Timberlake

Timberlake was a privately owned recreation center and day camp in Oakton.

The park was constructed on a 97-acre farm purchased in 1936 by transplanted Florida cracker Joe Young, who dammed the south fork of the Little Difficult Run to provide a swimming hole for his three sons.[1][2]

Timberlake first opened to the public in 1955.

Timberlake was initially operated as a segregated, Whites-only lake. On July 31, 1965, the Reverend Rodney Shaw and his daughter, along with a friend of hers, were denied access to the lake.[3]

The refusal to admit Ada M. Scott and her teenaged daughter Jacquelynne on August 15 of the same year prompted Scott to file a civil rights lawsuit.[4] On October 17, 1966, the U.S. Department of Justice intevened in Scott's lawsuit, and the lawsuit was settled by a consent decree on December 5.[5][6][7]

However, since Young really, really did not want to admit Black people to Timberlake, he simply closed the snack bar and continued to deny them admittance.[6][7][8]

In the early 1990's, Young attempted to sell Timberlake Park to the Fairfax County Park Authority, and received an offer of $11 million, which was later rescinded.[1]

Incidents

21-year-old Arthur W. Wertman broke his neck after diving off an eight-foot embankment on June 13, 1957. Wertman died of his injuries at the Bethesda Naval Hospital two days later.[9]

While visiting the lake with other members of the Pimmit Hill Teen Club, 13-year-old Michael L. Carrico drowned in the lake on July 10, 1958.[10][11]

On June 13, 1961, 17-year-old Michael Kephart drowned while trying to swim to a raft in the middle of the lake.[12]

On July 19, 1964, 33-year-old Lorraine Wilkerson and 35-year-old Dante A. Cantore drowned in the lake.[13]

On July 18, 1992, 4-year-old Amber L. Fisher drowned in the lake.[14]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Shear, Michael. "Saving the Old Swimming Hole." The Washington Post (1974-Current file): 1. Jul 22 1993. ProQuest. Web. 28 Feb. 2018.
  2. ↑ Davis, Patricia. "Fairfax Family Dispute Threatens Park Oasis." The Washington Post (1974-Current file): 1. Sep 15 1994. ProQuest. Web. 11 July 2014.
  3. ↑ "Council Asks Timberlake Policy Shift." The Washington Post, Times Herald (1959-1973): 1. Aug 21 1965. ProQuest. Web. 11 July 2014.
  4. ↑ "Rights Suit Names Timberlake Resort." The Washington Post, Times Herald (1959-1973): 1. Oct 07 1965. ProQuest. Web. 11 July 2014.
  5. ↑ "Timberlake is Named in U.S. Lawsuit." The Washington Post, Times Herald (1959-1973): 1. Oct 18 1966. ProQuest. Web. 11 July 2014.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Scott v. Young. 307 Federal Supplement 1005. United States District Court, E.D. Virginia, Alexandria Division. 10 July 1969. Casetext. J2H2, n.d. Web. 11 July 2014.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Scott v. Young. 421 Federal Reporter, 2nd Series 143. United States Court of Appeals Fourth Circuit. 16 Jan. 1970. Justia US Law. Justia, n.d. Web. 11 July 2014.
  8. ↑ "Timberlake Ordered to Desegregate." The Washington Post, Times Herald (1959-1973): 1. Jul 12 1969. ProQuest. Web. 11 July 2014.
  9. ↑ "Swim Accident Fatal." The Washington Post and Times Herald (1954-1959): 1. Jun 16 1957. ProQuest. Web. 18 July 2016 .
  10. ↑ "Boy is Lost while on Swim Party." The Washington Post and Times Herald (1954-1959): 1. Jul 11 1958. ProQuest. Web. 11 July 2014.
  11. ↑ "Carrico Boy's Body found Atop Lake." The Washington Post and Times Herald (1954-1959): 1. Jul 13 1958. ProQuest. Web. 11 July 2014.
  12. ↑ "2 Maryland Youths Drown in Bay; One from Fairfax Perishes in Lake." The Washington Post, Times Herald (1959-1973): 2. Jun 14 1961. ProQuest. Web. 11 July 2014.
  13. ↑ "2 Drownings at Lake Held Accidental." The Washington Post, Times Herald (1959-1973): 1. Jul 21 1964. ProQuest. Web. 11 July 2014.
  14. ↑ "AROUND THE REGION: Girl, 4, Drowns In an Oakton Lake." The Washington Post (1974-Current file): 1. Jul 19 1992. ProQuest. Web. 11 July 2014.