Mills Crossing/Merrifield

Mills Crossing/Merrifield

19th century on

The Merrifield area originally known as Mills Crossing. It also was known as Williamstown. An African American community existed on the east side of Gallows Road roughly from Lee Highway in the north to south of the current Route 50 and what is now Fairfax Hospital.
Mills Crossing was named after a free African American who also ran a lumber mill. The nickname “slab-town” was later attached to this area because of its vast number of sawmills. These mills were vital in providing firewood or slabs of wood to homeowners dependent upon wood for cooking and heating their homes.
Mills Crossing or Merrifield became central in the life of African Americans. It was the home of a church, once called First Baptist Colored Church of Merrifield. It was also the site of the Merrifield Colored School (also called Negro school in 1938 county school board minutes). The Odd Fellows Hall and the Household of Ruth were established in Merrifield. Both organizations joined forces with Char- ley Tinner and E. B. Henderson of Falls Church in a civil rights initiative. The men also helped establish the first NAACP chapter in this area. The Odd Fellows Hall became Boyd’s Piano at 2931 Gallows Road in 1984 and was sold in 2016, then demolished. The church is the only remnant of original buildings left of this African-American community.
Fairfax County defines Merrifield in 2021 as a commercial revitalization area “which entitles landowners and developers to the use of expedited development review procedures.” The Mosaic District on the west side of Gallows Road is a mixed-use development.

Property records:

https://icare.fairfaxcounty.gov/ffxcare/datalets/datalet.aspx?mode=sales&sIndex=0&idx=1&LMpar-ent=138

West Springfield High School Applied History Class Oral History Interview by students Nia Maronda and Solene Montgomery -- Bobby Whitmore grew up in the house his father built in Merrifield. His father was the first African American mail carrier in the area. Because of the light color of his skin, Bobby was harassed by both Black and White classmates. https://research.fairfaxcounty.gov/local-history/oral-histories (in the public library)

Merrifield used to be the east side of Gallows Road roughly from Lee Highway in the north to the current Route 50 on the south. Today it encompasses both side of Gallows and extends further in all directions.

Providence

Courtesy of Fairfax County Government