Hughesville
Title
Hughesville
Date
Post Civil War
Description
The Hughesville community developed near the intersection of Braddock Road and today’s Fairfax County Parkway. The history of the community began around 1866. Jackson Hughes a formerly enslaved followed the Union Army from Louisiana and chose to live in Fairfax County. At first where he settled was called Jacksonville and then Hughesville. Jackson married a formerly enslaved woman, Mariah Beckwith. He and his wife and other community members decided to start a church and located suitable property. The church Zolar Baptist was used as a school and for other community activities.
The land for the Hughesville School was purchased from the Botts family in 1887. Before the school was built, students were educated at the “old church building’’ Zolar Baptist. A new church building, Mount Zoar Baptist church replaced Zolar Baptist.
Philip Edward Hughes was the son of Jackson and Mariah Hughes.
Philip and his wife Minnie Beckwith Hughes’ home was on Braddock Road
Both Philip and Minnie Beckwith Hughes were educators. Minnie had at one time taught at Hughesville School. Philip taught for eighteen years in Fairfax County Schools until he quit to work for the US Government Printing Office, where he could earn more money. Minnie worked for various schools in the county during her thirty-year career. For several years she would ride her horse and buggy to school. The Hughesville school operated until the end of the school year in 1925. The next year the students were bused to Clifton.
The land for the Hughesville School was purchased from the Botts family in 1887. Before the school was built, students were educated at the “old church building’’ Zolar Baptist. A new church building, Mount Zoar Baptist church replaced Zolar Baptist.
Philip Edward Hughes was the son of Jackson and Mariah Hughes.
Philip and his wife Minnie Beckwith Hughes’ home was on Braddock Road
Both Philip and Minnie Beckwith Hughes were educators. Minnie had at one time taught at Hughesville School. Philip taught for eighteen years in Fairfax County Schools until he quit to work for the US Government Printing Office, where he could earn more money. Minnie worked for various schools in the county during her thirty-year career. For several years she would ride her horse and buggy to school. The Hughesville school operated until the end of the school year in 1925. The next year the students were bused to Clifton.
Source
The Educators of Centreville District www.fcps.edu/about-fcps/history/records/centreville/biographies
The Fair Facts Gazette Winter 2006 Volume 4 Issue I by William Page Johnson
District
Springfield
Location
Hope Park Road, Braddock Road, Fairfax County Parkway
Additional Notes
Some of the residents that lived in Hughesville included: Charles Botts, Sanford Botts, Andrew Green, Sarah Parker, and Robert Kelsey
The New Mount Zoar Baptist Church on Braddock Road was dedicated on September 3,1972. www.nmzoar.org/our-history
Photo Credit
Courtesy of FCPS Fairfax Schools Bulletin, Vol. 7, No. 1, September, 1970
Files
Collection
Citation
“Hughesville,” Fairfax County African American History Inventory, accessed October 24, 2026, https://fairfaxaahi.centerformasonslegacies.com/items/show/144.