Clifton, Virginia
Encyclopedia
Clifton is a town in Fairfax County
, Virginia
, United States
located 25.74 miles (41.4 km) away from Washington, D.C.
In 2010, the population was 282.
-Triangle
area. Throughout the rest of the 17th century, plantations were built throughout modern-day Fairfax County.
Clifton's first houses were built in 1740s. Clifton became the largest community in the county, developing a local store and roads accessing Centreville
and Fairfax
.
to Orange, Virginia
and the sixth scheduled stop, became known as Devereux Station, later known as Clifton Station.
with Devereux Station being the southernmost point of the Union Army and a stop along the Orange and Alexandria Railroad
. It served as a major depot for supplies and a reloading point for trains carrying wood to the U.S. Military Railroad for burning in train engines. Soldiers frequently marched through the town, fought small battles, and set up camps beside Popes Head Creek. Union troops were housed in the town so that they could constantly be on the look out for Confederate attempts to destroy the railroad. The majority of military activity that took place along the O & A railroad during the war occurred around the area of Clifton.
Devereux Station was named after John Henry Devereux, a Union railroad superintendent from Alexandria. Following the Second Battle of Manassas, the rail lines required reconstruction. Herman Haupt
, a brigadier general and civil engineer from Pennsylvania, was appointed to help reconstruct and operate the railroads in Northern Virginia. He commissioned John Henry Devereux to build the wye at Devereux Station along the Orange and Alexandria Railroad. The O & A was the only railroad link between Alexandria and Richmond, Virginia
.
After the Civil War ended, Devereux Station continued to grow. In 1868, a commuter station was built and the name changed to Clifton Station when Harrison G. Otis, accredited as the original founder of Clifton, bought the land. Harrison and his brother J. Sanford Otis also founded the Clifton Presbyterian Church still in existence today. The next year, Clifton became home to an official U.S. post office and Otis built the historic Clifton Hotel. The town continued to prosper, benefiting from fertile soil, widespread vineyards, and the accessible train station. The station no longer exists, but the town of Clifton is still standing along what used to be the O & A Railroad, now a part of the Norfolk Southern Railway
.
on March 9, 1902. It became the first town in Fairfax County, and is currently one of only three towns in the county, the other two being Vienna and Herndon.
During the 1900s, the town was nearly the same size as it is now. The first schoolhouse in Clifton was in Susan Reviere Hetzel's home on Pendleton Ave. She was also one of the founders of the Daughters of the American Revolution. The school was later moved to the side-yard area of what would later become the home of Mayors Swem Elgin and Jim Chesley. In 1912 a new school house (built for K-12) was built overlooking the town and it stood until 1952. A new elementary school, Clifton Elementary, was built on the same site in 1953 and served the community until 2003. On March 9, 1930, the Clifton General Store caught fire, and a few months later a new general store
was built in its place.
in 1985. Some 63 Clifton buildings were added to the register at that time. Another resident, Jim Chesley, who would also serve as mayor of Clifton, worked tirelessly with national and state politicians and administrators to ensure the town maintained its historic integrity. In 1967, the town sponsored the first Clifton Day Festival as a way to attract the public to this historic town. This celebration continues each year as a town fair and music festival on the Sunday before Columbus Day in October.
areas.
Proposals for the Monticello Freeway
and the Northern Virginia Expressway, which were never constructed, were proposed to make a large-scale interchange near Clifton.
In 2000, then-mayor Jim Chesley started a Labor Day antique car show in Clifton sponsored by the Northern Virginia Custom Cruisers and Clifton Lions clubs to raise money for local charities. The ninth annual Labor Day Car Show in 2008 attracted more than 400 antique cars, an estimated two thousand visitors, and raised over $30,000. That year's featured charity was Life With Cancer, a Fairfax hospital-based program that provides family support and education. In the past five years alone, the event has raised nearly $120,000 for various local charities.
Jennifer Chesley coordinates the annual Clifton Candlelight Homes Tour held each year on the first Saturday in December. She has served in this capacity for nine years. Included on the tour are five homes decorated for the holidays, the Caboose and live music in the churches, all located in the Historic Town of Clifton.
The Clifton Spring Homes Tour is run by the Clifton Community Woman's Club and is held on the third Thursday in May. The 100-member General Federation of Women's Club group raises money for local charities via home tours, silent auction, boutique, and local women's art show and sale.
The opening scenes of Broadcast News
were filmed in Clifton in 1986.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 0.3 square miles (0.7 km²), all of it land. The Charter of the town of Clifton affirms this statement. Popes Head Creek runs through the town.
, there were 185 people, 67 households, and 52 families residing in the town. The population density
was 723.7 people per square mile (274.7/km²). There were 70 housing units at an average density of 273.8 per square mile (104.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.92% white, 0.54% Asian, 0.54% from other races
. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.54% of the population.
There were 67 households out of which 40.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.7% were married couples
living together, 6.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.9% were non-families. 13.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the town, the population was spread out with 23.2% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 32.4% from 25 to 44, 32.4% from 45 to 64, and 4.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 134.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 125.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $111,048, and the median income for a family was $117,446. Males had a median income of $62,188 versus $47,500 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $47,459. None of the population or families were below the poverty line.
Due to the layout of roads in Clifton and a large population of teenagers from Centreville High School and Robinson Secondary School
, the number of fatal accidents involving teenage drivers occurring over the past few years is higher than other nearby communities. Police enforcement has increased on the roads at certain times due to this risk.
serves Clifton. Most students in Clifton attend Clifton Elementary School, while middle and high school residents are zoned to Robinson Secondary School
.
Clifton was home to Clifton High School
from 1912 to 1944, when the school was torn down after the construction of Fairfax High School
.
, former Tennessee congressman Robin Beard
, country singer Randy Thompson
, and RMS Titanic sea postal clerk Oscar Scott Woody.
Fairfax County, Virginia
Fairfax County is a county in Virginia, in the United States. Per the 2010 Census, the population of the county is 1,081,726, making it the most populous jurisdiction in the Commonwealth of Virginia, with 13.5% of Virginia's population...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
located 25.74 miles (41.4 km) away from Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
In 2010, the population was 282.
Pre-Colonial era
Before the arrival of European settlers, the present-day Clifton area was part of hunting grounds used by Algonkian, Powhatan, and Dogue tribes. Tribal lands were scattered from Clifton to the nearby Occoquan, Virginia river. The area was a flood plain at the time, unlike the forested terrain that currently surrounds Clifton.Settling in Clifton
European settlers created the first nearby port settlement in the mid 1610s near the present-day DumfriesDumfries, Virginia
Dumfries is a town in Prince William County, Virginia, United States. The population was 4,937 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Dumfries is located at ....
-Triangle
Triangle, Virginia
Triangle is a census-designated place in Prince William County, Virginia, United States. The population was 5,500 at the 2000 census. It is bounded to the south by the Quantico Marine Corps Base, which surrounds the town of Quantico. It is bounded to the north and west by the town of Dumfries...
area. Throughout the rest of the 17th century, plantations were built throughout modern-day Fairfax County.
Clifton's first houses were built in 1740s. Clifton became the largest community in the county, developing a local store and roads accessing Centreville
Centreville, Virginia
Centreville is an unincorporated community in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. Recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau as a Census Designated Place , the community population was 71,135 as of the 2010 census and is approximately west of Washington, DC.-Colonial Period:Beginning in the 1760s,...
and Fairfax
Fairfax, Virginia
The City of Fairfax is an independent city forming an enclave within the confines of Fairfax County, in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Although politically independent of the surrounding county, the City is nevertheless the county seat....
.
Pre-Civil War era
There were two railroad stations between Manassas Junction and Fairfax Station: Sangster's Station outside of the town and Deveruex Station inside the town limits. Today, there are two neighborhoods outside of the town named after the stations. Several homes and a plantation owned by William Beckwith were built before the Civil War. The Orange & Alexandria Railroad extended from AlexandriaAlexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
to Orange, Virginia
Orange, Virginia
Orange is a town in Orange County, Virginia, United States. The population was 4,721 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Orange County...
and the sixth scheduled stop, became known as Devereux Station, later known as Clifton Station.
Civil War in Clifton
The town of Clifton was formally founded in 1863 as Devereux Station, named after the railroad stop. The station played a key role in the American Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
with Devereux Station being the southernmost point of the Union Army and a stop along the Orange and Alexandria Railroad
Orange and Alexandria Railroad
The Orange and Alexandria Railroad was an intrastate railroad in Virginia, United States. It extended from Alexandria to Gordonsville, with another section from Charlottesville to Lynchburg...
. It served as a major depot for supplies and a reloading point for trains carrying wood to the U.S. Military Railroad for burning in train engines. Soldiers frequently marched through the town, fought small battles, and set up camps beside Popes Head Creek. Union troops were housed in the town so that they could constantly be on the look out for Confederate attempts to destroy the railroad. The majority of military activity that took place along the O & A railroad during the war occurred around the area of Clifton.
Devereux Station was named after John Henry Devereux, a Union railroad superintendent from Alexandria. Following the Second Battle of Manassas, the rail lines required reconstruction. Herman Haupt
Herman Haupt
Herman Haupt was an American civil engineer and railroad construction engineer and executive. As a Union Army General in the American Civil War, he revolutionized military transportation in the United States and was one of the unsung heroes of the war.-Early life:Haupt, whose first name was...
, a brigadier general and civil engineer from Pennsylvania, was appointed to help reconstruct and operate the railroads in Northern Virginia. He commissioned John Henry Devereux to build the wye at Devereux Station along the Orange and Alexandria Railroad. The O & A was the only railroad link between Alexandria and Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
.
After the Civil War ended, Devereux Station continued to grow. In 1868, a commuter station was built and the name changed to Clifton Station when Harrison G. Otis, accredited as the original founder of Clifton, bought the land. Harrison and his brother J. Sanford Otis also founded the Clifton Presbyterian Church still in existence today. The next year, Clifton became home to an official U.S. post office and Otis built the historic Clifton Hotel. The town continued to prosper, benefiting from fertile soil, widespread vineyards, and the accessible train station. The station no longer exists, but the town of Clifton is still standing along what used to be the O & A Railroad, now a part of the Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
.
Incorporation
The town was incorporated by the General AssemblyVirginia General Assembly
The Virginia General Assembly is the legislative body of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the oldest legislative body in the Western Hemisphere, established on July 30, 1619. The General Assembly is a bicameral body consisting of a lower house, the Virginia House of Delegates, with 100 members,...
on March 9, 1902. It became the first town in Fairfax County, and is currently one of only three towns in the county, the other two being Vienna and Herndon.
During the 1900s, the town was nearly the same size as it is now. The first schoolhouse in Clifton was in Susan Reviere Hetzel's home on Pendleton Ave. She was also one of the founders of the Daughters of the American Revolution. The school was later moved to the side-yard area of what would later become the home of Mayors Swem Elgin and Jim Chesley. In 1912 a new school house (built for K-12) was built overlooking the town and it stood until 1952. A new elementary school, Clifton Elementary, was built on the same site in 1953 and served the community until 2003. On March 9, 1930, the Clifton General Store caught fire, and a few months later a new general store
General store
A general store, general merchandise store, or village shop is a rural or small town store that carries a general line of merchandise. It carries a broad selection of merchandise, sometimes in a small space, where people from the town and surrounding rural areas come to purchase all their general...
was built in its place.
Revitalization
By the late 1960s, the town was decaying. Many houses in the town were boarded up and abandoned. A number of new families and residents began much-needed gentrification of the town. Wayne Nickum, a former mayor, worked to ensure the entire town was named to the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1985. Some 63 Clifton buildings were added to the register at that time. Another resident, Jim Chesley, who would also serve as mayor of Clifton, worked tirelessly with national and state politicians and administrators to ensure the town maintained its historic integrity. In 1967, the town sponsored the first Clifton Day Festival as a way to attract the public to this historic town. This celebration continues each year as a town fair and music festival on the Sunday before Columbus Day in October.
Preservation
Towards the late 1970s and early 1980s development was starting to edge near Clifton. Communities such as Burke Centre and Little Rocky Run were constructed, raising concerns that the new construction may ruin the beauty of the Clifton area. In the 1980s, an ordinance was enacted stating that only one building could be placed on 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) parcels that have not already been divided. Single-family homes were constructed in the southern and eastern parts of Clifton while land to the north became equestrianEquestrianism
Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
areas.
Proposals for the Monticello Freeway
Monticello Freeway
The Monticello Freeway was a planned freeway that was a part of the 1969 Northern Virginia Major Thoroughfare Plan. The proposal was to connect Arlington directly to Manassas as an Interstate, hence its name freeway. The plan overall was turned down due to environmental, preservation and financial...
and the Northern Virginia Expressway, which were never constructed, were proposed to make a large-scale interchange near Clifton.
Modern Clifton
There are still many families moving into the area despite disputes with contractors and developers. Formation of the Occoquan Watershed in the 1970s limited development due to ecological concerns and required all houses in the area to have at least 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) of land. This prevents nearly all development other than luxury single-family homes. In 2002, a new community was built on the edge of town called Frog Hill. Controversy arose about demolishing the abandoned Hetzel Home on the corner of Chapel Road and Pendleton Avenue, in 2006. The building and a replica home were finished in the winter of 2007.In 2000, then-mayor Jim Chesley started a Labor Day antique car show in Clifton sponsored by the Northern Virginia Custom Cruisers and Clifton Lions clubs to raise money for local charities. The ninth annual Labor Day Car Show in 2008 attracted more than 400 antique cars, an estimated two thousand visitors, and raised over $30,000. That year's featured charity was Life With Cancer, a Fairfax hospital-based program that provides family support and education. In the past five years alone, the event has raised nearly $120,000 for various local charities.
Jennifer Chesley coordinates the annual Clifton Candlelight Homes Tour held each year on the first Saturday in December. She has served in this capacity for nine years. Included on the tour are five homes decorated for the holidays, the Caboose and live music in the churches, all located in the Historic Town of Clifton.
The Clifton Spring Homes Tour is run by the Clifton Community Woman's Club and is held on the third Thursday in May. The 100-member General Federation of Women's Club group raises money for local charities via home tours, silent auction, boutique, and local women's art show and sale.
The opening scenes of Broadcast News
Broadcast News
Broadcast News may refer to:*News*Broadcast News , the 1987 movie*Broadcast journalism, the field of news and journals which are published by electrical methods...
were filmed in Clifton in 1986.
Geography
Clifton is located at 38°46′48"N 77°23′11"W (38.780047, -77.386408).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 0.3 square miles (0.7 km²), all of it land. The Charter of the town of Clifton affirms this statement. Popes Head Creek runs through the town.
Demographics
As of the 2000 censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, there were 185 people, 67 households, and 52 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 723.7 people per square mile (274.7/km²). There were 70 housing units at an average density of 273.8 per square mile (104.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.92% white, 0.54% Asian, 0.54% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.54% of the population.
There were 67 households out of which 40.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.7% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 6.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.9% were non-families. 13.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the town, the population was spread out with 23.2% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 32.4% from 25 to 44, 32.4% from 45 to 64, and 4.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 134.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 125.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $111,048, and the median income for a family was $117,446. Males had a median income of $62,188 versus $47,500 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $47,459. None of the population or families were below the poverty line.
Due to the layout of roads in Clifton and a large population of teenagers from Centreville High School and Robinson Secondary School
Robinson Secondary School
James W. Robinson, Jr. Secondary School, known as Robinson Secondary School, opened in 1971, is a public school in the Commonwealth of Virginia....
, the number of fatal accidents involving teenage drivers occurring over the past few years is higher than other nearby communities. Police enforcement has increased on the roads at certain times due to this risk.
Climate
Clifton has a warm-temperate climate with cool winters, mild falls and springs, and hot summers. July is usually the warmest, and wettest month. January is usually the coldest month. On average, February is the driest month. The warmest temperature set in Clifton was 104 °F (40 °C) on July 2, 1980. The coldest temperature was -8 °F set on January 8, 1982.Education
Fairfax County Public SchoolsFairfax County Public Schools
The Fairfax County Public Schools system is a branch of the Fairfax County government which administers public schools in Fairfax County and the City of Fairfax...
serves Clifton. Most students in Clifton attend Clifton Elementary School, while middle and high school residents are zoned to Robinson Secondary School
Robinson Secondary School
James W. Robinson, Jr. Secondary School, known as Robinson Secondary School, opened in 1971, is a public school in the Commonwealth of Virginia....
.
Clifton was home to Clifton High School
Clifton High School (Clifton, Virginia)
Clifton High School was a former high school that was located on the current site of Clifton Elementary School in the northern part of the town limits of Clifton, Virginia. The school was built in 1912 and torn down in 1947, and the current Clifton Elementary School was built on the site in 1953....
from 1912 to 1944, when the school was torn down after the construction of Fairfax High School
Fairfax High School (Fairfax, Virginia)
Fairfax High School is a public high school in Fairfax, Virginia. The school is owned by the City of Fairfax, but is operated by Fairfax County Public Schools, as part of a contractual agreement....
.
Points of interest
All of the listed points of interest are outside of the Clifton town limits, except for a small part of Clifton Park. This park is fully owned and run by the Town of Clifton.Parks
- Bull Run Marina Regional ParkBull Run Marina Regional ParkBull Run Marina Regional Park is a park in Clifton, Virginia, along Bull Run. The park has of preserved land.The park has a marina, and has parts of the Bull Run-Occoquan Trail in it. The park hosts many events in crew and is a practice area for the Lake Braddock Secondary School crew team...
- Chapel Road Park
- Clifton Park
- Fountainhead Regional Park
- Hemlock Overlook Regional Park
- Kincheloe Park
Restaurants
| Name | Founded | Theme | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clifton Cafe | 2009 | Creperie | |
| Heart in Hand (closed 2011) | 1987 | Southern | |
| Main Street Pub | 2008 | Old-Town Pub | |
| Peterson's Ice Cream Depot | 2007 | Summer | |
| Polo Pub (closed 2011) | 2009 | Sports bar | |
| Trummer's On Main | 2009 | Albanian/Baltic |
Notable residents
The town has been home to Helen HayesHelen Hayes
Helen Hayes Brown was an American actress whose career spanned almost 70 years. She eventually garnered the nickname "First Lady of the American Theatre" and was one of twelve people who have won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony Award...
, former Tennessee congressman Robin Beard
Robin Beard
Robin Leo Beard, Jr. was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from Tennessee who served from 1973 to 1983.-Early life:...
, country singer Randy Thompson
Randy Thompson
Randy Thompson is a Virginia based americana/country music singer and songwriter. He is a lifelong resident of the Clifton, Virginia area.He has toured in France, Germany, Switzerland as well as the United States.As of 2010 he has released 4 recordings:...
, and RMS Titanic sea postal clerk Oscar Scott Woody.