5 Supervisor Districts Renamings Possible In Fairfax County, Feedback Sought

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — With a month to go before a recommendation is due to the Board of Supervisors, Fairfax County's Redistricting Advisory Committee is seeking feedback on the potential renaming of five election districts.

The committee had originally been formed in June 2021 to work on redrawing the map local election districts (Board of Supervisors and School Board Districts). When the Board of Supervisors adopted redrawn local election district maps, the committee's work was extended to decide if any districts should be renamed.

By March 1, the committee will recommend if districts should be renamed but will not recommend new names. The renaming decision lies with the Board of Supervisors. The board can also decide the process for choosing new names.

On Jan. 18, the committee narrowed down the renaming consideration to five districts: Lee, Mason, Mount Vernon, Springfield and Sully. Criteria for further discussion on renamings include names that are "geographically confusing" or not representative of the district; historically significant; offensive; or associated with the Confederacy, segregation, Jim Crow, racism, discrimination or slave ownership.

History of naming local election districts

The history of district names dates back to 1870, according to a Fairfax County Public Library research report. State legislation requiring counties to be divided into townships prompted the creation of six townships in Fairfax County: Centreville, Dranesville, Falls Church, Lee, Mount Vernon and Providence. Four years later, they became magisterial districts.

In 1953, a seventh district was added: Mason District. This district was named after George Mason, who wrote the Bill of Rights. Mason was also a slaveowner, although he spoke out about the idea of slavery, according to George Mason's Gunston Hall website.

Most district names remained the same in 1967, when Falls Church District was divided between Mason, Providence and the new Annandale District. The Springfield District was also created, referencing the Springfield community. Today, the census-designated place known as Springfield is east of the Springfield District.

The next changes in 1991 added the Sully District, named for Sully Historic Site, and Braddock District, named for Braddock Road. Sully Historic Site, once Sully Plantation, was owned by Richard Bland Lee, who was the first Northern Virginia representative in Congress. Lee had inherited slaves from his father to work on the farm.

The last name change happened was in 1992, when Centreville District was renamed Hunter Mill for a 19th century flour mill.

The research report said there were no records on the reasons for naming the Mount Vernon and Lee Districts in 1870. The Lee District brings to mind the Lee family, which had notable figures like Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee and "Light Horse" Harry Lee, a Revolutionary War military leader, Virginia governor and congressman. The district may refer to Fitzhugh Lee, a Confederate general and Virginia governor who was born in an area of the current Lee District. The park authority previously renamed Robert E. Lee Rec Center as Lee District Rec Center, and the School Board renamed Robert E. Lee High School as John R. Lewis High School.

The Mount Vernon District brings to mind its famous historic site: George Washington's Mount Vernon. Hundreds of enslaved people worked at the first president's Mount Vernon estate during his life, but his will stated that all his enslaved people be freed when Martha Washington died.

The redistricting committee is not discussing renamings for Braddock, Dranesville, Hunter Mill and Providence. Feedback is being sought on whether the Lee, Mason, Mount Vernon, Springfield and Sully Districts should be renamed and what the community and economic impacts would be.

Provide feedback by emailing redistricting@fairfaxcounty.gov, completing an online form, or attending the committee’s virtual meetings. The next meeting is Feb. 1.