Wolf Run Studio - Houses of Worship
Bill Harrah
Wolf Run Studio
P.O. Box 444
Clifton VA 20124

Phone:
(703) 250-6711
Fax:
(703) 764-9204

 

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. . . HOUSES OF WORSHIP . . . (Click on an image to see the actual notecard size)
The Falls Church
Falls Church, Virginia

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The first church to be built in Truro Parish was a wooden structure, which stood just south of the current building. It was completed in 1734. Until that time, the area was served by clergymen who lived near present day Quantico, and the nearest church was Occoquan Church near Lorton.

Among the very few widely separated churches in Truro Parish, this church was identified as the one "near the falls" of the Potomac River and became known as The Falls Church. One of the roads which intersected near the church led to the ferry below Little Falls. The name "Falls Church" was adopted by the community which developed around the church.

In 1762 the original wood building was judged to be "greatly in decay." The vestry (church governing body) ordered a new brick building constructed on the same property. In 1763 George Washington and George William Fairfax were appointed church wardens with the responsibility of contracting for a new building. After 1765 the seat of Truro Parish, which had been at The Falls Church, returned to the southern part of the county and The Falls Church became the seat of the new Fairfax Parish.

The brick building was designed and built by Colonel James Wren and was completed in 1769. It is the oldest church building in Virginia north of Quantico. Tradition holds that the Declaration of Independence was read to local citizens from the steps of the south door. During the Civil War The Falls Church was used as a hospital and later as a stable. After the war, the federal government paid for repairs caused by the occupation. These repairs are visible today in the brick work beneath the windows.

Text © 1996 Dianne Harrah, Drawing © 1996 Bill Harrah

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HOUSES OF WORSHIP SELECTIONS:
Adat Reyim    Christ Church    Clifton Baptist Church    Clifton Presbyterian Church    The Falls Church    Fort Belvoir Chapel    Fredericksburg Baptist Church    Fredericksburg United Methodist Church    Memorial Chapel at Walter Reed Hospital    Mount Zion Old School Baptist Church    The Old Post Chapel    Pohick Episcopal Church, Truro Parish    The Presbyterian Church of Fredericksburg    St. George's Episcopal Church    St. Joseph's Church    St. Mary's Catholic Church    St. Mary's Church    St. Peter's Lutheran Church    St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church    Trinity Episcopal Church, Sheperdstown    Trinity Episcopal Church, Upperville    Truro Episcopal Church    Vienna Presbyterian Church    Wakefield Chapel    
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Drawings Copyright © 1992-2010 Bill Harrah, Wolf Run Studio (SM), All Rights Reserved. Wolf Run Studio is a service mark of Bill Harrah and has been in continuous use since 1992. All of the images on this website are in tangible form and are fully copyrighted. Each has an invisible digital identification which is traceable through the Digimarc Corporation. Viewers of the Wolf Run Studio website are allowed to browse and print out images for personal, non-commercial use only. You may not distribute copies of images or image files to anyone else for any reason. Images may not be reproduced or used in any form or any manner, or displayed on any website without the express written consent of Bill Harrah.

Text Copyright © 1992-2010 Terry White or Dianne Harrah. Text on this website is used with permission from the authors. Viewers of the Wolf Run Studio website are allowed to browse and print out text for personal, non-commercial use only. Text may not be reproduced or used in any form or any manner without the express written consent of the authors.

Information Accuracy
The information for the written description of each location has been carefully researched by the authors and is believed to be accurate. New findings, however, could make some information out-of-date. If you are a professional historian, archaeologist, or architect, and have new information that you are willing to share, please contact Dianne Harrah .