The History of Fairlington Villages

Come to the rolling hills and gentle shade trees - thus began the advertisements during the mid-1970's in praise of two of the many attractive features found in Fairlington Villages. The buildings were constructed between 1942 and 1945 by the federal government's Defense Homes Corporation (DHC). Constructed of quality materials and workmanship, they were designed as priority housing for military officers and key government employees.

During the 18th Century, most of what is now Fairlington belonged to Colonel John Carlyle, a prominent Alexandria citizen and owner of the celebrated Carlyle House. Around 1770, this friend of George Washington established a plantation and constructed a large white house know as Morven. Its site is in North Fairlington at the end of 31st Street just north of Route 7. In 1774, George Washington purchased a land grant that included a small parcel of land in North Fairlington near Abingdon School and South 28th Street. He frequently used Carlyle's grist mill, sending his grain upstream on Four Mile Run.

It is interesting to note that all of Fairlington north of Columbus Street lies within the original land set aside authorized in the 1788 ratification of the U.S. Constitution for the seat of the federal government. One of the markers survives today and can be seen on Route 7 on the southern boundary of South Fairlington. It is near the South Wakefield Street intersection across from the Fairlington Presbyterian Church.

After the 1831 death of Carlyle Whiting, grandson of the Colonel, the estate was partitioned among the heirs, and his son, Charles Whiting, inherited all of Fairlington. He owned the land throughout the Civil War period. In fact, the area was the site of two Civil War Union fortifications: Fort Reynolds, built next to the present North Fairlington, and Battery Faresche, a smaller artillery fortification at today's intersection of South Abingdon Street and 30th Road. Historic markers show the locations and Civil War significance of these two forts.

Fairlington itself was constructed as a garden apartment complex to house defense workers and their families during World War II. At the instigation of then President Franklin D. Roosevelt, it was designed by Kenneth Franzheim and associate architect Alan B. Mills. The project was intended to remain a permanent part of the community after the war's end. Good planning in site selection and project design made it possible. Franzheim and Mills, nationally recognized architects, collaborated on two other DHC apartment projects in the area, McLean Gardens and Naylor Gardens. If built in 1996, the $35 million project would have cost $424,701,600 to complete. In spite of the government's management of scarce wartime resources, builder Thompson-Starrett managed to obtain quality materials. The first families began moving in during May 1943. By the end of that year, 2,415 apartments were available for occupancy. DHC managed Fairlington until its sale to private owners in 1947. It remained a rental community until 1972 to 1977 when the units were renovated and sold as condominiums.

Additional information about the history of Fairlington Villages can be found in various sources: the Fairlington-Shirlington Neighborhood Conservation Plan, Fairlington at 50 a book by Catherine D. Fellows or please visit the Historic Designation Committee web site.

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