Lorton in Fairfax County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
A Corridor and a Barrier
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), February 2, 2020
Here in 1910, the District of Columbia bought 1,115 acres along the lower Occoquan River, establishing a Reform-Era Prison, housing criminals who were often transported by barge. Self-sustaining, its prisoners operated on-site brick kilns and a working farm. Products and materials not used for prison operation were often sold and transported from wharves once lining this shoreline, often to ports in Alexandria and the District of Columbia. Barges are still used to transport sand, gravel and other materials to and from a nearby quarry navigating Occoquan and Belmont Bays on their way to the Potomac River and distant points on the Chesapeake Bay.
Creating a New Park Authority
Ira Gabrielson is best known as the first director of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Under his leadership, the National Wildlife Refuge system conserved millions of acres of critical wildlife habitat. Gabrielson also served as the first chairman of the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority from 1959 to 1975, acquiring waterfront parkland on the Occoquan and Potomac shorelines.
Erected by Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Animals • Industry & Commerce • Law Enforcement • Parks & Recreational Areas • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1910.
Location. 38° 40.82′ N, 77° 15.163′ W. Marker is in Lorton, Virginia, in Fairfax County. Marker is on Lorton Road, half a mile south of Ox Road (Virginia Route 123), on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 9751 Ox Road, Lorton VA 22079, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Beehive Brick Kiln (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Turning Point Suffragist Memorial (about 600 feet away); Silent for Suffrage (about 600 feet away); Suffragist Commemorative Wall (about 600 feet away); a different marker also named Suffragist Commemorative Wall (about 600 feet away); "Forward Into Light," Toward Equality, 1920 - Present / The 19th Amendment (about
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), February 2, 2020
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), February 2, 2020
Credits. This page was last revised on February 2, 2020. It was originally submitted on February 2, 2020, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 186 times since then and 19 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on February 2, 2020, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.