Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

None

Use Restrictions

Consult repository for information.

Preferred Citation

Henry H. Douglas Collection, MSS 06-13, Virginia Room, Fairfax County Public Library

Acquisition Information

Donated by the Estate of Henry H. Douglas in 1989.

Processing Information

Stephanie Ballard, Jessica Koenig, John & LeAnn Turbyfill, and Chris Barbuschak, 2017-2020
EAD generated by Ross Landis, 2021

Historical and Biographical Information

Henry Hulbert Douglas was born in a log cabin near Bozeman, Montana on February 27, 1906, to Emma Catherine and Elmer Allen Douglas. He attended Billings Polytechnic Institute, the University of Montana at Missoula, and graduated from Oberlin College in 1929. Douglas went on to serve as a librarian at the American Merchant Marine Library Association and later as a librarian at the Library of Congress in 1937.

In 1942, Douglas testified before the House Committee on Un-American Activities (Dies Committee) due to his association with the American League for Peace and Democracy in 1938 and the Washington Committee to Aid China in 1939. He denied being a communist and the committee ultimately cleared him.

On May 9, 1942, Douglas enlisted in the Army at Fort Myer, Virginia. He was stationed with the 6th Army Air Force at Albrook Field in Panama and later transferred to the Chinese Air Force Detachment at Tyndall Field in Florida serving as a Chinese interpreter.

After World War II, Douglas returned to the Library of Congress, later worked for the Office of Technical Services at the Department of Commerce, and went on to become a librarian for Mary Riley Styles Public Library in Falls Church, Virginia.

In 1960, Douglas established Econoprint, a printing business which he operated for twenty-one years. In 1967, Douglas founded the Pioneer America Society which published articles about historic sites in Northern Virginia. He was editor for the Society’s “Pioneer American” and “Echoes of History” journals. A long-time resident of Falls Church, he also served as the chairman of the Falls Church Historical Commission and was also the group’s historian and archivist. He and his wife, June Douglas, published the quarterly “Falls Church Historical News and Notes” from 1970-1972. In later years, Henry Douglas continued writing and editing “Falls Church Historical News and Notes” articles for The Falls Church News-Advertiser from 1980-1983.

Douglas authored a number of books including “Caves of Virginia” (1964); “Falls Church, Places and People” (1981) as well as edited and published the second edition of Herbert H. Harwood’s “Rail’s to the Blue Bridge” which included Douglas’ photos of rolling stock and scenes along the Washington & Old Dominion Railroad. Henry H. Douglas died on January 16, 1989.

Scope and Content

The Henry H. Douglas Collection consists of 1.5 linear feet and spans the years 1861-1978. It contains correspondence, news articles, membership cards, meeting announcements, a transcription, photostats, photographs, negatives, and currency. The bulk of the collection consists of negatives from Douglas’ publications “Echoes of History” and “Falls Church Historical News and Notes”. Subjects include historic sites in Northern Virginia; Falls Church, Virginia; and the Washington and Old Dominion Railroad.

Series 1: Personal Papers, 1861-1978, Box 1

This series contains correspondence, news articles, membership cards, meeting announcements from the Historical Society of Fairfax County, a “Dog Dollar” issued on September 24, 1861 in Leesburg, Virginia, and the original photostat copy of the 2nd edition of Herbert H. Harwood’s “Rails to the Blue Ridge”. Included are documents concerning Douglas’ testimony before the House Committee of Un-American Activities in 1942 including letters from Rep. Jerry Voorhis, attorneys, friends, and supporters. Also featured in this series is Henry and June Douglas’ transcription of "Report Concerning Removal of Gunpowder from the Naval Magazine During the British Invasion of Washington. Sept. 10, 1814-Sept. 10, 1815” which was written by Mordecai Booth who supervised the removal and subsequent return of gunpowder to Daniel Dulany’s farm in Falls Church, Virginia in 1814. Douglas’ correspondence concerning the Washington and Old Dominion Railroad, Fairfax County Historical Landmarks Preservation Commission, and Fairfax County History Commission is also contained here.

Series 2: Negatives

Sub-series 2-1: Publications, 1969-1975, Box 1
This series contains Washington & Old Dominion Railroad illustration negatives for the second edition of “Rails to the Blue Ridge” by Herbert H. Harwood (1969) and the print negatives and half-tone negatives for “Falls Church Celebrates 100 Years”(1975), a seventeen-page booklet about the history of Falls Church.

Sub-series 2-2: Echoes of History, 1968-1976, Box 2
This series contains negatives for the Pioneer America Society’s bi-monthly publication “Echoes of History”. It was published from 1970-1976 and featured articles about historic structures and places in Northern Virginia. The negatives are organized by the volume and issue number in which they were published except for larger negatives which are filed at the end. The volume, issue, and page number of where each illustration appeared in the journal are included in the description.

Sub-series 2-3: Falls Church Historical News and Notes, 1967-1973, Box 3
This series contains negatives for Henry and June Douglas’ quarterly publication “Falls Church Historical News and Notes”. It was published from 1970-1972 featuring articles about the history of Falls Church. The negatives are organized by the volume and issue number in which they were published except for larger negatives which are filed at the end. The volume, issue, and page number of where each illustration appeared in the journal are included in the description.

Related Material

Henry H. Douglas Slide Collection, Virginia Room, Fairfax County Public Library

Henry H. Douglas papers, C0296, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University Libraries

Pioneer America Society records, C0011, Special Collections and Archives, George Mason University Libraries.

Pioneer America Society. Records, 1929-1984 (bulk 1968-1976). Accession 40235. Organization Records Collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Pioneer America Society Photograph Collection (VC 0025), Thomas Balch Library, Leesburg, VA.

Separated Material

Photographs from this collection were integrated into the Fairfax County Public Library Photographic Archive. Other materials from Douglas’ estate were transferred to Alexandria Public Library, Prince William County Public Library, Thomas Balch Library and the Library of Virginia.

Index Terms

• Douglas, Henry H. (1906-1989)
• Fairfax County (Va.) - Buildings, structures, etc.
• Falls Church (Va.) - History
• Historic buildings - Virginia
• United States - Congress - House - Committee on Un-American Activities
• Washington & Old Dominion Railroad

Adjunct Descriptive Data