[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 17]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 23418]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  COMMEMORATING THE BICENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OF THE CITY OF FAIRFAX, 
                                VIRGINIA

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. TOM DAVIS

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 7, 2004

  Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate 
the bicentennial anniversary of the City of Fairfax, Virginia.
  Two centuries ago, the Town of Providence, a small community built 
around the Fairfax County Courthouse, was chartered by an act of the 
General Assembly. This steadily growing center of business and 
government was renamed Fairfax in 1874. During the Civil War, 
Providence was home to Company D, 17th Virginia Infantry, the ``Fairfax 
Rifles'' who fought in a skirmish on the courthouse lawn, and witnessed 
Confederate President Jefferson Davis meeting with his generals at the 
Willcoxon Tavern.
  In 1892, the Town of Fairfax was incorporated. At the beginning of 
World War II, the Town of Fairfax had a volunteer fire department, 
central water and sewer systems, a town library and a high school. In 
1961, Fairfax was incorporated as an independent city.
  Since its humble beginnings as the Town of Providence, the City of 
Fairfax has blossomed. It is now a vibrant city that has played an 
important role in Virginia's history.
  The City of Fairfax is the home of world-class educational 
facilities, thriving businesses, and is a diverse and prosperous 
community. It is one of the economic and intellectual epicenters of the 
Commonwealth of Virginia.
  In 2005, the City of Fairfax will host a year-long celebration with 
special events to honor this bicentennial anniversary.
  This milestone appropriately coincides with the Old Town Fairfax 
redevelopment project, which began this past July. The improvements 
made during this project will transform Fairfax into a city for the 
21st century and beyond.
  Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to commend and congratulate the 
citizens of the City of Fairfax on the occasion of their bicentennial 
anniversary. I call upon my colleagues to join me in celebrating the 
history of this great city, and in wishing for its continued 
prosperity.

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