greatfallsva.html

The Washington & Old Dominion Railroad began in 1847 as the Alexandria, Loudoun & Hampshire in hopes of competing with the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal. It actually ran by the time of the Civil War. Plans to scale the Alleghenies never materialized and rails only reached Bluemont, a resort on the eastern slope of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It became the Washington & Ohio Railroad in 1868 and added "Western" to its name in 1883. Until 1912, it ran trains into Union Station. In 1912, it became the Washington & Old Dominion, was electrified, and moved its passenger terminal to Georgetown. Trains crossed the Potomac on an old aqueduct bridge. A branch to Great Falls, VA. was abandoned when the amusement park there closed.

Matildaville, named for a woman who died, grew up around the canal. It was hoped that Matildaville would become a busy port. In the early 1800's it was destroyed by a flood.

Later it was bought by a man who had a dream to build an amusement park. The amusement park, particularly its carousel, entertained residents of the area for many years. Unfortunately, it was destroyed by a fire.

For a brief period before it became a National Park, an electric company purchased the land and hoped to develop a power plant. However, nothing was ever built.

In the early 1900's, two entrepreneurs by the names of John McLean and Steven Elkins, acquired the lands surrounding Great Falls and built an amusement park. Tourists traveled along a trolley from Georgetown to the park to see the spectacular Great Falls. Included in the park were overlook decks, an observation tower, a dance pavilion, a night light show, a wooden carousel, and a Lovers Lane along the Patowmack Canal ruins. The famous Dickey's Inn provided lodging and exquisite dinners. The amusement park was an instant overnight success. Trolley cars were often full, selling five tickets for 25 cents. After the coming of the automobile and several floods which severely damaged the park's structures, the amusement park was closed and eventually faded into history.

The land was eventually bought by the Potomac Edison Power Company (PEPCO) with plans to construct a hydroelectric dam. However, due to the hydrology and geology of the area, the site at Great Falls was determined to be unfit for hydroelectric development. Fairfax County Park Authority leased the land and continued operating as a park, allowing the public to visit the Great Falls and ride the carousel. In 1966, through an agreement with Fairfax County, the National Park Service acquired the lands, totaling 800 acres. In 1968 the visitor center was built.

NOTES :: 2005 :: The Fairfax County Park Authority is extremely fortunate to own five carousels, four of which are in operation. The oldest one, a 1922 Herschell-Spillman carousel with 16 all-wood horses and two chariots, has been carefully stored and awaits funding for its restoration.

CREDITS: National Park Service