The Rotonda McLean: Tysons Corner’s Original Condo Island
Five circular towers, 1,168 condominiums, and the man who built the Watergate built them too. The story of The Rotonda in McLean.
Fairfax County
Fairfax County in Northern Virginia has been part of the Washington story since before the capital was established, and GoDC has covered the parts of the county that are inseparable from DC history. From the early history of Mount Vernon and the county’s colonial roots to the postwar suburban explosion that made it one of the most populous counties in the country, these posts explore Fairfax County’s long relationship with Washington.
Erol’s Video Club: The DC Empire Before Blockbuster
Before Blockbuster, the DC area had Erol’s Video Club. Turkish immigrant Erol Onaran arrived in 1960 with $16, opened a Georgetown TV shop in 1963, started renting tapes in 1980, and built the largest privately owned video chain in America before selling to Blockbuster for $40 million in 1990.
Is the Bunny Man Real? The True 1970 Story Behind Virginia’s Most Famous Legend
In October 1970, two carloads of people parked on Guinea Road in Fairfax looked up to see a man in a white bunny suit swinging a hatchet.
Why Is It Named Centreville?
In 1792, landowners founded Centreville to be the geographic center point between Alexandria, Georgetown, and Leesburg.
Why Is It Named Reston?
Reston takes its name from Robert E. Simon, who sold Carnegie Hall and used the proceeds to buy 6,750 acres in Fairfax in 1961.
Frederick Foote Bought 33 Acres at Seven Corners for $500
Frederick Foote, a formerly enslaved man, bought 33 acres at the intersection that became Seven Corners for $500 after the Civil War. His family held the land for 88 years. Here’s the full story.
Old Photos of Tysons Corner: From the Air, Parking Lots and Stores
Take a journey back in time with us and check out some old photos of Tysons Corner from the air, parking lots and stores. Click on the images for a larger version!
Tysons Corner Name History: Who Was William Tyson?
Tysons Corner or Tysons used to be called Peach Grove. William Tyson owned a farm west of DC which would become the site of a major shopping mall.
How JFK Kept the Bulldozers Off McLean’s Chain Bridge Road
In 1955 a young Senator John F. Kennedy bought Hickory Hill on Chain Bridge Road in McLean, Virginia. When state highway planners proposed widening the quiet road past his front door, JFK helped push the new alignment onto open farmland instead.