Guide to the Reston Association records C0112 Reston Association records

Guide to the Reston Association records C0112

Reston Association records


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George Mason University. Libraries. Special Collections Research Center

Fenwick Library, MS2FL
4400 University Dr.
Fairfax, Virginia 22030
Business Number: 703-993-2220
Fax Number: 703-993-8911
speccoll@gmu.edu
URL: https://scrc.gmu.edu

Emily Martin

Repository
George Mason University. Libraries. Special Collections Research Center
Identification
C0112
Title
Reston Association records 1964-2006
Quantity
27 Linear Feet, 54 boxes
Creator
Reston Association
Language
English .
Abstract
The Reston Association records include meeting minutes, budgets, clippings, reports, handbooks, correspondence, and general information on the association. Also included is a series of photography, which has photographs, contact sheets , slides, and negatives. The collection documents the activities of the Reston Home Owners Association, later renamed Reston Association in 1987 to include apartments and condos. The collection covers the period of time from the 1964 to 2006.

Administrative Information

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research.

Preferred Citation

Reston Association records, Collection #C0112, Special Collections and Archives, George Mason University Libraries.

Acquisition Information

Donated by Karen Monagen on November 9, 2007 and by Charles D. McGuire in December 1994.

Processing Information

The Reston Association records were originally attached to the larger Planned Community Collection currently in the Special Collections and Archives. In 2008 the papers from the Reston Association were removed and organized into a separate collection. Except for the Series 10, the old box and folder numbers for each folder are also included as part of the new arrangement.

Processed in October 2008 by Emily Martin. EAD markup completed in October 2008 by Emily Martin.

Historical Information

Reston is a planned community in Northern Virginia. Robert E. Simon, Jr., the founder of Reston, purchased the land with the proceeds from the sale of Carnegie Hall in New York City in 1961. Construction began in 1963 with the building of Lake Anne. Simon wanted Reston to be a place where individuals could remain their entire lives, thus many different types of housing were constructed. The focus of Reston, according to Simon, was to develop a place where people could live and work. Essentially he wanted Reston to be a way to live. A priority of this way of life was leisure time, so a wide variety of recreational choices were made available. In 1967, Gulf Oil Corporation formed a subsidiary, Reston Gulf, Inc. and took complete financial and operational control. During the next year, Reston construction proceeded at a quicker pace and the population grew rapidly.

In 1968 the Reston Community Association (RCA) was created to take responsibility for community programs. The RCA's first program was the establishment of the Commuter Express Bus System in March of 1968. The Reston Home Owner Association was created in 1970 by consolidating the original First and Second Home Owner Associations that had been established in 1963. The new RHOA was given also in 1970 the deeds of recreational facilities by the Reston Gulf, Inc. These facilities included Lake Anne, swimming pools, parks and bridges. The Reston Home Owner Association was later renamed the Reston Association in 1987. Today the Reston Association is run by the Board of Directors and several committees and continues to be in charge of designs, covenant for Reston properties, maintaining the open space areas within Reston, and recreational and educational programs for all ages in Reston.

Scope and Content

The Reston Association records include meeting minutes, budgets, clippings, reports, handbooks, correspondence, and general information on the association. Also included is a series of photography, which has photographs, contact sheets , slides, and negatives. The collection documents the activities of the Reston Home Owners Association, later renamed Reston Association in 1987 to include apartments and condos. The collection covers the period of time from the 1964 to 2006.

Series 1 includes correspondence dated from 1969 to 1997. The letters include information about different meetings, elections and invitations. The correspondence deals with the Reston Association and various aspects of the running of the association. The memos cover a variety of topics that the Reston Association was responsible for including pathways, membership and even cable television in 1985.

Series 2 is titled Director's Files and relate to Dan McGuire and the Reston Home Owner Coalition from the mid-1980s. The papers are from a variety of sources including meeting agendas, personal correspondence and notes. The Coalition appears to be a competing association within the Reston Home Owner Association from a dispute within Reston. The series also includes information on the All-American City which is related to the Reston Home Owner Coalition because the paperwork also deals with Dan McGuire.

Series 3 contains the minutes from different meetings, primarily council, committee and board of directors' meetings. The minutes record those people who were present at the meeting and the information that discuss during it. This is the largest series of paperwork in the Reston Association collection. It has 168 folders in 4 boxes, the folders are dated from 1972-2004.

Series 4 is titled Reports, the documents provided the associations with updates and information on various projects and programs within Reston, such as land use, homeless and a large portion are financial reports submitted to the association in 1990. Also mixed in the series are the RHOA Plus White Papers created by a committee to help increase membership at the community recreational facilities in Reston. The papers in this series are the information the committee submitted to the association in March of 1981.

Series 5 concerns the budget. The folders are dated from 1969 to 1995. The information outlines the budget for various projects and programs such as recreation. The series also includes assessments of the budget from various months during the 1980s and 1990s. This series is also large and is stored in 5 boxes.

Series 6 consists of paperwork from different Reston committees. Subjects that this series covers includes education, elections, health care and other issues. Also included is information from planning and zoning of Reston. The series is dated from 1969 to 2000.

Series 7 consists of articles relating to Reston. The articles cover a variety of topics such as elections, grand openings, community newsletters, and other community functions. The articles are from papers from The Connection, a local Fairfax newspaper, The Washington Post and other publications. The series is dated from 1964-2005.

Series 8 consists of handbooks and other manuals. The files includes recommendations, RHOA handbooks and other manuals about the operations and procedures of the Reston Association different projects and programs. The information in the handbooks covers a variety of topics including membership studies, covenant and design regulations for Reston.

Series 9 contains files and is entitled General Information. The information is from a various projects and programs that the Association was involved in, such as maintenance, volunteer programs in the community, annual reports and information about the board. This series also includes articles dealing with problems in the Reston Association. Topics covered by the articles include corruption within the Association and changes that occurred because of the problems.

Series 10 consists of photographs, slides, contact sheets, negatives and videos. Most of the images document programs run by the Reston Association. Some of the programs shown in this series are summer camps, which includes day, nature, swim and tennis, for children and senior movie day. There are also larger items in oversize cases. These items appear to be for display purposes at different Reston community facilities. This series is dated earlier and later than any other series in this collection. The images date from 1969 to 2004.

Arrangement

Organized into 10 series.

Missing Title Series 1: Correspondence, 1969-1997 (Boxes 1-6) Series 2: Director's Files, 1980-1986 (Boxes 6-7) Series 3: Minutes, 1972-2004 (Boxes 7-13) Series 4: Reports, 1962-2005 (Boxes 13-20) Series 5: Budget, 1969-1995 (Boxes 20-25) Series 6: Committee, 1969-2000 (Boxes 25-27) Series 7: Articles, 1964-2005 (Boxes 27-29) Series 8: Handbooks, 1965-2005 (Boxes 29-33) Series 9: General Information, 1966-2006 (Boxes 33-41) Series 10: Photographs, 1969-2004 (Boxes 41-54)

Related Material

The Special Collections and Archives also holds the Planned Community Archives and other personal papers and organizational records that document Reston, Virginia and other planned communities.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Significant Places Associated With the Collection

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Container List

Series 1: Correspondence
1969-1997
(6 boxes)
Scope and Contents note

The Correspondence Series has folders. The letters include information about different meetings, elections and invitations. The correspondence deals with the Reston Association and various aspects of the running of the association. All of the correspondence is dated from 1969-1997.

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Series 2: Director's Files
1980-1986
(1.5 boxes)
Scope and Contents note

These 24 folders are from Dan McGuire relating to the Reston Home Owner Coalition from the mid-1980s. The papers are from a variety of sources including meeting agendas and correspondence. The series also includes information on the All-American City which is related to the Reston Home Owner Coalition.

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Series 3: Minutes
1972-2004
(7 boxes)
Scope and Contents note

This large series includes 168 folders. All the folders contain the minutes from different meetings, such as council and board of directors. The information included in the minutes is who was present at the meeting and the information that discuss during it. The folders are dated from 1972 to 2004.

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Series 4: Reports
1962-2005
(7 boxes)
Scope and Contents note

The Report Series includes 41 folders. The information dates from 1962 to 2005. The paperwork is information submitted to different organization within Reston, such as the council and the RHOA Board. The reports provided the associations with updates and information on various projects and programs within Reston such as land use. Also included in the series are the RHOA Plus White Papers from March of 1981.

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Series 5: Budget
1969-1995
(5 boxes)
Scope and Contents note

There are 78 folders involving the Reston Association budget. The folders are dated from 1969 to 1995. The information involves the organization of the budget for various projects and programs such as the council individual budget and recreational programs. The information also includes assessments of the budget from various months during the 1980s and 1990s.

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Series 6: Committee
1969-2000
(2 boxes)
Scope and Contents note

Series 6 is consists of paperwork from different Reston committees. Subjects that this series covers includes education, elections, health care and other issues. Also included is information from planning and zoning of Reston.

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Series 7: Articles
1964-2005
(2 boxes)
Scope and Contents note

Series 7 consists of articles relating to Reston. The articles cover a variety of topics such as elections, grand openings, community newsletters, and other community functions. The articles are from papers from The Connection, a local Fairfax newspaper, The Washington Post and other publications.

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Series 8: Handbooks
1965-2005
(4 boxes)
Scope and Contents note

There are 27 folders in this series. The folders contain information regarding recommendations, RHOA handbooks and other manuals about the operations and procedures of the Reston Association different projects and programs.

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Series 9: General Information
1966-2006
(7 boxes)
Scope and Contents note

Includes 36 folders with papers from different binders. The information contained within is from various sources dealing with the Reston Association. The folders have information from different projects and programs that the Association was involved in, such as maintenance, volunteer programs in the community, annual reports and information about the board.

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Series 10: Photographs
1969-2004
(13 boxes)
Scope and Contents note

Includes 492 folders with papers from different binders. The items within document various programs from the Reston Association from 1969 to 2004. The series includes photographs, slides, contact sheets and negatives. Also include is a section of oversize photographs, contact sheets and negatives at the end of the series.

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