Seven Corners, Virginia
Encyclopedia
Seven Corners is a commercial center and census-designated place
(CDP) in Fairfax County
, Virginia
, United States
. The population was 8,701 at the 2000 census. Seven Corners has a "Falls Church" mailing address but is not within the independent City of Falls Church, Virginia
. The area got its name from the intersection of State Route 7 (Leesburg Pike and East Broad Street), U.S. Route 50
(Arlington Boulevard), State Route 613
(Sleepy Hollow Road), State Route 338 (Hillwood Avenue) and Wilson Boulevard (also part of State Route 613). The junction of these four roads once created seven corners.
, the CDP has a total area of 0.7 square miles (1.8 km²), all of it land.
The area is built on Munson's Hill
, and overlooks adjacent Upton's Hill
. The views to the south and west are unbroken, and offer scenic vistas in the directions of Annandale and Fairfax City.
until the 1950s. The area took its name from a fortification constructed in October 1862 by men of the 21st New York Infantry. Fort Buffalo stood on the southern side of the Leesburg Pike, at its current intersection with Sleepy Hollow Road. The story of the fort is described in a local history of the Civil War entitled A Virginia Village Goes to War--Falls Church During the Civil War
. The fort was built at that location to take advantage of the excellent views to the east and south—the direction from which Confederate Army troops were thought to possibly come.
After the war the massive fortification of Fort Buffalo was dismantled but other earthworks remained and were easily visible through the 1930s.
The change of place name in the 1950s came about due to the construction of Lee Memorial Boulevard, now known as Arlington Boulevard
(U.S. Route 50
). The construction of Route 50 caused the formation of a seven cornered intersection—or did until the mouth of Wilson Boulevard was rerouted slightly to avoid all those roadways converging on a single point.
With the advent of Route 50 the area quickly developed into an important commercial center with the construction of Seven Corners Shopping Center
, one of the first enclosed malls in the Washington region, in 1956. The original center featured an iconic sign combined with a modernistic entry arch; this was later removed. The original Route 50, envisioned and built as a landscaped parkway linking Washington, D.C. with the Shenandoah Valley, has since evolved into a commercial corridor and its function as a link to the valley has been subsumed by Interstate 66
.
of 2000, there were 8,701 people, 3,304 households, and 1,893 families residing in the CDP. The population density
was 12,773.2 people per square mile (4,940.4/km²). There were 3,378 housing units at an average density of 4,959.0/sq mi (1,918.0/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 49.10% White, 6.68% African American, 0.28% Native American, 20.54% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 16.17% from other races
, and 7.17% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 40.60% of the population.
There were 3,304 households out of which 28.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.9% were married couples
living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.7% were non-families. 33.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.30.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 21.2% under the age of 18, 11.5% from 18 to 24, 41.6% from 25 to 44, 19.5% from 45 to 64, and 6.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 108.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 108.9 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $44,579, and the median income for a family was $43,211. Males had a median income of $31,444 versus $30,743 for females. The per capita income
for the CDP was $20,475. About 15.9% of families and 18.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.3% of those under age 18 and 17.6% of those age 65 or over.
was the scene of one of the shootings in the 2002 Beltway sniper attacks
; Linda Franklin was slain while she returned to her car in the crowded parking garage.
The Dar Al-Hijrah
mosque is in Seven Corners.
The traffic is managed as follows from the following roads:
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP) in Fairfax County
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...
. The population was 8,701 at the 2000 census. Seven Corners has a "Falls Church" mailing address but is not within the independent City of Falls Church, Virginia
Falls Church, Virginia
The City of Falls Church is an independent city in Virginia, United States, in the Washington Metropolitan Area. The city population was 12,332 in 2010, up from 10,377 in 2000. Taking its name from The Falls Church, an 18th-century Anglican parish, Falls Church gained township status within...
. The area got its name from the intersection of State Route 7 (Leesburg Pike and East Broad Street), U.S. Route 50
U.S. Route 50
U.S. Route 50 is a major east–west route of the U.S. Highway system, stretching just over from Ocean City, Maryland on the Atlantic Ocean to West Sacramento, California. Until 1972, when it was replaced by Interstate Highways west of the Sacramento area, it extended to San Francisco, near...
(Arlington Boulevard), State Route 613
Virginia State Route 613 (Fairfax County)
State Route 613 is the designation of several distinct suburban surface routes within Fairfax County in the U.S. state of Virginia. These routes were once mostly connected but changes in road alignment, new road construction, and annexations by the independent city of Alexandria have separated them...
(Sleepy Hollow Road), State Route 338 (Hillwood Avenue) and Wilson Boulevard (also part of State Route 613). The junction of these four roads once created seven corners.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited 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 CDP has a total area of 0.7 square miles (1.8 km²), all of it land.
The area is built on Munson's Hill
Munson's Hill
Munson’s Hill is a geographic eminence located in eastern Fairfax County, Virginia. Its summit rises to above sea level. - Location and Name :Munson’s Hill is located at latitude N 38.85983 and longitude W -77.14554....
, and overlooks adjacent Upton's Hill
Upton's Hill
Upton’s Hill is a geographic eminence located in western Arlington County, Virginia. Its summit rises to above sea level. - Location :Upton’s Hill straddles the border of Arlington County and Fairfax County, Virginia. The hill is generally conical in shape with its summit lying astride Wilson...
. The views to the south and west are unbroken, and offer scenic vistas in the directions of Annandale and Fairfax City.
History
Seven Corners was known as Fort Buffalo from 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...
until the 1950s. The area took its name from a fortification constructed in October 1862 by men of the 21st New York Infantry. Fort Buffalo stood on the southern side of the Leesburg Pike, at its current intersection with Sleepy Hollow Road. The story of the fort is described in a local history of the Civil War entitled A Virginia Village Goes to War--Falls Church During the Civil War
A Virginia Village Goes to War--Falls Church During the Civil War
A Virginia Village Goes to War—Falls Church During the Civil War is a community-owned book describing events in and around Falls Church, Virginia during the American Civil War.-Origin:...
. The fort was built at that location to take advantage of the excellent views to the east and south—the direction from which Confederate Army troops were thought to possibly come.
After the war the massive fortification of Fort Buffalo was dismantled but other earthworks remained and were easily visible through the 1930s.
The change of place name in the 1950s came about due to the construction of Lee Memorial Boulevard, now known as Arlington Boulevard
Arlington Boulevard
Arlington Boulevard is a major arterial road in Arlington County, Fairfax County, and the independent City of Fairfax in Northern Virginia in metropolitan Washington, DC, United States. It is designated U.S...
(U.S. Route 50
U.S. Route 50 in Virginia
U.S. Route 50 is a transcontinental highway which stretches from Ocean City, Maryland to Sacramento, California. In the U.S. state of Virginia, US 50 extends from the border with Washington DC at a Potomac River crossing at Rosslyn in Arlington County to the West Virginia state line near Gore in...
). The construction of Route 50 caused the formation of a seven cornered intersection—or did until the mouth of Wilson Boulevard was rerouted slightly to avoid all those roadways converging on a single point.
With the advent of Route 50 the area quickly developed into an important commercial center with the construction of Seven Corners Shopping Center
Seven Corners Shopping Center
Seven Corners Shopping Center was the first major shopping center to open in suburban Washington, D.C.. It is located in Seven Corners, Fairfax County, Virginia. At its opening in 1956, it was the largest regional shopping center in Virginia...
, one of the first enclosed malls in the Washington region, in 1956. The original center featured an iconic sign combined with a modernistic entry arch; this was later removed. The original Route 50, envisioned and built as a landscaped parkway linking Washington, D.C. with the Shenandoah Valley, has since evolved into a commercial corridor and its function as a link to the valley has been subsumed by Interstate 66
Interstate 66
Interstate 66 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States. As indicated by its even route number, it runs in an east–west direction. Its western terminus is at Middletown, Virginia, at an intersection with Interstate 81; its eastern terminus is in Washington, D.C., at an...
.
Demographics
As of the 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...
of 2000, there were 8,701 people, 3,304 households, and 1,893 families residing in the CDP. 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 12,773.2 people per square mile (4,940.4/km²). There were 3,378 housing units at an average density of 4,959.0/sq mi (1,918.0/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 49.10% White, 6.68% African American, 0.28% Native American, 20.54% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 16.17% 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...
, and 7.17% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 40.60% of the population.
There were 3,304 households out of which 28.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.9% 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, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.7% were non-families. 33.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.30.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 21.2% under the age of 18, 11.5% from 18 to 24, 41.6% from 25 to 44, 19.5% from 45 to 64, and 6.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 108.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 108.9 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $44,579, and the median income for a family was $43,211. Males had a median income of $31,444 versus $30,743 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 CDP was $20,475. About 15.9% of families and 18.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.3% of those under age 18 and 17.6% of those age 65 or over.
Notable locations
The parking garage of a Home Depot hardware store in the Seven Corners Shopping CenterSeven Corners Shopping Center
Seven Corners Shopping Center was the first major shopping center to open in suburban Washington, D.C.. It is located in Seven Corners, Fairfax County, Virginia. At its opening in 1956, it was the largest regional shopping center in Virginia...
was the scene of one of the shootings in the 2002 Beltway sniper attacks
Beltway sniper attacks
The Washington sniper attacks took place during three weeks in October 2002 in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. Ten people were killed and three others critically injured in various locations throughout the Washington Metropolitan Area and along Interstate 95 in Virginia...
; Linda Franklin was slain while she returned to her car in the crowded parking garage.
The Dar Al-Hijrah
Dar al-Hijrah
The Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center is a mosque in Northern Virginia. It is located in Culmore, Lake Barcroft area of unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, directly between the Bailey's Crossroads, and Seven Corners, Virginia, US Post Offices.-Background:...
mosque is in Seven Corners.
Management of traffic at the intersection
The namesake "seven" corners has long since disappeared, having been replaced by somewhat more motorist-friendly intersections which well exceed the former seven. Motorists bound in any direction are subject to one or more stoplight signals. There is a pedestrian bridge over US 50. The roads themselves are not pedestrian-friendly.The traffic is managed as follows from the following roads:
- US Route 50 (US 50) is set up as a freeway that runs east–west along Arlington Boulevard in the area. US 50 has a series of frontage roadFrontage roadA frontage road is a non-limited access road running parallel to a higher-speed road, usually a freeway, and feeding it at appropriate points of access...
s that connect to the other roadways in the intersection. Through traffic can continue on the freeway itself unimpeded by the local traffic in the intersection.
- State Road 7 (SR 7) is a four- to six-lane roadway, separated by a median following East Broad Street to the northwest or Leesburg Pike to the southeast of the intersection. Motorists may access any of the other roads.
- State Road 338 (SR 338) terminates in the intersection from the northwest. Traffic proceeding southeast defaults onto SR 7 south.
- State Road 613 (SR 613) also terminates in the intersection from the southwest. It follows Sleepy Hollow Road, with northbound traffic defaulting to follow SR 7 to the southeast.
- Wilson Boulevard terminates at the intersection from the northeast. Southbound traffic defaults to follow the US 50 frontage road northwesterly which connects to SR 7 northbound. From this frontage road, traffic may access all other directions of the other roads in the intersection.