The following is a timeline of the history of the census-designated place (CDP) of Great Falls, Virginia, USA.[1]

Prior to 20th century

  • c. 1400 - Land inhabited by indigenous peoples, likely the Doeg people.[2][3]
  • 1608 - Expedition of region by Captain John Smith.[4]
  • c. 1700s - Colonial farm settlements begin to form in the Great Falls area.[5]
  • c. 1750s - Area surveyed by George Washington[6][7]
  • 1785 - The Patowmack Canal, which George Washington partially funded, began operating to give small barges the opportunity to skirt around the falls and to distribute manufactured goods and raw materials.
  • c. 1800s - Area was unofficially referred to as the village of Forestville, with two churches, a grist mill and sawmill, a general store, and a two-room schoolhouse.[8]
  • 1861 - Battle of Dranesville Civil War skirmish occurred on December 20, 1861.[8]
  • 1878 - Great Falls Post Office opens.[8]

20th century

  • 1902 - John Roll McLean, Stephen Benton Elkins and Jean-Pierre Guenard purchase a charter for the Great Falls and Old Dominion Railroad.[9]
  • 1906 - Railroad completed, connecting the Great Falls area with Washington, D.C.[10]
  • 1909 - Great Falls and Old Dominion Railroad extends to Great Falls Park.
  • 1920 - Great Falls Grange established.[8]
  • 1942 - Community fire department is formed.[8]
  • 1945 - Community members begin referring to the Forestville area as "Great Falls" and encourage the name change.[8]
  • 1955 - Area formally renamed Great Falls in local organizations and offices, including the Fire Department.[11]
  • 1959 - On November 15, 1959, the second Great Falls Post Office opens in theold Forestville School House, which is preserved on the Grange grounds.[8]
  • 1966 - Great Falls Park is established by the National Park Service.
  • 1990 - Population: 6,945

21st century

  • 2000 - Population: 8,549
  • 2010 - Population: 15,427
  • 2020 - Population: 14,872
  • 2022 - Great Falls included in Veranda magazine's list of wealthiest cities in the United States.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Great Falls Historical Society - Fairfax Co., Virginia". Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
  2. ↑ Ferguson, p. 11, refers to Robert L. Stephenson, The Prehistoric People of Accokeek Creek
  3. ↑ Rountree, Helen C. (January 1996). Pocahontas's people: the Powhatan Indians of Virginia through four centuries. University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 978-0-8061-2849-8. Retrieved 18 August 2011.
  4. ↑ Swanton, John R. (1952), The Indian Tribes of North America, Smithsonian Institution, pp. 67–69, ISBN 978-0-8063-1730-4, OCLC 52230544
  5. ↑ Carey, Mac (May 24, 2016). "An Unhidden Gem". Virginia Living. Cape Fear Publishing. Retrieved June 27, 2016.
  6. ↑ "Merrywood - HouseHistree". househistree.com. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  7. ↑ "Washington as Public Land Surveyor | George Washington: Surveyor and Mapmaker | Articles and Essays | George Washington Papers | Digital Collections | Library of Congress". Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "History - Celebrate Great Falls Foundation". celebrategreatfalls.org. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
  9. ↑ Guillaudeu, David A.; Mccray, Paul E. (2013). Washington & Old Dominion Railroad. Arcadia Publishing. p. 37. ISBN 978-0-7385-9792-8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  10. ↑ "Along the 0. D. Railroad". The Washington Post. July 7, 1920.
  11. ↑ Sanders, Milburn P. (August 11, 2005). "A Brief History of Great Falls". Connecting Neighbors. Archived from the original on February 10, 2012. Retrieved 2008-01-25.
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