The Story
Did you know Annandale, Virginia is named after the Scottish Annan River? Let's go into its history!
During the colonial era, Col. William Fitzhugh owned over 24,000 acres of wilderness in the area and converted it into one of the largest tobacco plantations in Northern Virginia. Annandale was created from his Ravensworth Plantation.
In 1685, settlers from Scotland came to the area. They named it after their hometown river and the dales or valleys they left behind. In Annandale, they found heavily forested land, rich soil, plentiful water sources, and abundant wildlife.
Small farmers raised pigs. Corn and wheat were planted to feed both livestock and family.
Many local farmers were also trained craftsmen who built furniture during the winters when fields did not need tending.
In 1806, the Little River Turnpike had been completed, connecting Annandale with Alexandria and Fairfax. It was the third toll road constructed in the nation. Two years later, Columbia Pike connected the DC with Annandale.
