Falls Church, Virginia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Falls Church, Virginia
Independent city
Downtown Falls Church
Flag Seal
Location of Falls Church in Virginia
Falls Church highlighted red in the Commonwealth of Virginia
Falls Church, Virginia Location in Northern Virginia Show map of Northern Virginia Falls Church, Virginia Location in Virginia Show map of Virginia Falls Church, Virginia Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Virginia
Settled	c. 1699
Incorporated (town)	1875
Incorporated (city)	1948
Government
• Type	Council–manager
Area
• Total	2.05 sq mi (5.30 km2)
• Land	2.05 sq mi (5.30 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	328 ft (99 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	14,658
• Density	7,150/sq mi (2,765.7/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP Codes	22040, 22042, 22044, 22046
Area code(s)	703 and 571
FIPS code	51-27200
GNIS feature ID	1495526
Sister city is Kokolopori, Democratic Republic of Congo

Falls Church is a special kind of city in Virginia, United States. It's called an independent city, which means it's not part of any county. In 2020, about 14,658 people lived there. Falls Church is located in Northern Virginia and is part of the larger Washington metropolitan area.

The city got its name from an old church built in the 1700s called The Falls Church. It started as a small town within Fairfax County in 1875. Later, in 1948, it became its own independent city. This means it handles its own local government, just like a county would.

Falls Church is quite small, covering only about 2.11 square miles. It's actually the smallest independent city in Virginia and the smallest city in the United States that acts like a county.

Why is it Called Falls Church?

The city of Falls Church is named after The Falls Church, a church building from 1734. This church was built where important Native American trails crossed. These trails later became paved roads like Broad Street, Lee Highway, and Little Falls Street.

A Look Back: History of Falls Church

The first known government in this area was the Iroquois Confederacy. Later, English colonists came to Virginia. While we don't have exact records of the first settlements, an old cottage near the city center had a stone with "1699" carved into it.

Falls Church During the American Revolution

During the American Revolution, two important figures, George Washington and George Mason, were involved with The Falls Church. In the summer of 1776, a copy of the United States Declaration of Independence was read to the people from the steps of The Falls Church.

Falls Church During the Civil War

When the American Civil War began, the people of Falls Church voted to join the Confederate side. The Confederate army took over the village and nearby hills like Munson's and Upton's hills. They did this because these hills offered good views of Washington.

However, on September 28, 1861, Confederate troops left Falls Church. Union troops then took control of Munson's and Upton's hills. But the village itself was never fully under Union control. Later, during 1864 and 1865, a group called Mosby's Raiders sometimes entered Falls Church.

Exploring Historic Places

You can visit the Cherry Hill Farmhouse and Barn. The farmhouse was built in 1845 and the barn in 1856. The city of Falls Church owns and takes care of them. They are open to the public on some Saturdays in the summer.

The Tinner Hill Arch and Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation are important for learning about early African American history in the area. This is where the first rural chapter of the NAACP was started.

Two of the original boundary stones from 1791, which marked the edge of the District of Columbia, are in parks on the border between Falls Church and Arlington County.

Places on the National Register of Historic Places

Some buildings and sites in Falls Church are so important that they are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are protected because of their historical value.

Geography: Where is Falls Church?

Falls Church is a very small city. It covers about 2.0 square miles (5.3 square kilometers) of land. There is no water within its city limits. As mentioned, it's the smallest independent city in Virginia. It's also the smallest city in the United States that functions like a county.

The main center of the city is where two important roads cross: Virginia State Route 7 (Broad St./Leesburg Pike) and U.S. Route 29 (Washington St./Lee Highway).

Two main streams flow through the city. Tripps Run drains about two-thirds of Falls Church. The other third is drained by the Four Mile Run watershed.

People and Population

Falls Church has grown quite a bit over the years. In 1880, there were only 660 people. By 2020, the population had grown to 14,658. The city is known for having a high median household income, which means many families living there earn a good amount of money.

Economy: Jobs and Businesses

Falls Church is a wealthy area. In 2011, it was named one of the richest places in the United States based on household income. While some big companies like General Dynamics and Northrop Grumman have mailing addresses in Falls Church, their main offices are actually in Fairfax County nearby.

Major Employers in Falls Church

Many people in Falls Church work for the city or for local schools. Here are some of the biggest employers:

The city is also working on new building projects, like the West Falls Church Economic Development Project and Founders Row, to bring more businesses and homes to the area.

Arts and Culture in Falls Church

Falls Church has many fun events and places to visit.

Yearly Events

Every year, the city holds a Memorial Day Parade. It features bands, military groups, and local organizations. There's also a street festival with food, crafts, and a 3K fun run.

The Falls Church Farmer's Market is held every Saturday, all year long. It's a great place to find fresh food and local products. It's even been ranked as one of America's Favorite Farmers' Markets!

Cultural Places to Visit

Mary Riley Styles Public Library

The State Theatre

The Falls Church Village Preservation and Improvement Society works to protect the city's history and culture. The Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation focuses on the history of Civil Rights and African Americans in the area. Falls Church is where the first rural branch of the NAACP was started. This happened after the town tried to create segregated districts in 1915, but the plan was stopped by a court ruling.

The Mary Riley Styles Public Library is the city's public library. It opened in 1899 and has a special collection of local history, including old newspapers and photos.

The State Theatre is a place where you can watch many different live performances. It was built in 1936 as a movie theater and was one of the first air-conditioned theaters on the East Coast. After closing for a while, it reopened in the 1990s as a music venue.

Education: Schools in Falls Church

The city has its own school system called Falls Church City Public Schools. Here are the schools:

• Jessie Thackrey Preschool
• Mount Daniel Elementary School (Kindergarten to 2nd grade)
• Oak Street Elementary (3rd to 5th grade)
• Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School (6th to 8th grade)
• Meridian High School (9th to 12th grade)

It's interesting to note that Mount Daniel Elementary School is actually located just outside the city limits in Fairfax County. Also, Falls Church High School is not part of the Falls Church City Public School system; it belongs to Fairfax County Public Schools and does not serve students from the city of Falls Church.

Students from Falls Church City can also apply to attend Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, a special high school in Fairfax County.

There are also private schools in Falls Church, like Saint James Catholic School (K-8) and Grace Christian Academy (Pre-K to 8th grade).

Media: News and Information

The Falls Church News-Press is a free newspaper published every week. It focuses on local news and opinions. People in Falls Church also read bigger newspapers like The Washington Times and The Washington Post. There are also many online blogs about the city. WAMU Radio 88.5 also provides local news and programs.

Infrastructure: Getting Around Falls Church

Transportation

A Washington Metro train entering East Falls Church station

Even though two Washington Metro train stations have "Falls Church" in their names, they are not actually inside the city of Falls Church. The East Falls Church station is in Arlington County, and the West Falls Church station is in Fairfax County.

• The Metro's Silver Line also serves the East Falls Church station. This line connects to Dulles International Airport.
• The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority also provides bus service throughout the area, including Falls Church.
• A part of the Washington and Old Dominion Railroad Trail (W&OD Trail) runs through the city. This trail is great for biking and walking. It follows the path of an old railroad line that used to carry passengers and freight.
• The Four Mile Run Trail also starts in the city and is another popular route for biking to Washington, D.C.

Main Roads

The junction of US 29 and SR 7 in Falls Church

The main roads that go directly through Falls Church are U.S. Route 29 and Virginia State Route 7. Part of US 29 in Falls Church is also known as Virginia State Route 237. Most of Virginia State Route 338 is also within the city. Major highways like Interstate 66 and Interstate 495 are just a few miles away.

Notable People from Falls Church

Many interesting people have lived in or are from Falls Church, including:

• Tommy Amaker (born 1965), a basketball coach at Harvard University.
• Bruce Bochy, a famous baseball manager who has won the World Series multiple times.
• Ryan Hall, a professional mixed martial artist.
• John Hartman, a musician and founding member of The Doobie Brothers.
• John Kirby, an attorney who inspired the name of Nintendo's character "Kirby".
• Eric Schmidt (born 1955), the former CEO of Google.
• James Thurber (born 1902), a well-known author and humorist.

Sister City Connection

Since 2006, Falls Church has a special "sister city" relationship with Kokolopori in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This means they share cultural ties and learn from each other.

Images for kids

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  Downtown Falls Church

• 

  Flag of Falls Church

• 

  Seal of Falls Church

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  Location of Falls Church in Virginia

• 

  Falls Church highlighted red in the Commonwealth of Virginia

See also

In Spanish: Falls Church para niños