Local History Collection Overview


  1. COVID-19 Library Update 

Assessment Records

  • Proposed Assessments books (1981-2003)
  • City of Falls Church Land Book (2004-2011 and 2013)
  • Capitation taxes (1950-1964)
  • Personal property records (1949-1955)

 Author Collections

  • A Virginia Village Revisited, Bradley Gernand
  • A Virginia Village Revisited, Nan Netherton
  • A Virginia Village Goes to War, Bradley Gernand
  • Netherton Clippings
  • Spanish American War, Bradley Gernand

 Business Records

  • Concrete Batch Plant Papers, Susanne Bachtel (1955-1980)
  • State Theatre, Bob Hull
  • Turner Collection (real estate papers 1930s-1950s)
  • Whittier Place proposals and responses from Planning Commission

 City Commissions & Boards

  • [Mayor] Kellogg Reports Monthly (1951-1955)
  • Broad Street Improvements, Susanne Bachtel (1963-1991)
  • Planning Commission Proceedings (1980-present)
  • Charter Review Committee (1965-1981)
  • Falls Church School Board (1934-1958)

 City Council Agendas and Minutes

  • Agendas (1997-present)
  • Minutes (1987-present)
  • Proceedings (1997-present)

 City Directories & Phone Books

  • Hill’s City Directory (biennially 1957-1975, 1972)
  • Haines Directory: Northern Virginia Suburban (1980- present) 

 Community Archives

  • American Association of University Women (AAUW) materials (2007-present)
  • Citizens for a Better City (CBC) (1959-1988)
  • Falls Church Garden Club meeting reports and Seedling (1952-2011)
  • Falls Church PTA Anne Arundel Co. Controversy (1930-1987)
  • League of Women’s Voters of Fall Church (LWVFC) materials including Bulletin, Board meetings, correspondence (1951-2015)
  • Old Dominion Chrysanthemum Society (1959-1994)
  • United Daughters of the Confederacy
  • Village Preservation and Improvement Society (VPIS) materials including photographs

 Genealogy

  • Family histories
  • Marriage and death notices
  • Cemetery records
  • Voter registration books (1901-1930s)
  • Voter registration rolls (1965-1970s)

Historical Society Publications

  • Falls Church Historical Commission Historical Heritage Symposia (1994-1998) and misc. documents (1960-2001)
  • Pioneer America Society newsletter (1967-1981)
  • Northern Virginia Heritage (1979-1988); Old House Chronicles (2005-2008)
  • The Courier, from the Northern Virginia Association for History, Inc. (1981-2009)
  • Virginia Courthouse Histories

 Maps

  • Approximately 500 maps (1608-present)
  • Topographical, plat and Sanborn maps
  • Site and street plans

 Misc.

  • Strait Newspaper Clippings 1968-1977
  • Pictorial Family Bible 1872-1885
Newsletters
  • Search an index of newsletters from Falls Church organizations and city government
  • Cherry Hill Notes/News; Cherry Hill Newsletter; Cherry Hill Chronicle -- Falls Church city employee newsletters (1973-2012)
Newspapers (print)
Newspaper
 Dates
Fairfax (County) Sun Echo
 Sept. 13, 1954; Nov. 30, 1964; 1965
Falls Church Advertiser
 April 9, 1980 -- Dec. 1983
The Falls Church Echo
 Various dates from Oct. 5, 1940 to Oct. 10, 1952
Falls Church News Press
 March 28, 1991 -- present
Falls Church Globe
 May 15, 1965 -- Oct. 1969
Newspapers (microfilm/fiche)
Newspaper Dates
Arlington Sun
 Dec. 12 1935-Dec. 31, 1956 [missing 1952 --1954]
Fairfax (County) Sun Echo
 Oct. 12 1940 -- May 25, 1967 [missing Dec. 15, 1956 -- Aug. 6, 1958]
Fairfax Herald
 1886 -- Dec. 1973 [missing 1967]
Fairfax Standard
 Feb. 22, 1946 -- Dec. 22, 1959
Falls Church Advertiser
 April 9, 1980 -- Dec. 1983
Falls Church Globe
 May 14, 1965 -- Oct. 9, 1979
Falls Church News Press
 March 28, 1991 -- Dec. 2003, 2005
Journal Standard
 Jan. -- Dec. 1967
Northern Virginia Sun
 July 1971 -- Dec. 1978
The Rambler
(articles from the Wash. Star)
 1912 -- 1927
Obituaries

  • Search and view over 15,000 local death notices and obituaries
Oral Histories
  • Sound recordings of 130 individuals
Scrapbooks

  • Falls Church Garden Club (1946-1969)
  • Mary Riley Styles Public Library (1940-2007)
  • Women's Club of Falls Church (1947-2000)
Vertical Files

  • Newspaper clippings, pamphlets, flyers and more
  • Arranged by subject -- by organization, street address
  • Spanning 100 years
Yearbooks

  • George Mason High School (1952-2016 excluding 1953, 2013)
  • George Mason Middle School (1984-1995, 2001)
  • Jefferson High School (1935, 1937, 1939, 1945)