History of Huntley Meadows

Huntley Meadows Park in Fairfax County looks like a quiet wetland today. But this park was once a plantation, a military site, and a highly classified Navy research station.^[1]

In colonial times, the land was part of George Mason IV's extensive holdings. In 1825, his grandson, Thomson Mason, built a villa here that still stands today as Historic Huntley.^[1]

The property later became a dairy farm. But in the late 1920s, entrepreneur Henry Woodhouse bought up about 1,500 acres here, hoping to turn the area into an airship base.^{[2], [1]}

That plan failed, and the federal government eventually acquired the land. During World War II, the Bureau of Public Roads used the property to test asphalt road surfaces.^[1]

Then, in the 1950s, the Virginia National Guard used the land for anti-aircraft protection of Washington, D.C. After that, the U.S. Navy took over the site for highly classified radio communication research.^{[1], [3]}

But while the government used the land, nature changed it. Beavers built dams, water accumulated, and wetlands began forming in what is now the park's central wetland.^[1]

In 1975, the federal government transferred the land to Fairfax County for recreational use. Locals organized to protect the area, which ultimately led to what we have today.^{[1], [3]}