson St. next to 215 E.

Jefferson on the left. E.C. Hough built this house in 1900. Parcel owned by L.F. Jennings.

[Sidenote: *18] _Major M.S. Hopkins. Arringdon Hall_, as this impressive house was known, was on N. Was.h.i.+ngton St. next door to the Village House Motel, razed in 1984 to make way for the Kaiser-Permanente Medical Center, now under constructions on N. Was.h.i.+ngton between Park and W.

Great Falls St. _Arringdon Hall_ was demolished in the mid-60s.

[Sidenote: *19] _Mr. S.H. Thornburg._ Was next door to the right of present Nowlan/Pendleton House at 114 E. Columbia St. on the present site of the Crossman Methodist Church parking lot (See item 10).

[Sidenote: *20] _Mr. Nathan Banks._ Was on the site of a present condominium apartment house on the North side of the 6800 block of Was.h.i.+ngton Blvd. in East Falls Church, Arlington.

[Sidenote: *21] _James A. d.i.c.kinson, M.D._ Was at 351 N. Was.h.i.+ngton St.

Demolished in 1963 to make way for the Columbia Baptist Church parking lot. The owners were Mr. and Mrs. John H. (Frances b.u.t.terworth) Cline.

Their daughter, Elizabeth Hughes Cline (Mrs. Howard Melton) and her husband are currently members of the VPIS Board.