This Burke Building Becomes A Fairfax County Historic Site

BURKE, VA—The King's Park area of Burke is now home to a new Fairfax County historic site. On June 5, the Fairfax County History Commission voted to add the National Bank of Fairfax Main Office building in at 8990 Burke Lake Road to the Fairfax County Inventory of Historic Sites.

The Fairfax County Inventory of Historic Sites is a register of sites significant in the county's history. Built in 1972, the building become the main office of the National Bank of Fairfax, the first bank in the county, according to the historic site application submitted by Burke resident Chris Barbuschak.

It also made state banking history as the first Virginia bank permitted to change headquarters from one jurisdiction to another. By moving from the City of Fairfax to Fairfax County, the bank could open branches throughout the county, nullifying a state law that restricted new branches opening beyond a five-mile radius of city headquarters.

The National Bank of Fairfax dates back to 1902. Before that time, Fairfax County residents had to travel to places like DC, Alexandria or Leesburg for banking services. National Bank of Fairfax merged with First & Merchants National Bank in 1981. A number of other mergers become what's now Bank of America. Those ties remain in the building, as it's now a Bank of America location.

The building exemplifies a 1970s neo-expressionist style and has an irregular shape. One of its distinguishing features is an executive staircase that protrudes from the outside of the building as a rounded wall. The building has undergone minimal changes to the present day.

Anyone can submit an application for a property to be added to the Fairfax County Inventory of Historic Sites. The Fairfax County History Commission was created 50 years ago and has added over 360 historic sites.