"One Such Marker"

Fairlington proper is the location of one of the 40 markers setting the boundaries of the first layout for the Nation's Capital. In 1790, President Washington chose this 10-mile square that included Fairlington, then in Alexandria, and named it Federal City. He appointed three commissioners to survey the area and fix its boundaries. The President also named Pierre L' Enfant as the capital's architect. This appointment was later withdrawn when L'Enfant refused to publish his design. He was replaced by his assistant, surveyor Samuel Ellicott.

Fairlington's Boundary Marker # 4 is located near the entrance of South Wakefield Street and is recognizable by the green wrought-iron encasing the marker. The Daughters of American Revolution had an iron fence build around the marker with a plaque reading Original Federal Boundary Stone-District of Columbia-Placed 1791- 1792.

A June 7, 1998 Washington Post article entitled, The Four Cornerstones of the Original DC describes the poor surroundings and neglected condition of most of the stone markers. In particular, the article addresses the deteriorating conditions of the "four cornerstones" that mark the corners of the original District of Columbia, including parts of Arlington County and the City of Alexandria. Because of Fairlington's unique connection to these markers and interest in their preservation, we wanted to make you aware of the concerns expressed in the article. The following are excerpts from that article.

• "These stones are sited at the corners of the original District of Columbia, which included parts of Arlington County and the City of Alexandria."
• "The surveying was done by a team under Benjamin Banneker and Samuel Ellicot in 1791 and 1792 at the behest of Thomas Jefferson."
• "The surveyors dropped a stone once every mile along the city's border, beginning at the south corner at Jones Point near the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. The District is 10 miles on a side so the surveyors placed 40 stones altogether."
• "Most of the stones still survive though in varying degrees of disrepair and neglect. Some, including all four cornerstones, are encased in wrought-iron cages that the Daughters of the American Revolution placed around them about 90 years ago."
• "The south cornerstone was the first marker to be laid. According to records on a stormy April 15, 1791, Banneker, a black freeman, and a local troupe of Masons placed this stone that would serve as the reference point for the other 39 stones and the outline of the new federal district."
• "The south cornerstone also is threatened by the plans for a replacement span for the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. Construction of a proposed bridge of 12 lanes, which would be located south of the current bridge could damage or destroy the cornerstone's site."
• "Local governments could, with a modest effort, protect these unique historical markers. If they can't or won't do so, then perhaps the U.S. Park Service could step in."
• "How sad it would be if these boundary markers and the history behind them were covered with sediment, washed away or bulldozed over in the march of progress."

See Also

• "Boundary Stone Next to Fairlington" from the Office of Historic Alexandria
• 1908 Photo of Boundary Stone SE 4 in the District of Columbia