After finding numerous history related geocaches placed by
cphug184, JRockford, imfirstdue, reedkickball, and other
notables…I thought I'd try my hand at one...I hope you enjoy
it. Welcome to the new Oakton Community Park, a Fairfax County Park
Authority (FCPA) park. You’ll find the cache...it’s a
true difficulty 1, and there should be no mistaking the hide
location, but I’d like you to get more than just a smilie by
visiting this spot. It’s steeped in history, and I’ll
try to convey that here on the cache page.
The land-use history for Oakton Community Park is based on land
ownership records that indicate the property was a section of a 188
acre parcel dating from the early 1800’s. The parcel was
subdivided and sold in 1845, and changed hands many times between
1884 and 2001. In 1860 the owner was Gilson Whaley. The
“McDowell 1862” and “Hopkins 1879” maps
show one structure on this property. In the property tax records
for 1861, this parcel was assessed $150.00 because it had a
building on it. In 1870 it was assessed $200.00 for the same
property. It is believed that the building referenced on the
McDowell and Hopkins maps was a log cabin described in historic
accounts of Civil War activity in the Oakton area. South Carolina
troops camped on this property, and also on what were then the
Speer and Millard farms near Blake Lane. The log cabin, and
whatever Civil War relevance it had, was destroyed by fire in the
mid-20th Century. (The FCPA conducted an archaeological survey of
the park, and found low potential for Native American sites.
Numerous Civil War relics/artifacts (mini-balls, buckles, plates,
pocket knives, buttons, etc.) have been discovered all along the
Hunter Mill Corridor. NOTE: Relic hunting on FCPA property is
prohibited and against the law.)
In 1880 S. Ernest Smith bought the property. Ernest Smith was
the first postmaster of Oakton in 1883. His store and post office
were located where the Oakton Shopping Center is now. He also owned
and operated a steam powered saw and grist mill, but the exact
location of the mill is unknown. Over the ensuing years the
property changed hands three more times, until the FCPA acquired
the land in 2001 on auction.
The building you see in front of you is the Oakton Schoolhouse,
built in 1897. It was originally located approximately one half
mile south, at the corner of Hunter Mill Road and Chain Bridge
Road. By 1912 the school’s enrollment was at capacity so the
building was sold and converted to residential use. It was later
used as a hardware store, and since the mid 1960’s was part
of the Appalachian Outfitter Store…a local landmark for
decades. On January 7th, 2007 the building was moved here to Oakton
Community Park and restoration was started. It was restored
according to federal standards for work on historic structures.
Total interior restoration may be completed at a future date, and
there are no current plans to open the building to the public. I
was privileged to be escorted inside, and oh if the building could
only talk. The Hunter Mill Road Corridor has become eligible for
registration in the National Register of Historic Places, and the
Oakton Schoolhouse is one of several historic sites in the
corridor.
For those of you interested in Dendrology, you'll find fine
examples of Eastern Red Cedar, Red Maple, Black Walnut, Black
Locust, Sassafras, Virginia Pine, and a variety of Oaks. Scrub
plants include Winged Sumac, Blackberry, and Wine Berry. The FCPA
Master Plan for this property includes possible improvements to the
park in the form of a woodland picnic area, two small pavilions,
benches, a paved pathway to explore the northeast portion of the
property presently designated a “Natural Resource Protection
Zone”, and possibly a tot-lot.
PLEASE NOTE: The container is fragile...handle it
gently, replace/cover it exactly as hidden; and please CITO...this
is a very clean little park - let's do our best to help it stay
that way. Permission to place this cache was granted by the
Manager, Area 7, Management Park Operations Division, Fairfax
County Park Authority. The Oakton Community Park is open dawn to
dusk. Do NOT hunt this cache at night!!
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NOTICE:
Please be respectful of the posted park hours. If you enter the
park after hours you are trespassing. If you are stopped you can be
ticketed or arrested and will put the future of geocaching in the
parks in jeopardy. |
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