When referencing the location "Fairfax, Virginia", one can very easily confuse visitors to
Northern Virginia region; in fact, the
ambiguity surrounding the name "Fairfax" can sometimes confuse even the most native of residents, if it is not used in proper context. The confusion behind this stems from the fact that Fairfax, Virginia is an
independent city that exists within the boundaries of
Fairfax County, Virginia. It is sometimes also known as
Fairfax City or
The City of Fairfax, however, street addresses residing in the city are listed as being in "Fairfax, Virginia", by the US Postal Service.
Located approximately twenty miles west of
Washington, DC, Fairfax is primarily situated around or near a
quagmire of intersecting roads that include US
Interstate 66,
State Highways
29 and
50, as well as
local route 123. Originally settled in the
1700s, the city of Fairfax is now home to approximately 20,000 residents. It is also home to a fairly large, and rapidly growing
"commuter" college,
George Mason University. Fairfax, along with much of the Northern Virginia region, is a
burgeoning centre for high-tech jobs and corporations on the east coast. In
2000, the unemployment rate in Fairfax was an astounding 0.8%.
Due to the aforementioned early
settlement dates for Fairfax, many parts of Fairfax are considered highly
historical and, in fact, there are several sites within Fairfax that are on the
National Register of Historic Places. Perhaps one of the most notable historical footnotes about Fairfax is that, in
June 1, 1861, it became home to the the first melee
preceeding the American
Civil War.
Works referenced:
- "City of Fairfax - Visitors" : http://www.ci.fairfax.va.us/Visitors/Visitors.htm
- "City of Fairfax Virginia - Map of History" : http://www.ci.fairfax.va.us/CityHistory/MapOfHistory.htm