Fairfax County Road Petitions, 1844-1908 , 1844-1854, 1856-1858, 1866-1908, non-inclusive

Access and use

Location of collection:
Fairfax Circuit Court Historic Records Center
Fairfax Circuit Court Historic Records Center
4000 Chain Bridge Road, Suite 1600
Fairfax, VA 22030
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Georgia Brown
Phone: (703) 246-4168
Restrictions:

The Collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

There are no restrictions.

Preferred citation:

Fairfax County Road Petitions, 1844-1908, Fairfax Circuit Court Historic Records Center

Summary

Extent:
5 linear feet
Creator:
Fairfax Circuit Court
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Fairfax County Road Petitions, 1844-1908, Fairfax Circuit Court Historic Records Center

Background

Scope and content:

This collection starts in 1844 and ends in 1908. The bulk of the collection is concentrated from 1867 through 1890, with a particularly prominent concentration from 1886 through 1890. No records from 1859 through 1865 exist. Likewise, no road petition records exist prior to 1844 - both gaps in chronology are likely due to military activity during the Civil War. The Library of Virginia identifies Fairfax County as a "Lost Records Locality," meaning this locality suffered significant losses of early records due to military action. Our records end in 1908 because the law changed in 1909, shifting responsibility for road petitions to the county's Board of Supervisors.

Most road petition folders include court summons and/or the original petition. These petitions usually include original signatures. Many also include reports from district road commissioners, plats, and letters of correspondence to the court. The reports from the road commissioners and the court summons are the most common documents, while the plats and letters are slightly rarer.

In addition to the main petitioner, month and year of the petition, and the road in question, each folder notes any additional petitioners if applicable and neighbors around the proposed road. The neighbors are particularly useful to see who lived near who, and how that changed over time. Some neighbor listings note someone's heirs, which indicates the property owner is deceased and their heirs owned the property. If a plat is included, it is noted on the folder and in the index.

One person of note from this collection is Margaret Hetzel. Her name appears in eight road petitions either as a main petitioner, an additional petitioner, or a neighbor. She appears to have been very active in the Fairfax community, even into her old age as her health declined and kept her from appearing in court. Her main concern in these road petitions was road safety. In several of the cases, she wrote directly to the judge urging him to grant the road petition because the existing road or route was unsafe. She expressed concern over a very high hill, decaying bridges, and deeply rutted roads. And in road cases in 1892, 1893 and 1897, she freely gave her land and did not claim any damages. She seems to have been a woman committed to improving her community and far more involved in doing so than we might expect for the average 19th century woman.

Road leading from Old Pohick Church to the Stage Road at Occoquan.

Change: Road leading by Gunston House (Tea Table) to Hallowing Point..

Change: Hunter's Mill Road beginning at Old Courthouse Road.

Change: Middle Turnpike to the Falls Church.

Road from Fairfax Court House to McIlhaney's Toll Gate

Road from Fox's Upper Mill to German Town

From Hunter's Mill Road to the Little River Turnpike Road

Change: road leading to Fairfax County Courthouse near N. Cornell's blacksmith shop

Road beginning at Ellzey's Church Road...to the road leading from Fairfax Courthouse to the Old Courthouse

Between difficult bridge on the Middle Turnpike Road and Mateers Tavern

Road beginning at a point on the Falls Church Road to the Falls Bridge Turnpike Road

Change: road from Middle Turnpike to the Union Meeting House

Road leading from Ball's Neighborhood to Middle Turnpike

Road from lands of Devaughn to the Rolling Road

Change: the Falls Road

Change: to the Wolf Run Shoals Road

Road from Newman on Horsepan Run...to road at Frying Pan Church

Change: part of Hunter's Mill Road

Change: Backlick Road to the Rolling Road

Change: Conn's Ferry Road

Change: Pohick Church to Mason's Neck

Road from intersection of road leading from Accotink Mills...to the Backlit Road

Survey of boundary line between Brook and Williams

Road from Frying Pan Church to Liberty Church

Road from Backlick Road to the Middle Turnpike Road

Road from Dranesville to Potomac at/or near where J.R.M. Lowe's sawmill formerly stood (Lowe's Island)

Change: Road leading to Shirley Gate

Road from Stage Road near foot of Potter's Hill...to Backlick Road

Road from Little River Turnpike to intersect the road leading from the Frying Pan Road

Road from point on Frying Pan Road at Gunnells School House to Liberty Church at Dranesville

Road from Falls Church Road...to the old Backlit Road

Change: Road leading from Alexandria County Line to the Middle Turnpike

Road at the new cut road near house of John Fox...to Fox's Mill Road

Road from land of J. Edward Chase...to the Telegraph Road

Road through lands of F.F. Triplett...to Rolling Road; Referred in Appeal of Bond vs. Green et. al. Supreme Court of Virginia Appeals - 7 March 1949 (189 va. 23)

Change: road leading from Falls Church Road to the Little River Turnpike

Road from F.F. Triplett's to the Rolling Road

Road from Stryker's Land...to road leading to Fairfax Courthouse

Town of Colchester from lot #15 to lot #8 - following a street as laid down

Road from the Ox Road to Fairfax Court House

Change: road from Follin's Corner to the Old Court House

Change: County Road near Union Mills

Road from the Friends Meeting House to the Telegraph Road through Warrington Gillingham's farm

Close road leading from the Little River Turnpike to the Old Church

Road from Harrison's Crossing on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad to some point near Fairfax Station

Road from Nancy Kidwell's farm on Guinea Road to the Railroad at London's Mill

Petition to assess condition of First and Second section of Middle Turnpike Road

Road from Centreville to Orange and Alexandria Railroad at Union Mills

Change: The Telegraph Road where it crosses Accotink Run

Change: "Windsor Road" - leading from Alexandria Road to the Telegraph Road

Road leading from New Cut Road to west side of Fox's Mill Dam

Road from Springfield Road to the Little River Turnpike

Change: "Lawyer's Road" near Hawxhurst Mill

Road leading from Neck County Road to the Alexandria, Accotink, and Mount Vernon Turnpike

Change: Route leading from Centreville and Frying Pan Road to the Little River Turnpike

The point on Falls Bridge Road...to New Cut Road

Road from John Pierson's Corner to Hunter's Mill Road

The Corner of Woodlawn Road to point near Mount Vernon Gate

Change: Road leading from Old Braddock Road to Payne's Church

Road through William Hunter's Property

Discontinue use of section of road leading from Guinea Road to Keene's Mill Road

Change: road leading from Annandale to Upton's Hill

Continuation of the Pole Road to Mount Vernon Road (Alexandria/Accotink Turnpike)

Discontinue section of New Market Road to Ball's Ford

Discontinue Road beginning at Colchester Road to the Neck Road

Road from Centreville to Devereau Station on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad

Change: Road leading from Colchester to Accotink Valley

Discontinue section of road leading from Old Mill Landing on Dogue Creek over lands to Troth, Wright and Mason

Point on Hunter's Mill Road to Johnson's Crossing on the A. L. & H. Railroad

Commencing on Brush's Land to the road leading from Falls Church to Fairfax Courthouse

Continuation of Road near Benjamin Shreve's house to the Gallow's Road

Braddock Road near intersection with Washburn's Land to Little River Turnpike (Old Alexandria Road)

Old Courthouse Road to Hunter's Mill

Landing on Dogue Creek at Old Washington Mill to public road leading to Alexandria

Road from the Old Leesburg Road to Herndon at the A. L. and H. Railroad

Intersection of Vienna Road with the Old Court House Road and Hunter's Mill Road to Middle Turnpike Road

Road beginning at Yate's Ford Road to the Colchester Road

Middle Turnpike Road to Backlit Road

Clifton Station to Yates Road

Commencing at the gate of James M. Talbot to some point on the County Road to Alexandria

Garner's Mill Road to the Georgetown Pike

Flint Hill Road to intersection of Fairfax Courthouse and Georgetown Road

Telegraph Road to Colchester Road

Point on Backlick Road to Braddock Road

Change: Road from Clifton to Wolf Runs Shoals Road

From point on the road leading from Fall's Church to Fairfax Courthouse to a point on the Middle Turnpike

From Ox Road in Herndon to the Herndon Station - W. & O Railroad

Wolf Run Shoals Road to Thomas Fairfax's Land

Petition to take Little Falls Road from Falls Church to Alexandria County Line of Toll Road

Change: New Cut Road

Horsepen Run near Hight's Mill to Loudon County Line

Road from Clifton and Centreville Road to Little River Turnpike near Chantilly

Road from Clifton to the Union Mills Road

Change: Road leading from Fairfax Courthouse to Hawxhurst and Hunter's Mill

Road from Little River Turnpike at Ayers to the Old Braddock Road

Road from the Great Falls to Tenley S. Swink

Point on the Rolling Road to Little River Turnpike near Lebanon Church

Road leading from Buckleys School House to Little River Turnpike

Road from Accotink Mill Road to Railroad Station on Long Branch

Beginning on Neck (Sheridan's Point) Road to the Alexandria, Mount Vernon and Accotink Turnpike Roads

Road from J. Wells on Warrenton and Alexandria Turnpike to Sudley Mills

Road from Lewinsville to the Great Falls

Request by Talbot

Vandeusen Road to Fairfax/Loudon Line

Change: County Road running over Hardbowers Hill

Road from Accotink Run to the Keen's Mill Road

Point on Middle Turnpike near Falls Church Station to Four Mile Run

Change: Portion of Ox Road near Henderson Road

Change: Road arount Gantts Hill from Tyson's Corner to Lewinsville

Road from the Old Fredericksburg Road (Accotink Turnpike) to the Road leading from the Gum Spring to the Ferry Landing

Point one mile west from the village at Herndon to Loudon County Line

Change: Road known as Doctor Hunter's New Road

Road from Scott Farm on Potomac to Garner's Mill Road

Road in Vienna from the Foundry to the Georgetown Road

Road from Colchester Road to Braddock Road

Road from Dyer's Ford along Bull Run to Road leading to Fairfax Courthouse

Turn road over to Fairfax County

Road from Mrs. Evan's Ford on the Bull Run to the Yate's Ford Road

Beginning at Lawyer's Road and running to the New Cut Road

Road between the Occoquan Run and the Ox Road

Discontinue road from Keene's Mill Road to the Rolling Road

Road leading from Peter Pulman's on Telegraph Road to Hunting Creek Bridge Road

Road from Neck Road to Alexandria and Accotink Road

Change: Road from Centreville to Little River Turnpike to avoid heavy grade

Road from Dyers Ford through lands of Lewis Woodyard

Road beginning at Fitzhugh's gate on Ox Road to New County Road

Road from Pohick to Farr's Cross Roads

Little River Turnpike and County Road leading from Springfield Station on Virginia Midland Railroad

Ashford's corner at School House to Old Cherry Tree at Braddock Road

Road from Union Mill Road to Colchester Road

Colored schoolhouse on Lewinsville Road to Alexandria and Leesburg Turnpike

Road from Little River Turnpike to Old Warrenton Turnpike

Gate near Burke's Mill Road to point where Virginia Midland Railroad crosses the Rolling Road

Change: Rolling Road at Frobel's Hill

Beginning at the corner of Land of Smyth and James Hunter and running...to the county road.

Road from Johnson's Crossing on the W & O Railroad to the Lawyers Road

From point on Hunters Mill Road to William Walter's Mill

Road from Bull Run to Fox Mill

Road from the Colchester Road to the Newman Road

Road from the Falls Road to the Georgetown Pike

Little River Turnpike to county road at land of B. F. Shreve

Little River Turnpike to Orange & Alexandria Railroad at Skinner's Crossing

Courthouse road to the Ridge Road

Road from county road near Lewis Chapel to Telegraph Station on the Alexandria and Fredericksburg Railroad

Point of Road leading from Court House and Hunters Mill Road to Vienna near Murnanes's Gate

Change: Orcutt Road to point where it intersects with Maple Avenue

Road leading from Falkner's Shop on Leesburg Turnpike to Fall's Church

Change: Old Road over Holmes Run known as Barcroft Bridge

Road leading from Little River Turnpike to Backlick Road by Lebanon school house

Great Falls and Lewinsville Road to the Middle Turnpike

Ridge Road

Yates Ford Road from Clifton Station to Union Mills

Beginning at corner of the land of Smyth

Road from Gum Spring to the intersection with the Mount Vernon Lane

Road leading from Annandale to Springfield to the Little River Turnpike

Change: Orcutt Road

Change: Ridge Road from Alexandria Turnpike to Herndon Station

Road from the Old Union school house to the Alexandria Pike

Road from Lincolnville to the Chain Bridge Road

Road beginning at the Alexandria Turnpike to the Falls Road

Public Highway from Andrew Chapel to Jackson Mill

Road from Hasbrook corner to Waples Mill Road

Point on the Newman Road to County Road to Herndon

Road from Little River Turnpike to Centreville and Frying Pan Road

Road from Braddock Road to Pohick Road

Road from Pohick Road through Lee Chapel to Road leading from Burke's Station

Road from Ridge Road to the Turnpike leading to the city

Continue county road to outside gate of Sycamore Farm

Change: Road bed of Germantown Road

Road through land of Thomas Carper and the Rocky Run to Old Union Church

Change: Fox's Mill Road from Difficult Bridge to Waple's Mill

Unnamed

Intersection of Herndon and Dranesville Roads to Leesburg Turnpike

Change: road leading from Union Mills Road to Clifton

Change: Hunter's Mill Road at the hickory tree corner to Thorton's land

Road from McPherson's farm to the Waples Mill Road

Road to take the place of Garner's Mill Road

Road through Salsbury's land

Road from Wolf Run Shoals Road to Ox Road, opposite of Arundel's Tavern

Road connecting the Old Leesburg Road to the Leesburg Turnpike

Road from the Occoquan Bridge to Elk Horn Branch

Road from Telegraph Road to a point on Hooes Road

Change: Keene Mill Road

Road leading from Centreville to Manassas to Clifton Station

Change: "Lemon Road" running from Middle Turnpike to Falls Church and Lewinsville Roads

Vienna & Andrew Chapel Road

Road beginning at Little River Turnpike to the Falls Church Road

Road from the Blacksmith Shop of Horace Gibson on the Little River Turnpike to Falls Church Road at Mills Crossing Road

Stone's Old Mill Road

Road commencing at Vale...from Fairfax Court House to Dranesville

Change: Road leading from Old Braddock Road to Clifton

Road from C.W. Dey road to Ox Road

Change: Road leading from Old Colchester Road to Fairfax Station

Road near the house of John and Thomas Clarke to the Lawyers Road

Location of Pole Road running from Pool Run to James Hunter's Gate

Open portion of New Market Road

Change: Hunter's Mill Road leading to Lawyers Road

Road from Herndon Chantilly Road the the Valley Road

Point on Hampton Road at Sandy Run to Hampton Road

Road passing through the Middle Turnpike

Change: Road on R. C. Jones' land

Change: Road running from Washington, Ohio and Western Railway near Vienna

Road from Lawyers Road to County Road to Herndon

Road from John Jackson's land to the Gum Spring and Wolcott Road

Road from Alexandria Pike to the Georgetown Pike

Road from Braddock Road to the land of Georgine Martin

County road leading from Old Union Church to Rocky Run

Road from the new road to "Lee Chapel", to Burkes Station, passing through the land of Hannah Burke

Change: "Detwiler Road" from Clifton to Centreville Road

Change: Clifton and Yates Ford Road to avoid a heavy grade

Road through the land of William Harris

Road from New Guinea Road to a point on the land of B. Skinner

Clifton and Centreville

Change: Road leading from Old Church Road to the Herndon Road

Road from point on Backlick Road (Old Gallows Road) to Backlick Road

Re-open west end of New Market Road

Open a road from Charles Thornton's lands to Berks Station

Change: Road leading from Dranesville to Herndon

Road from the Pole Road in Mount Vernon district to Long Branch Station on the A & F Railroad to Backlick Road

Road from the Telegraph Road to Old County Road at John Henderson's Corner

Road from the Little River Turnpike to the Annandale and Old Tavern Road leading towards Washington

Change: Willow Spring Road on property of Col. E. White

Unknown

From the farm of W.H. Snowden to the "County road" leading from "Little Hunting Creek" to Accotink and Alexandria Highway

Road from Little River Turnpike to the Braddock Road

Road on a point near bridge on Falls Church Road to the Little River Turnpike

Widen the road leading from Jenkin's Corner to Andrew Chapel

County Road from the middle of Alexandria Pike to Alexandria Line

Point on River Road to the Potomac River

Change: Part of County Road known as Colchester Road near Doddridge Lee

Road from Braddock Road to Warrenton Pike

Road from Lincolnville County Road to East Falls Church Depot

Road from Occoquan to Colchester

Road report on the Little River Turnpike

Report on road from Gum Springs to Mt. Vernon

Road from Vienna to Hunter's Mill, County Road

Road from Money's Corner on the Lawyer's Road to Thorton (Wheile) Station

Road from Herndon and Detwiler Road to Dunlop's Gate

Road from Bull Run to the Turnpike at J. Well's Corner

Road from Leesburg Pike to Carlin Springs

Road extension of Mutersbaugh Road

Road from the Georgetown Road to the road leading from the turnpike to Dunn Loring

Road leading from the Braddock Road to the Guinea Road near Long Branch

Road from Ball's Ford on Bull Run to Newmarket Road

Road from Little River Pike to Ox Road

Road from the land of John Mutersbaugh to the public road leading from Chain Bridge to Falls Church

Change: Road leading from Clifton to the Colchester Road

Road from the corner of Ely and Sarner, ending near the Newton Estate

Road leading from Episcopal Theological Seminary to Bailey's Crossroads to a post in the line of Terrett

Road from the Braddock Road to the Little River Turnpike

Change: the new road from Hooes Road to Telegraph Road to the Telegraph Road

Change: county road from Waples Mill across the land of A. B. Millard

Road from Elgin's school house to the Yates Ford Road

Road commencing at Bull Run...to the Centreville and Manassas Road

Widen road near Horse Pen Bridge on the Chantilly and Herndon Road

Widen county road where it crosses Difficult Run, near Leigh and Beal's (formerly Jackson's) Mill

Road survey of Accotink Pike

Change: Road at Pitman's Mill for the erection of a bridge over Great Rock Cedar Run

Change: road leading from Walter's Mill to Freedom Hill

Change: county road known as the Falls Church Road - from Fairfax Court House to Falls Church

Change: road from bridge over Difficult Run at Hunter's Mill to Hunter's Mill Store

Extend Maple Avenue in Vienna to Flint Hill Cemetery

Change: Sawmill Road

Discontinue portion of Ox Road from the north line of George Howard's land to intersection of county road leading from Frying Pan to Herndon

Change: road from Thompson's precinct enters road leading from Little River Turnpike to the Town of Herndon

Road commencing at Sanford Hutchinson's corner on Little River Turnpike to Braddock Road

Road from some point on the Little River Turnpike not more than two miles from Court House Building to Falls Church

Change: from Mero's store to Gum Spring

Road from River Road (Garner's Mill Road) to Georgetown and Leesburg Pike

Open portion of River Road (Garner's Mill Road) from Seneca Road to Loudoun and Fairfax Line

Road from at Red Hill to the Braddock Road at Salisbury Farm

Colchester Road over Pohick Run

Road leading from the Colchester Road to Payne's Church Road

Road entering the Court House by the Warrenton and Little River Turnpikes

Road from West End Catholic Church to the Corporation Limits of the Town of Falls Church

Beginning in Wolf Run Shoals Road, at the Elgin School House...to Yates Ford Road

Road leading from the Colchester Road to Braddock Road

Extend county road from Woodyard's Precinct...to Ford's Mill Road

Road from Braddock Road near Accotink Run to Little River Turnpike over the old tavern

Discontinue portion of county road leading from Centreville to the Little River Turnpike

At the point on the old county road leading from Burke's Station to Lee Chapel...to a point 15 feet from Railroad land

At a point on the old county road leading from Burke's Station to Lee Chapel...to a point 15 feet from Railroad land

Road from Falls Church to Little River Turnpike

Widen Guinea Road near Burke's Station

From a point on the road leading from Herndon to the Ox Road...to a point on the road leading from Wiehle to the Lawyer's Road

Road leading from Freedom Hill to Middle Turnpike...to road from Freedom Hill to Walter's Mill

County road between the Court House and Ridge Road, beginning at Robert Mateers Lane and ending at a convenient point on Ridge Road

Road right of way from Collingwood Beach to the County Road

Change: Road from Old Union to Georgetown Turnpike, through the lands of Mrs. Carper and others, near Bethel Baptist Church

Road from point in the boundary line between Fairfax and the city of Alexandria...to a junction with the Middle (or Leesburg) Turnpike

Change: County Road from Clifton to Fairfax Station through the lands of R. Jones and the Poor house property (County of Fairfax land)

Change: county road from Clifton to Fairfax Station, through the lands of R. Jones and the Poor house property

Road survey of Schreaves Road leading to Falls Church

Change: Hampton Road, opposite the lands of Fairfax and Marshall

Road from Clifton to Yates Ford Road, through the lands of M. Hetzel, J. T. Pettitt, D. N. Robinson, C. F. Ford, and J. A. Marshall

Change: County road from Fairfax County Road, adjacent to land of N. F. Graham

Change: road leading from Sideburn Station to the Fairfax Station Road

Road from Gunston Road...to crossroads known as Negro Head

Outlet road in Lee District from Anbagen's farm to the Alexandria Road

County road from a point in the town of Wiehle on the line of the Southern Railway in the Dranesville District...to a point on the Ridge Road

Discontinue road from A and E Railway Company to the Rolling Road in the Lee District

Road from the lands of William R. Ward to Telegraph Station, through the lands of Mrs. Lee

Road from Clifton to Mr. Thomas Fenwick's land, intersecting with Colchester Road

Chapel Street in Clifton Station; extension eastward to Colchester Roll-way

Road from Pohick Road...to the Keene's Mill Road

Road from the Falls Church and Court House Road to the "Hunter Road"

Change: road near Bone Mill Ridge over Accotink Run, from Whose Road to the new bridge

Relocate: County Road from Little River Turnpike to Edgar Scott's Residence

Point on county road near Ashton's leading from Little River Turnpike to Centreville to a point on the Warrenton Turnpike

Road from a point on the New Cut Road near Vale Post Office to Ox Road

Road from Braddock Road to Sagar Avenue near Fairfax Court House

Establish boundary lines of road leading from Faulkner's shop on Leesburg Turnpike to the residence of Joshua Kirby

Repair road leading from Ballston to Langley

County road on the boundary lines of Truitt, Payne, & McNair

Open private road to the public; the road at V. W. Lee's to the county road near Stuart's Mill

Road from the point on the Braddock Road to a point on the Guinea Road

Road from Luis Corner to a point on a road from Fairfax to Vienna, opposite or near the road running to Falls Church

Outlet road beginning at the corner of the Wooster tract, along the Van Gorder tract to the Magner Road

Change: public road leading from Jermantown to Oakton

Road from the Telegraph Road to Franconia Station

Change: Straighten point on Hampton Road in front of residence of H. E. Bradley through the lands of H. E. Bradley

Change: Public road from Jermantown to Waples on Millard's Mill

Road from the lands of Percy Cranford to Gunston Road, including building a bridge over Keans Creek

Road from Leesburg Turnpike near Munson's Hill to a point on the public road from Mt. Olivet Church to the Falls Church to the Falls Church and Georgetown Turnpike

Discontinue a road

Road leading from Lorton Valley Post Office...to the Colchester Public Road

Change: Road leading from Lewinsville to Chesterbrook

Change: Telegraph Road along Accotink Run north of Pohick Church

Establish boundary lines of County road leading from Core's corner on the Alexandria Pike to Lewinsville

Outlet road from land of Charles H. Smith to Riverside Park Road

Road leading from Sideburn Station to the new cut road where it intersects with Old Braddock Road

Road across the bed of a lake or pond in the Town of Wiehle

Road from section of Ball's Hill...following the general course of the old Army Road and intersecting with Langley - Lewinsville Road

Road from Mount Vernon Road between the City of Alexandria and Mount Vernon to Telegraph Road

Road leading from Yates Ford Road to a point near Lewis Woodyards

Road from Accotink Station to Accotink Village to a point on the northwest side of Telegraph Road at or near the corner of the lands of Nevitt and Higham

Road from point on Sawyers Road to Hunter's Mill Crossing on the S. R. Way

Change: road and overhead bridge at Fairfax Station

Road from a point on the Rolling Road at the corner between Young and Javin's farms to the Braddock Road

Change: Road at Pohick Station

Change: Public Road at Herbert's Crossing

Change/Establish road at Southern Railway Crossing at Burke's Station

Change: Road leading from Hunter's Mill to Freedom Hill

Change/Establish: Road at Accotink Station in the Mount Vernon District

Change: Road near Lorton through lands of John Plaskett

Road from Fords Mill Road to the Yates Ford Road

Change: Country Road through lands of Charles Cutts

Change:'Talbert' Road to line between Martin and Kilbourn to the Railroad Station

Road from Georgetown and Leesburg Turnpike to Great Falls on the Potomac River

Repair River Road near Riverside and Hunter's in Alexandria

Road from Brown's Mill...to a point on Hunter Mill Road

Road across Creed's land to Bailey's Crossroads to Theological Seminary Road

Change: Little River Turnpike bridge near Alexandria; over the stream on the road running from Little River Turnpike over Annandale to Falls Church, in the Falls Church District

Change: County Road from the Warrenton Pike to Pleasant Valley

Discontinue road running from Fairfax Falls Church Road near Merrifield to Little River Turnpike near Davis' Store & Horace Gibson's shop

Discontinue county road from Little River Turnpike to point on Fairfax- Falls Church Road

Road from Oakton, VA running west to a point on Vale Road near Montgomery

Road starting from the corner of Robert Wrenn on the Centreville and Chantilly Road...to the Braddock Road

Road from site of old Fairfax Station to the new Fairfax Station (Lee District)

Occoquan Road

Biographical / historical:

Fairfax County was founded in 1742 from the northern part of Prince William County. Public transportation was, and continues to be, vital to Fairfax County's economy. Using the Code of Virginia, one can better understand how roads were authorized and developed.

Prior to the Byrd Road Act of 1932, roads were authorized by the court, and in the early 20th century, the Board of Supervisors. According to Chapter LII of the 1860 Virginia Code, once a person applied for a county road to be opened or changed, the court proceeded by appointing road commissioners and otherwise ascertaining the practicality and usefulness of the proposed road, the benefit to the community and individual, and any damages to surrounding property. To establish any one road, no more than one acre could be taken from a single individual. The road proposed is usually identified as being the road from "Point A" to "Point B," the points being known areas of interest, i.e. mills, churches, stores, dams, turnpikes, and so on.

First, the circuit court received an application for a county road, usually from an individual with anywhere between one and upwards of 30 fellow petitioners. The court then directed one or more of the county's road commissioners to view the proposed land for the road and its surroundings and then report on the conveniences and inconveniences to both individuals and the public - especially if any yard, garden, or orchard needed to be taken for the proposed road. The commissioner's job was to report facts and circumstances that would help the court determine the expediency of establishing or altering the county road. The commissioner(s) could also offer their opinion either in favor of or against the proposed road and suggest alternate routes. A map, plat, or diagram had to accompany the road commissioner(s) report, and if the commissioner was not a surveyor, one had to be procured.

Citizens could also apply to discontinue a road, though it was far rarer. To do so, the person had to publish a notice of the intended application on the first day of the county court's term at the county courthouse door and in two public places in the neighborhood.

After it received all the reports and other evidence, the court then determined whether the road would be established or altered as proposed and who would maintain it.

Once the court received the commissioner's report, provided it was favorable to the proposed road, the court summoned the proprietors and tenants of the lands affected by the proposed road. Once the sheriff executed the summons, the court determined the matter of the road without a writ of ad quod damnum if the court had enough funds for a just compensation and if the proprietors and tenants accepted the compensation. (A writ of ad quod damnum is a law term from the English chancery ordering the sheriff to determine what damages a certain act will incur). But if any proprietor or tenant wished for a writ or the court saw good cause for it, the court awarded it. The writ of ad quod damnum commanded the sheriff to summon a jury of twelve freeholders to meet on the proprietors' and tenants' lands, view them, and ascertain a just compensation for the land damages. The jury also ascertained if the proposed road was one of more private convenience and, accordingly, if a lesser compensation was appropriate.

Once the court received the commissioner's report, provided it was favorable to the proposed road, the court summoned the proprietors and tenants of the lands affected by the proposed road. Once the sheriff executed the summons, the court determined the matter of the road without a writ of ad quod damnum if the court had enough funds for a just compensation and if the proprietors and tenants accepted the compensation. (A writ of ad quod damnum is a law term from the English chancery ordering the sheriff to determine what damages a certain act will incur). But if any proprietor or tenant wished for a writ or the court saw good cause for it, the court awarded it. The writ of ad quod damnum commanded the sheriff to summon a jury of twelve freeholders to meet on the proprietors' and tenants' lands, view them, and ascertain a just compensation for the land damages. The jury also ascertained if the proposed road was one of more private convenience and, accordingly, if a lesser compensation was appropriate.

Acquisition information:
Permanent Records of Fairfax Circuit Court.
Arrangement:

The collection is arranged chronologically by the year the petition was made, and then alphabetically by the main petitioner within each year.

Physical location:
Unit 40, Shelf 5
Physical description:
.