Oral History: Mayo Stuntz

Mayo Stuntz is a descendant of the Fitzhugh family who came to the area in the 1600s. Born in 1915, he traces his genealogy, childhood, and county history. He talks about growing up in the county and its historic sites. Mayo Stuntz is a founding member of the Fairfax County History Commission and he discusses the work of that body.

Oral History: Donna Soderholm

Donna Soderholm moved to the Braddock District of Fairfax County in 1963. Compared to Chicago, the Virginia suburbs were undeveloped and her husband's commute to downtown DC took only a half hour. Most families in her neighborhood had four or more children who spent most of their free time outdoors playing together. She compares earlier days with the present time.

Oral History, Part 1: Delbert (Bill) Sheads and Elsie Sisson(1921 - 2008)

In Part 1 of two interview sessions, Bill and Elsie (Sheads) Sisson, brother and sister, reminisce about their family, which came to the Braddock District from Culpepper, Virginia, in 1903. They talk about people and places, schools, lumbering and saw mills, and church life.

Oral History: Suzanne (Suzi) Fowler Neal

Suzanne Fowler Neal's family moved to Northern Virginia in the early 1900s. In 1925, they moved into Silas Burke House, which they called Top o' the Hill. Suzi Fowler talks about growing up with a large family living in a historic home, the physical and social history of Burke, and her involvement in the historical society.

Oral History: Ruth Miller

Ruth Miller moved to the Braddock District from Flint, Michigan in 1961. A single mother of three, she taught elementary school. Ruth Miller discusses artifacts of earlier years and the changing geography of the community.

Oral History: Laura McDowall

Laura McDowall grew up in Northern Virginia as a child in the post-World War II era. When she and her husband moved to the Braddock District during the 1960s, she volunteered with the county's first anti-poverty agency and continued her involvement in primary health care provision to the community. She later served for 12 years on the Fairfax County School Board and has continued her career of public service in a variety of volunteer positions.

Oral History: Hal and Sally Lion

Hal and Sally Lion talk about daily life and family activities in the Braddock District beginning in 1962 when they bought a home in Ravensworth Farm.

Oral History: Robin Hirst

Robin Hirst grew up among influential people when her father, Omer Hirst, served as a Virginia State Legislator. Her family's farm near Burke has been subdivided and developed, but the unique house they built, Hirst House, remains. She shares memories of her childhood, people she met, and her involvement in equestrian sports.

Oral History: Clara Greinke

Clara Greinke, her husband and three sons moved to the Braddock District in 1960. Roads were narrow and often still dirt-covered. She notes how the area has changed from a woodland rural countryside dotted with ponds for fishing and skating. Active in civic organizations, Clara Greinke remembers working to preserve a strong community as the area developed.

Oral History: Aubrey Chason

Aubrey Chason's family moved to Annandale in 1931 when he was three years old. He remembers childhood activities, going to school, the area's rural character before development, the home front in World War II, and working for local companies. Aubrey's wife, Ann Chason, joins the discussion near the end of the interview.