ANNANDALE, Va. — At an ordinary intersection I drive through regularly, a historical marker tells a fascinating Civil War story involving Robert E. Lee’s family, military occupation, and a daring band of Confederate Rangers.
The historic Ravensworth marker in Annandale, Virginia, tells the story of Ravensworth, the home of Anna Maria Fitzhugh. Built around 1796, the mansion later provided a temporary safe haven for Mary Randolph Custis Lee, the wife of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, at the beginning of the Civil War in 1861.
As the war unfolded, Ravensworth found itself caught between two armies. The property endured military occupation, the seizure of resources, and the challenges of living so close to the nation’s capital during a time of deep division. Confederate Major John S. Mosby and his Rangers even slept in a haystack on the property in 1863. The historic home ultimately burned in 1926.
Standing at this marker today, amid the everyday activity of Northern Virginia, I’m reminded of how much history lies along our daily routes. The past isn’t always found in museums or preserved buildings—sometimes, it’s right beside a busy road.
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ANNANDALE, Va. — Our Little Free Library is officially open! We received and installed our charter sign, marking a special milestone for this project. Building the library was especially meaningful to me because it is dedicated to the memory of my mom and my son, Malcolm.
Born Catherine Ipsan the Annandale native was a singer-songwriter whose music inspired millions. After being diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, she released her final single, Dance Outta My Head, ensuring that all proceeds would support her young son. The song became a global sensation, reaching the top of the TikTok Billboard chart and introducing her remarkable story of love, courage, and resilience to audiences worldwide.
Today, her legacy is being celebrated in Annandale with a beautiful new mural on the side of the Annandale Watch & Clock building at 4221 Annandale Road. The mural depicts Cat singing into a microphone, surrounded by flowers she loved, a star-filled night sky, and the poignant lyric, "I see you in the stars now." The project was inspired by her husband, Kyle Higginbotham, and made possible with the support of her family and the local community.
The mural is more than public art—it is a lasting tribute to an Annandale native whose music, strength, and generosity continue to inspire people around the world.
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ANNANDALE, Va. — Gooding's Tavern was operated by William Gooding Jr. (1768–1861) from 1807 until his death, and by his heirs until the building burned in 1879. Known as the "ten-mile house" because it stood ten miles from Alexandria on the Little River Turnpike, the tavern was famous throughout Northern Virginia for its fried chicken, peaches, and honey and served as a social, commercial, and postal gathering place for the surrounding community. The Goodings also operated a blacksmith shop and stable across the road. The tavern and the surrounding 2,100-acre property were sustained by the labor of enslaved people, and the site's African American heritage is directly connected to the community that later grew from it.
After the Civil War, Gooding's heirs sold parcels of land to freedpeople, enabling the founding of Ilda, a racially integrated community established by formerly enslaved blacksmiths Horace Gibson and Moses Parker near the intersection of Little River Turnpike and Guinea Road.
A Fairfax County History Commission marker commemorating Gooding's Tavern was erected in 2011 and stands just outside the boundaries of Pleasant Valley Memorial Park, across Little River Turnpike from the Northern Virginia Community College Annandale Campus.
📸: absolonkent.net/photogallery/index.php?/category/695
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