Updated 2025 July is a month filled with celebrations of independence, both in America and France. While Americans mark the Fourth of July, signifying their freedom from British rule, the French honor "Quatorze Juillet" on July 14, remembering the storming of the Bastille and the end of monarchy…
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Did you know the U.S. Army is a year older than the United States itself? The oldest and largest military branch in the United States was formed on June 14, 1775, during the early days of the Revolutionary War, when the Continental Army was formed to fight for the freedom that would eventually…
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Updated 2025 It is known as “America's Second Independence Day.” Yet there is no battle marking that day. No birthday of a new nation. Not even an anniversary of a document. Rather Juneteenth, the commemoration of freedom from slavery, commemorates June 19, 1865 - the date federal troops arrived in…
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Updated for 2025 Memorial Day Weekend is one of the best times to visit Fairfax County and the U.S. Capital Region. And it's also a great time for us to take a moment to remember what the day is really all about: honoring the brave men and women who gave their lives to protect ours. The sacrifices…
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“Well behaved women seldom make history.” —Laurel Thatcher Ulrich It may seem strange in the 21 st century to think of Clara Barton as anything but well behaved. But Clara defied norms and accomplished feats unheard of among other women of her time. She held jobs women weren’t supposed to hold. She…
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The cool thing about Fairfax County is that, at any given moment, you could be standing on hallowed ground and not even know it. You could be walking your dog through a wealthy neighborhood, attending church services or kicking back at a local winery, completely unaware of the Civil War history…
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Updated for 2025 What is blooming in Northern Virginia right now? Virginia Bluebells! Each spring in Fairfax County, something magical happens: our woodland floors transform into carpets of wildflowers that beg to be seen! And, nearby, you’ll often find spots where significant moments in military…
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Fairfax County has a long history of courageous, pioneering women, from fearless spies in the Civil War to those whose determination turned a farm into the nation’s only National Park for the Performing Arts. But, in the Potomac Banks area of Fairfax County, the sites—and freedoms—that women created…
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International Women’s Day is March 8, but in Fairfax County, we can’t help but celebrate it every day. Because everywhere you look in the county, you’ll find women who’ve changed history, preserved history, and broken all molds. America celebrated the centennial of the ratification of the 19th…
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In the 67 years he walked the earth, George Washington perhaps made more of an impact than nearly any other historical figure in America. He battled a king and won. He founded a new country—one that many would argue is the greatest country on earth. And he set the precedent for the many presidents…
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