A Population Chronology of Fairfax County
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Fairfax County Program of Studies: "Closest To The People"
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dmb/fcpos/016.pdf
c.1250 Indian tribes settle in what is now Fairfax County.
1608 Captain John Smith explores the upper Potomac River.
1742 Fairfax County established by House of Burgesses; named
for William, 6th, Lord of Fairfax. Included what are today
Arlington, Loudoun Counties, and the Cities of Alexandria,
Falls Church, and Fairfax.
1749 City of Alexandria organized.
County population estimated to be less than 10,000, 28%
were slaves.
1782 Slave population estimated to be 41% of the population.
1790 Estimated population is 12,000.
1791 Virginia General Assembly cedes a part of Fairfax County
(today’s Arlington County) to the national government for
use as the new national capital of Washington, D.C.;
returned to VA in 1847 and organized as Arlington County.
1800 Fairfax Courthouse established in present location; served as
the governing body of the county; overworked soils causes
economic decline; plantation economy ends; many slaves
sold out of the area.
1840 Estimated population is 9,370.
1860 Estimated population is 11,800.
1870 Estimated population is 12,000.
Local government control shifts from the county court to a
Board of Supervisors system; County establishes first public
grammar schools.
1906 First high school opens; economy based on mixed
agricultural production improves as northern farmers move
to the county.
1930 Population estimated at 25,000.
1940 Population estimated at 40,000.
1950 Population 248,000, due to WW II and growth in national
government employment; diversified service economy
overtakes agricultural base.
1960 Population 248,897; migration from cities to suburbs gains
momentum.
1970 Population is 454,275.
1980 Population is 596,901; economy dominated by service and
government-related activity.
1990 Population is 818,584 (doubled in twenty years).
1999 Population is 948,636, economy dominated by high-tech and
international companies.
2010 Population estimated to be 1,082,811.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fairfax County Program of Studies: "Closest To The People"
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dmb/fcpos/016.pdf
c.1250 Indian tribes settle in what is now Fairfax County.
1608 Captain John Smith explores the upper Potomac River.
1742 Fairfax County established by House of Burgesses; named
for William, 6th, Lord of Fairfax. Included what are today
Arlington, Loudoun Counties, and the Cities of Alexandria,
Falls Church, and Fairfax.
1749 City of Alexandria organized.
County population estimated to be less than 10,000, 28%
were slaves.
1782 Slave population estimated to be 41% of the population.
1790 Estimated population is 12,000.
1791 Virginia General Assembly cedes a part of Fairfax County
(today’s Arlington County) to the national government for
use as the new national capital of Washington, D.C.;
returned to VA in 1847 and organized as Arlington County.
1800 Fairfax Courthouse established in present location; served as
the governing body of the county; overworked soils causes
economic decline; plantation economy ends; many slaves
sold out of the area.
1840 Estimated population is 9,370.
1860 Estimated population is 11,800.
1870 Estimated population is 12,000.
Local government control shifts from the county court to a
Board of Supervisors system; County establishes first public
grammar schools.
1906 First high school opens; economy based on mixed
agricultural production improves as northern farmers move
to the county.
1930 Population estimated at 25,000.
1940 Population estimated at 40,000.
1950 Population 248,000, due to WW II and growth in national
government employment; diversified service economy
overtakes agricultural base.
1960 Population 248,897; migration from cities to suburbs gains
momentum.
1970 Population is 454,275.
1980 Population is 596,901; economy dominated by service and
government-related activity.
1990 Population is 818,584 (doubled in twenty years).
1999 Population is 948,636, economy dominated by high-tech and
international companies.
2010 Population estimated to be 1,082,811.