Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

None

Use Restrictions

Consult repository for information.

Preferred Citation

Dunn Loring, Virginia Survey Slide Collection, Virginia Room, Fairfax County Public Library.

Acquisition Information

Gift of Fairfax County Archaeology Lab, 2004.

Processing Information

Chris Barbuschak, November 2021
EAD generated by Ross Landis, 2023

Historical and Biographical Information

In 1886, retired General William McKee Dunn and his wife Elizabeth Dunn purchased 600 acres in Fairfax County, Virginia. They transferred the land to the Loring Land and Improvement Company comprised of Dunn, Dr. George B. Loring, and George LeFetra. The three entrepreneurs created a brochure that advertised the Town of Dunn Loring as a desirable location for building lots. The company, which eventually went defunct after Dunn’s death, even built a railroad station on the Washington, Ohio and Western Railroad and a community house. The area became a beehive of activity in 1898 with the establishment of Camp Russell A. Alger as a training post for Spanish-American War soldiers. After the war, Dunn Loring remained largely rural until the 1940s due to the population boom of government workers moving into Fairfax County.

In 1985, the Heritage Resources Branch of the Fairfax County Office of Comprehensive Planning conducted a Historic Resources Survey of Tudor Hall (built c. 1888) and eight other structures that surrounded the historic center of Dunn Loring on the Washington & Old Dominion Trail. In 1988, the Heritage Resources Branch conducted two additional photographic surveys of Dunn Loring focusing on modern and historic residences. The 299 color photographic slides found in this collection were taken by Rob James and separated into two “Dunn Loring I” and “Dunn Loring II” surveys. Little else is known about this project as there is no associated data with it. It is unknown if the full survey was ever completed. The Fairfax County Archaeology Lab discovered the slides in their collection in 2004 and transferred them to Fairfax County Public Library’s Virginia Room.

Scope and Content

The Dunn Loring, Virginia Survey Slide Collection consists of 299 color photographic slides dating from 1988. They document houses, both contemporary and historic, in Dunn Loring, Virginia. None of the slides have identifying information on them.

Related Material

None

Separated Material

None

Index Terms

• Dunn Loring (Va.) -- History.
• Fairfax County (Va.)
• Fairfax County (Va.) -- Buildings, structures, etc.
• Fairfax County (Va.) -- History.
• Virginia -- Fairfax County.

Adjunct Descriptive Data