Burke

Burke is a suburban community and census-designated place in Fairfax County.

It was originally founded as Burke's Station in 1849 as a stop on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad by Silas Burke.[1] The Burke's Station post office was established on March 8, 1852.[2]

The Battle for Burke

The community came under existential threat in 1951 when, on June 13 of that year, Secretary of the Commerce Department Charles Sawyer announced plans to acquire 4500 acres to build a new international airport there and the Justice Department instituted condemnation proceedings in Federal Court.[3] Reaction to this announcement was swift; at the meeting of the Burke Communities Civic Association that evening the Burke Airport Relocation Committee was formed, comprised of a number of prominent local citizens.[1]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Netherton, Nan, and Ruth Preston Rose. Memories of Beautiful Burke Virginia. Burke, VA: Burke Historical Society, 1988. Print.
  2. ↑ "Timeline of Fairfax County History:1800s." Homepage - Fairfax County, Virginia. Fairfax County. Web. 14 Feb. 2012.
  3. ↑ Winship, Thomas. "450-Acre Tract in Fairfax County Located West of Shirley Hwy." The Washington Post (1923-1954): 1. ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The Washington Post (1877-1995). Jun 14 1951. Web. 16 Feb. 2012.

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