The Great Falls and Old Dominion Railroad (GF&OD) was an interurban trolley line that ran in Northern Virginia during the early 20th century.
Chartered in 1900 by a group of local landowners and acquired in 1902 by John Roll McLean (owner of The Washington Post) and Senator Stephen Benton Elkins,[1] the 15-mile electrified railroad began operating from Georgetown in Washington, D.C., in 1906. The first trial run was in March 1906, but only went as far as Difficult Run and the first scheduled car reached Great Falls Park in Fairfax County, Virginia, on July 3 of that year.[2] They laid a second track in 1908.[3]
From Georgetown, the railroad crossed the Potomac River on a superstructure built on the upstream side of the old Aqueduct Bridge to Rosslyn in Arlington, where it made connections with an older electric trolley line, the Washington, Arlington & Falls Church Railway (see Northern Virginia trolleys).[4] From Rosslyn, the railroad traveled northwest along the north side of Lee Highway (now part of U.S. Route 29) to Cherrydale and then on its own right-of-way (now Old Dominion Drive, Virginia State Route 309) in Arlington and Fairfax Counties through forests, farmland and fruit orchards, bypassing the existing villages of Lewinsville and Langley.[5] At Great Falls, the GF&OD constructed a trolley park, which became a popular destination.
The owners gave their own names to two stations located at the railroad's crossings of major roads: McLean Station at Chain Bridge Road (Virginia State Route 123) and Elkins Station at Old Georgetown Pike (Virginia State Route 193). The station at Chain Bridge Road became a focus for development that evolved into the community of McLean, Virginia.
In 1911, McLean and Elkins incorporated the Washington & Old Dominion Railway (W&OD) and in 1912, the new W&OD signed a 50-year lease on the Southern Railway's Alexandria-Bluemont line. In the same year, it then constructed a double-tracked Bluemont Division connecting line that traveled between two new junctions in Arlington: Bluemont Junction on the Alexandria-Bluemont line and Thrifton Junction on the Georgetown-Great Falls line. The Georgetown-Great Falls line became the Great Falls Division of the W&OD, sharing trackage with the W&OD's Bluemont Division between Rosslyn and Thrifton Junction. In 1935, Fairfax and Arlington counties obtained the right-of-way west of Thrifton Junction in settlement of delinquent taxes. Most of the right-of-way was converted into Old Dominion Drive.
Not much remains of the Great Falls Division.
The right-of-way west of Thrifton Junction became Langston Blvd (formally Lee Highway) and Old Dominion Drive; and the right-of-way between the Key Bridge and Thrifton Junction became Interstate 66. The trestle over Difficult Run lasted until 1979, when it was replaced because it could not handle the loads required of it.[6]
Great Falls Trolley Park became Great Falls Park, part of the National Park Service.
Several area names, like the town of McLean, also remain.
The stations on the Great Falls Division of the W&OD (with locations of sites in 2008) were:
| Station[7] | Location | Coordinates | Jurisdiction | Side of Tracks[8] | Photo | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgetown[9] | M Street, N.W., between 35th and 37th Streets, N.W. | 38.9052°N -77.0703°W | District of Columbia | West | Terminal station of GF&OD and W&OD until 1923. Adjacent to Georgetown Car Barn, which served Washington's electric street cars. | ||
| Rosslyn | Passenger Terminal (1923 to 1938): Fort Myer Drive (west side) between George Washington Memorial Parkway and Lee Highway | 38.8996°N -77.0718°W | Arlington County | West | Undated photo of front of station Undated colorized postcard & 1923 interior photo of passenger terminal 1948 | The GF&OD and W&OD stopped at a passenger shelter from 1904 to 1923. The W&OD terminated behind a passenger station on Fort Myer Drive from 1923 to 1938. The railroad terminated near a maintenance shop in the present route of I-66 a short distance west of Fort Myer Drive from 1938 to 1964. All of the Rosslyn stations and termini were near the present site of the Key Bridge Marriott Hotel. Historical Marker: Rosslyn Station[10] | |
| Colonial | I-66 at N. Nash Street | 38.8987°N -77.0737°W | Arlington County | South | |||
| Rosslyn Freight House | I-66 near N. Oak Street | 38.8987°N -77.0754°W | Arlington County | North | 1959 circa 1963 | ||
| Mackeys | I-66 at N. Quinn Street | 38.8979°N -77.0789°W | Arlington County | Northwest | |||
| Park Lane | I-66 east of N. Uhle Street; north of Lee Highway | 38.8971°N -77.0845°W | Arlington County | Southwest | |||
| Pearce | I-66 near N. Adams Street | 38.8982°N -77.0895°W | Arlington County | South | |||
| Clark | I-66 near N. Calvert Street | 38.8978°N -77.093°W | Arlington County | South | Near east side of Spout Run. | ||
| Thrifton | I-66 between Lee Highway and Spout Run Parkway | 38.8966°N -77.098°W | Arlington County | South | North of Lyon Village shopping center near southeast end of Maywood Historic District.[11] Named for Hugh A. Thrift.[12] East of junction with Thrifton – Bluemont Junction connecting line. | ||
| Dominion Heights[13] | Lee Highway (between traffic lanes) at N. Monroe Street (east side) | 38.896°N -77.104°W | Arlington County | South | Adjacent to Maywood Historic District[14] | ||
| Cherrydale | Intersection of Lee Highway and Old Dominion Drive at Military Road (east side) | 38.897°N -77.1084°W | Arlington County | Southwest | circa 1908 | ||
| Harrison | Old Dominion Drive at N. Thomas Street | 38.8995°N -77.1142°W | Arlington County | South | |||
| Greenwood (Lee Heights)[15] | Old Dominion Drive at Lorcom Lane (northwest side); east of N. Upton Street | 38.8992°N -77.1171°W | Arlington County | South | |||
| Maplewood | Old Dominion Drive between traffic lanes north of Lee Highway; west of N. Abingdon Street | 38.8987°N -77.1214°W | Arlington County | South | |||
| Livingston (Livingstone Heights)[16] | Old Dominion Drive at 24th Street N. (north side) | 38.9007°N -77.1244°W | Arlington County | Southwest | 24th Street N. was Livingstone Street prior to 1935 (named for Colin H. Livingstone)[17] | ||
| Lyonhurst | Old Dominion Drive at 25th Street N. | 38.9019°N -77.1258°W | Arlington County | Southwest | Named for the nearby estate of Frank Lyon (now Missionhurst) | ||
| Summit | Old Dominion Drive at 26th Street N. (southeast side) | 38.9029°N -77.1271°W | Arlington County | Southwest | |||
| Rixey | Old Dominion Drive at N. Glebe Road (east side) | 38.9043°N -77.1286°W | Arlington County | Northeast | undated | Named for the nearby estate of Dr. Presley Marion Rixey. Marymount University now occupies the Rixey estate. Later station on southwest side of tracks.[18] | |
| Jewell[19] | Old Dominion Drive at Rock Spring Road (north side) | 38.9078°N -77.1327°W | Arlington County | Southwest | undated | Named for Charles Jewell | |
| Vanderwerken | Old Dominion Drive at Little Falls Road (northwest side) | 38.9098°N -77.137°W | Arlington County | North | Named for Gilbert Vanderwerken | ||
| Franklyn Park (Franklin Park) | Old Dominion Drive at Franklin Park Road | 38.9154°N -77.1485°W | Fairfax County | Northeast | 1910 undated | ||
| Rockwell | Old Dominion Drive near Dominion Crest Lane | 38.9183°N -77.1501°W | Fairfax County | Southwest | |||
| Chesterbrook | Old Dominion Drive at Kirby Road (northwest side) | 38.9216°N -77.1536°W | Fairfax County | Northeast | |||
| El Nido[20] | Old Dominion Drive at Birch Road | 38.9239°N -77.1618°W | Fairfax County | North | |||
| Selva | Old Dominion Drive at 6th Place | 38.9264°N -77.1659°W | Fairfax County | Southwest | |||
| Viresco | Old Dominion Drive between Pimmit Run and Linway Terrace | 38.9289°N -77.1679°W | Fairfax County | Northeast | Southeast side of B&O Railroad right-of-way[21] [22] | ||
| Lawnvale | Old Dominion Drive near Holmes Place | 38.9309°N -77.1728°W | Fairfax County | Southwest | |||
| McLean | Old Dominion Drive at Chain Bridge Road (northwest side) | 38.934°N -77.1777°W | Fairfax County | Northeast | Named for John Roll McLean | ||
| Ingleside | Old Dominion Drive at Ingleside Avenue | 38.9358°N -77.1829°W | Fairfax County | Northeast | |||
| Balls Hill[23] | Old Dominion Drive at Balls Hill Road (east side) | 38.9416°N -77.1942°W | Fairfax County | West | |||
| Hitaffer | Old Dominion Drive at Swinks Mill Road (south side) | 38.9467°N -77.2115°W | Fairfax County | Northeast | |||
| Jackson | Old Dominion Drive northwest of Swinks Mill Road | 38.9474°N -77.214°W | Fairfax County | Southwest | undated | ||
| Spring Hill[24] | Old Dominion Drive at Spring Hill Road (east side) | 38.9528°N -77.2264°W | Fairfax County | Northeast | |||
| Prospect Hill | Old Dominion Drive at Bellview Place | 38.9584°N -77.2365°W | Fairfax County | Northeast | undated | ||
| Belleview | Old Dominion Drive at Bellview Road | 38.961°N -77.2403°W | Fairfax County | Southwest | undated | ||
| Glendale[25] | Old Dominion Drive at Towlston Road | 38.97°N -77.2496°W | Fairfax County | Southwest | |||
| Peacock | Old Dominion Drive at Peacock Station Road (east side) | 38.9735°N -77.2532°W | Fairfax County | Southwest | undated | ||
| Fairview | Old Dominion Drive at Falls Run Road | 38.9778°N -77.2571°W | Fairfax County | West | |||
| Elkins | Old Dominion Drive at Georgetown Pike (north side) | 38.9818°N -77.2569°W | Fairfax County | West | undated undated | Named for Stephen Benton Elkins. | |
| Dickeys Road | Old Dominion Drive in Great Falls Park | 38.9934°N -77.2557°W | Fairfax County (National Park Service) | Named for Dickey's Inn. Near former site of Matildaville. | |||
| Great Falls | Old Dominion Drive in Great Falls Park | 38.9966°N -77.2554°W | Fairfax County (National Park Service) | Inside turnaround | undated postcard undated photo undated colorized photo of dining hall | Terminal station of GF&OD and Great Falls Division of W&OD. |
United States Geological Survey
. Virginia Historical Topographic Maps, Perry–Castañeda Library Map Collection, Perry–Castañeda Library, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas. January 20, 2020.Registration Form
. Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Carrie E.. Albee. Laura V. (EHT Traceries. Inc.). Trieschmann. 65 (Section 8). November 2002. November 12, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181112181627/https://www.dhr.virginia.gov/VLR_to_transfer/PDFNoms/000-5056_Maywood_Historic_District_2003_Final_Nomination.pdf. November 12, 2018. live. and Accompanying mapRegistration Form
. Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Carrie E.. Albee. Laura V. (EHT Traceries. Inc.). Trieschmann. 50 (Section 8). November 2002. November 12, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181112181627/https://www.dhr.virginia.gov/VLR_to_transfer/PDFNoms/000-5056_Maywood_Historic_District_2003_Final_Nomination.pdf. November 12, 2018. live.Registration Form
. Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Carrie E.. Albee. Laura V. (EHT Traceries. Inc.). Trieschmann. 59–60 (Section 8). November 2002. November 12, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181112181627/https://www.dhr.virginia.gov/VLR_to_transfer/PDFNoms/000-5056_Maywood_Historic_District_2003_Final_Nomination.pdf. November 12, 2018. live.
