George Mason, Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
George Mason, Virginia
|
|
|---|---|
A house in the CDP, August, 2017
|
|
| Nickname(s):
GMU
|
|
 George Mason, Virginia
Location in Northern Virginia
George Mason, Virginia
Location in Virginia
George Mason, Virginia
Location in the United States
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Virginia |
| County | Fairfax |
| Incorporated | July 26, 2013 |
| Named for | George Mason University |
| Government | |
| • Type | Board of Directors |
| • Body | Board of Directors |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.5 sq mi (6.55 km2) |
| • Land | 2.5 sq mi (6.52 km2) |
| • Water | 0.02 sq mi (0.04 km2) 0.53% |
| Elevation | 450 ft (140 m) |
| Population
(2020)
|
|
| • Total | 11,162 |
| • Rank | 40 |
| • Density | 4,464.8/sq mi (1,712.0/km2) |
| Demonym(s) | Masonian |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes |
22030, 22032
|
| Area code(s) | 571, 703 |
| FIPS code | 51-30618 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2584851 |
| Website | http://gmfhoa.org/ |
George Mason is a special kind of community called a census-designated place (CDP) in Fairfax County, Virginia. It's not a city or town, but a place the U.S. Census Bureau defines for gathering information. In 2020, about 11,162 people lived here.
This area includes George Mason University and some neighborhoods nearby. It's named after George Mason, one of America's Founding Fathers.
Contents
History of George Mason
The land where George Mason is today used to be a farm owned by John and Harriet Burtis. They were against slavery and grew vegetables and raised sheep.
In 1861, during the American Civil War, a Confederate soldier tried to force Mr. Burtis to give him sheep and use his horses. Mr. Burtis gave him the sheep but refused to use his horses. He then secretly left with his wife and horses, traveling through the woods to reach Washington.
George Mason University's Beginnings
In 1962, plans started for a new college campus. The City of Fairfax donated 150 acres of land for what would become George Mason College. The campus opened in 1964.
Later, in 1972, the Governor of Virginia, Linwood Holton, signed a law. This law made George Mason College its own separate university, changing its name to George Mason University.
Developing the Community
In the early 1980s, a company called A. G. Van Metre Associates started building homes in an area called George Mason Forest. They finished building about 200 single-family homes by 2003. In 2013, the homeowners in George Mason Forest officially formed their own association.
Fun Things to Do in George Mason
George Mason has lots of green spaces and trails for outdoor activities. There are about 3.5 miles of trails, mostly on the university campus.
Parks and Outdoor Fun
You can find two parks in George Mason: Fairfax Villa Park and University Park. A small part of Providence Park is also in the area.
George Mason is also close to the Country Club of Fairfax. Plus, it's near other trails like Daniels Run Trail and the Gerry Connolly Cross County Trail.
There are also a couple of ponds here. Mason Pond is on the university campus. Another unnamed pond is the start of Popes Head Creek, which flows into the Occoquan River.
Sports and Recreation
The Villa Aquatic Club is a private pool in George Mason. George Mason University has several sports fields for its teams, the George Mason Patriots. These include the George Mason Softball Complex, Sphuler Field, George Mason Stadium, and the George Mason University Tennis Courts.
Getting Around George Mason
Two main state highways pass through George Mason:
- Virginia State Route 123 (Ox Road) cuts through the middle of the area. It connects to Fairfax in the north and Fairfax Station in the south.
- Virginia State Route 620 forms the southern border. It connects to Centreville in the west and Burke in the east.
Public Transportation
George Mason is about 2 miles from the Burke Centre train station. You can catch the Virginia Railway Express or Amtrak trains there. It's also about 2.5 miles from the Vienna/Fairfax-GMU Metro station, which is part of Washington D.C.'s subway system.
Fairfax County Connector buses also serve George Mason. These buses can take you to places like The Pentagon or the Vienna/Fairfax-GMU Metro station.
Where is George Mason?
George Mason is bordered by the city of Fairfax to the north. Shirley Gate Road is to the west, Braddock Road to the south, and Burke Station Road to the east.
The university campus is mostly east of Ox Road (Virginia State Route 123), which runs north to south. However, many of the university's sports facilities are west of Ox Road.
The area covers about 2.5 square miles (6.6 square kilometers). A very small part of this, about 0.53%, is water.
Weather in George Mason
The weather in George Mason has hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. It has what is called a humid subtropical climate. This means it gets plenty of rain all year round.
Below is a table showing the typical weather data for George Mason:
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Record high °F (°C) | 74 (23) | 76 (24) | 88 (31) | 96 (35) | 97 (36) | 100 (37) | 104 (40) | 105 (40) | 100 (37) | 92 (33) | 85 (29) | 77 (25) | 105 (40) |
| Average high °F (°C) | 42 (5) | 45 (7) | 55 (12) | 66 (18) | 75 (23) | 83 (28) | 87 (30) | 85 (29) | 79 (26) | 68 (20) | 58 (14) | 46 (7) | 66 (18) |
| Average low °F (°C) | 24 (-4) | 27 (-2) | 34 (1) | 43 (6) | 52 (11) | 61 (16) | 67 (19) | 65 (18) | 58 (14) | 45 (7) | 37 (2) | 28 (-2) | 45 (7) |
| Record low °F (°C) | -10 (-23) | -2 (-18) | -2 (-18) | 19 (-7) | 29 (-1) | 38 (3) | 45 (7) | 44 (6) | 35 (1) | 24 (-4) | 15 (-9) | -4 (-20) | -10 (-23) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 2.9 (70) | 2.9 (70) | 3.8 (90) | 3.2 (80) | 3.8 (90) | 3.5 (80) | 3.9 (90) | 4.2 (100) | 3.8 (90) | 3.3 (80) | 3.3 (80) | 3.4 (80) | 42.2 (1070) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 5.8 (14) | 6.7 (17) | 3.6 (9) | 0.1 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0.1 (0) | 0.9 (2) | 3.4 (8) | 20.9 (53) |
| Average precipitation days | 13 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 126 |
Local News
People in George Mason can read national newspapers like The Washington Post and The Washington Times. There's also a local newspaper called the Fairfax Times. Online, you can find news about the area on AOL's Patch service.
Schools and Learning
George Mason is part of the Fairfax County Public Schools system. There are also private schools available.
High Schools and Middle Schools
Students in George Mason attend Woodson High School and Frost Middle School, both located in a nearby area called Long Branch.
Elementary Schools
- Olde Creek Elementary School
- Fairfax Villa Elementary School
- Providence Elementary School
- Daniels Run Elementary School
Colleges and Universities
The main campus of George Mason University is located right here in George Mason. It's a public university known for its liberal arts and research programs. Other nearby higher education centers include parts of Missouri State University and Fairfax University of America.
Public Libraries
The City of Fairfax Regional Library serves George Mason. It's a branch of the Fairfax County Public Library system.
Who Lives Here?
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2010 | 9,496 | — | |
| 2020 | 11,162 | 17.5% | |
In 2020, the population of George Mason was 11,162 people. The area is quite diverse. About 42% of the people were White, nearly 20% were African American, and about 17% were Asian. People of Hispanic or Latino background made up about 16.6% of the population.
The average age of people living here was about 20.9 years old. Many people, about 67.4%, have a college degree or higher.
See also
In Spanish: George Mason (Virginia) para niños
