Clifton, Virginia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Clifton, Virginia
Town
Main Street in historic Clifton
Location of Clifton in Fairfax County (top) and Virginia (below)
Clifton, Virginia Location in Northern Virginia Show map of Northern Virginia Clifton, Virginia Location in Virginia Show map of Virginia Clifton, Virginia Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Virginia
County	Fairfax
Named for	Clifton Station
Government
• Type	Town
Area
• Total	0.25 sq mi (0.65 km2)
• Land	0.24 sq mi (0.63 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.01 km2)
Elevation	197 ft (60 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	234
• Density	972.0/sq mi (373.8/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP Code	20124
Area code(s)	703, 571
FIPS code	51-17376
GNIS feature ID	1495399

Clifton is a small town in Fairfax County, Virginia, in the United States. It's one of only three towns in the county. In 2020, about 243 people lived there.

Clifton became an official town on March 9, 1902. Before European settlers arrived, the Dogue Native Americans used this area for hunting. During the Civil War, a railroad stop was built here. It was first called Devereux Station.

Later, in 1868, a new train station called "Clifton Station" was built. This led to a village growing around it. Unlike many busy areas in Northern Virginia, Clifton has kept much of its natural land. This is because people wanted to protect the Occoquan Reservoir from too much building. So, rules were made to limit how many buildings could be put on large pieces of land. Today, you'll find forests and single-family homes, and even areas for horse riding.

Clifton's Past: A Look at Its History

Early Days: Before Settlers Arrived

Long ago, the area where Clifton is now was a hunting ground. The Dogue tribe, who spoke the Algonquin language, lived here. They had villages along the Potomac River and Occoquan River. They even made bowls from soapstone found in the area.

In the early 1700s, European settlers began to move into the Clifton area. Many of these first settlers were Scots merchants. They set up a port nearby, which is now the Dumfries-Triangle area.

Civil War Times: A Railroad Stop

During the Civil War, a special railroad track was built here. It was part of the Orange and Alexandria Railroad. This track helped supply the Union Army with wood for railroad ties and firewood. The stop was named Devereux Siding. It was named after John Henry Devereux, who managed military railroads.

Workers, many of whom were escaped slaves, cut wood from hundreds of acres. They transported it by train to Alexandria. These workers faced danger because they were outside safe Union lines.

In 1863, a special track called a wye was added. This allowed trains to turn around. Soldiers from New York were stationed here to protect the wood operations and the railroad. Devereux Siding became a regular stop for trains carrying people and goods.

The Orange & Alexandria Railroad was the only train link between Alexandria and Richmond, Virginia.

Clifton Village Begins to Grow

After the war, William E. Beckwith, a landowner, gave some of his land to his former slaves. This included land where Clifton village first grew. Harrison G. Otis, a realtor from New York, bought land nearby. He built a saw mill and a train depot in 1868. This depot was named "Clifton Station."

In 1869, a post office opened at the depot. Otis also built the historic Clifton Hotel. Harrison Otis and his brother helped start the Clifton Presbyterian Church. The original station is gone, but Clifton still stands along the old railroad line.

William Harris, who owned some land, divided it into lots for sale in 1869. People built homes and businesses there, like a general store. The village continued to grow in the late 1800s. More stores and lumber yards were built.

The 1900s: Becoming a Town and Preserving History

Clifton officially became a town on March 9, 1902. It is still one of the three towns in Fairfax County. The town's size has stayed about the same since then.

The first school in Clifton was in Susan Reviere Hetzel's home. She also helped start the Daughters of the American Revolution. A new schoolhouse was built in 1912. It taught students from kindergarten to 12th grade. This school was replaced by Clifton Elementary in 1953.

In 1930, the Clifton General Store burned down. A new one was built in its place a few months later.

By the late 1960s, Clifton was struggling. Many houses were empty. But new families moved in and helped fix up the town. Wayne Nickum, a former mayor, worked to get the whole town listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. This meant 63 buildings in Clifton were recognized as historic.

Another resident, Jim Chesley, also a mayor, worked hard to keep the town's historic feel. In 1967, the town started the first Clifton Day Festival. This event helped people discover the historic town. It's still a popular fair and music festival every October.

A historic home in Clifton is linked to the Kincheloe family. Daniel Kincheloe, who lived in the 1700s, was a landowner and a captain in the militia. He helped the army during the Revolutionary War. One of his family members built the house in Clifton.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, new neighborhoods were built near Clifton. This made people worried about protecting the area's beauty. So, Fairfax County made a rule: only one building could be placed on every 5-acre (2.0 ha) of undeveloped land. This helped keep the southern and eastern parts of Clifton forested. The northern part became areas for horse riding.

In 1984, the U.S. Department of the Interior named Clifton a National Historic District. This means it's a special place with important history. Parts of the movie Broadcast News were filmed in Clifton in 1986.

Rules were put in place in the 1970s to protect the Occoquan Watershed. This limited building in the area. It meant houses needed at least 5 acres (20,000 m²) of land. This helps keep the area natural.

The 21st Century: Community Events

In 2000, Mayor Jim Chesley started a Labor Day antique car show. It raises money for local charities. The show attracts hundreds of old cars and thousands of visitors. It has raised a lot of money for good causes.

The Clifton Spring Homes Tour is another event. It's run by the Clifton Community Women's Club. They raise money for charities by showing off local homes. They also have a silent auction and an art show.

Clifton's Location and Land

Clifton is in the western part of Fairfax County. It's about 6 miles (10 km) southeast of Centreville. It's also about 7 miles (11 km) southwest of the city of Fairfax.

The town covers about 0.25 square miles (0.65 km²) of land. Most of this is dry land, with a small amount of water. Popes Head Creek, a small stream, flows through the town. It eventually joins Bull Run.

People of Clifton

In 2020, Clifton had 243 people living there. Most residents were White. A small percentage were Asian or from two or more races. About 3% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

Most households in Clifton are families. The average family has almost four people. The median age in Clifton is about 36 years old. About one-third of the people are under 18. About 16% are 65 or older.

Many people in Clifton have English ancestry. Most people speak English at home. The median household income in Clifton was very high, at $219,500. Most adults in Clifton have a college degree or higher.

Clifton's Weather

Clifton has a Humid Subtropical climate. This means it has cool winters, mild springs and falls, and hot summers. July is usually the warmest and wettest month. January is the coldest. February is often the driest month.

The hottest temperature ever recorded in Clifton was 104 °F (40 °C) on July 2, 1980. The coldest was −8 °F (−22 °C) on January 8, 1982.

Schools in Clifton

Fairfax County Public Schools manages the schools in Clifton. Younger students (Kindergarten to 6th grade) go to Union Mill Elementary School. Middle and high school students attend either Liberty Middle School and Centreville High School, or Robinson Secondary School.

Clifton used to have its own elementary school, Clifton Elementary, from 1954 to 2011. It closed because it was too old to update. There was also a Clifton High School from 1912 to 1935. It was torn down when Fairfax High School was built.

Getting Around Clifton: Roads and Trains

Roads and Highways

You can get to Clifton mainly by smaller roads. SR 645 is the most important one. It goes through the town, changing names from Clifton Road to Main Street, then School Street, and back to Clifton Road. This route connects Clifton to bigger highways like U.S. Route 29 and Virginia State Route 123.

SR 645 in Clifton

Train Services

Both Amtrak and the Virginia Railway Express (VRE) have trains that pass through Clifton. Amtrak runs several lines, like the Cardinal and Crescent. These trains travel to cities like Chicago, New Orleans, and New York.

The VRE has one train line, the Manassas Line, that goes through Clifton. This line connects to Washington Union Station. VRE trains sometimes stop at the Clifton station (VRE), but this is rare. It usually only happens on Clifton Day. There isn't a regular station building there.

The closest VRE stations for regular stops are Manassas Park station and Burke Centre station. The Burke Centre Station also has Amtrak service. The Manassas station is the closest place where all train lines passing through Clifton stop.

Fun Places Near Clifton

The Trattoria Villagio in Clifton, VA

Here are some interesting spots near Clifton. Some of these are inside the town, like Ayre Square and Clifton Town Park.

Parks to Explore

• Ayre Square
• Braddock Park
• Bull Run Marina Regional Park
• Bull Run-Occoquan Trail
• Chapel Road Park
• Clifton Creek Trail Park
• Clifton Town Park
• Fountainhead Regional Park
• Hemlock Overlook Regional Park
• Johnny Moore Stream Valley Park
• Kincheloe Park
• Randolph Buckley "8-Acre" Park
• Webb Nature Sanctuary

Golf Courses

• Twin Lakes GC
• Virginia Golf Center & Academy
• Westfields GC at Balmoral

Shopping Spots

• The Colonnade at Union Mill

Other Cool Places

• Bunny Man Bridge

Clifton in the News

Newspapers

Clifton has its own local newspaper called The CentreView.

Famous People from Clifton

• George Barker, a former Virginia State Senator.
• Robin Beard, a former U.S. Congressman.
• Helen Hayes, a famous actress known as the "First Lady of American Theatre." She was one of the first people to win an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony Award.
• Tim Hugo, a former Virginia Delegate.
• Lawrence Lindsey, who used to lead the National Economic Council.
• Will Montgomery, a former professional football player for teams like the Carolina Panthers and Washington Redskins.
• Terence M. O'Sullivan, a leader in labor unions.
• Joseph Lewis, Jr., a former U.S. Congressman.
• Jason Charles Miller, a country music singer and a founding member of the rock band Godhead.
• Bill Pulsipher, a former professional baseball player for teams like the New York Mets and St. Louis Cardinals.
• Winston W. Royce, a computer scientist.
• Randy Thompson, a country singer.
• James Stevens, a former professional soccer player.
• Justin Skule, a professional football player for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
• Griffin Yow, a professional soccer player for K.V.C. Westerlo.

See also

In Spanish: Clifton (Virginia) para niños