The collection is open for research use.
There are no restrictions on the records.
All files were donated by Carol DeLong and her family.
Processed by Olga Kosenko, October 4, 2025.
Carol DeLong was a prominent Falls Church citizen and politician who contributed significantly to the development of the City of Falls Church. Carol DeLong was born in Newark, New Jersey, on June 25, 1930, and graduated from The Women's College of New Jersey (Rutgers University) with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1952. She moved to Pullman, Washington, to pursue a master's degree in organic chemistry at Washington State University. In 1960, she and her family moved to the City of Falls Church. She served as president of the Madison School PTA in 1969-70 and was appointed to the city's Planning Commission in 1971. In 1974, Carol Delong won election to the City Council, eventually serving three terms. In 1976, Ms. DeLong became Falls Church's first female mayor, serving until 1980.
Carol DeLong was one of the leaders of the Falls Church Housing Corporation. The corporation was organized when City Council felt the need for a non-governmental agency to develop affordable housing for the poor and elderly in the city. Additionally, she fought for the creation of Aurora House, a counseling center for teenage girls.
In 1976 Council Member DeLong was the key sponsor for the passage of Resolution 76-7, a revamping and updating of the Falls Church Historical Commission's charter, which remains today the basis under which this Commission operates. During her term as Mayor, the City Council enacted the landmark legislation that declared the center of City of Falls Church to be a Historic and Cultural District and set forth the City's policies to conserve the historical and cultural structures of the district. That ordinance, updated in 1992, continues to be today's guideline governing the preservation of historic residential structures in the city built during or before 1910. It sets forth procedures for the razing, moving and alteration of designated structures. Later during DeLong's term as Mayor, those procedures were applied and tested in the courts. Throughout this period DeLong was a steadfast friend and proponent of preserving the historic and cultural history of Falls Church.
The materials include Project Proposals, Primarily Plans, Resolutions, Memorandums, notes, drafts and letters.
Most documents were organized by subject and chronologically. Series 1 contains development projects and plans. Series 2 contains documents related to City Preservation. Series 3 contains documents relate to the Judicial system. Series 4 contains documents relate to Public Hearing. Series 5 contains Memorandums. Series 6 contains Plans and Standards. Series 7 contains documents relate to Cherry Hill complex. Series 8 contains list of City Council members and charter charge documents. Series 9 contains Women's Group Nonprofit Organization documents. Series 10 contains Magazines.
Record Group 6-3 related to Record Groups 1-5 Planning Commission, 1-3 Historical Commission, 4-1 Citizens for a Better City (CBC), 4-8 Village Preservation and Improvement Society (VPIS), 4-12 Falls Church Women's History Walk, Family Vertical File “Carol DeLong”.