Braddock History Comes to Life at Oak Hill Festival

Working closely with the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, the Fairfax County Park Authority is pleased to co-sponsor "A Look Back at Braddock Project" focused on "Finding Braddock's True Gold." The free program, a celebration of local history, is slated for Saturday, October 4, 2008 from noon to 5 p.m. at historic Oak Hill located at 4716 Wakefield Chapel Road in Annandale.

Oak Hill is a privately owned 18th century Georgian-style home that was preserved in October 2004 when the Board of Supervisors, Park Authority Board and Northern Virginia Conservation Trust negotiated the purchase of an historic easement from Seville Homes. The home and adjacent properties are all that remain of the Fitzhugh land grant, the Ravensworth Tract - totaling more than 22,000 acres - dating from the 1670s. This was one of three plantations owned by the Fitzhugh family and today the original home remains intact along with much of the historic landscape, including 200-year-old boxwoods. As part of the agreements, limited public access to the site is provided each year.

Spearheaded by Braddock District Supervisor Sharon Bulova and a dedicated team of volunteers, the event is a family festival that features one of the oldest homes in Fairfax County. The day's activities will include two Park Authority guest speakers, Dr. Elizabeth Crowell on the history and architecture of Oak Hill and C.K Gailey on the Civil War in Fairfax County. The Annandale Brass Ensemble will also perform. The Braddock District local history book, Braddock's True Gold, will be available for purchase, as well as tickets for an October bus tour of historic homes and sites in Braddock District.

Supervisor Bulova, a strong advocate of historic preservation noted, "Taking the time to celebrate our past gives us perspective and appreciation for the evolution of our community as it is today. I love to think about what was here before. Stepping onto the grounds of Oak Hill is like going through a time portal and seeing Annandale as it was 200 years ago."

Parking will be offsite at 4414 Holborn Avenue at the Nancy Sprague Technology Center in Annandale. A free shuttle bus service will provide visitors with convenient transportation. For more information contact the Braddock District Supervisor's Office at 703-425-9300, TTY 711 or visit online.