Near Alexandria in Fairfax County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Gum Springs

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), November 12, 2022

1. Gum Springs Marker

Inscription. Gum Springs, an African-American community, originated here on a 214-acre farm bought in 1833 by West Ford (ca. 1785-1863), a freed man, skilled carpenter, and manager of the Mount Vernon estate. The freedman's school begun here in 1867 at Bethlehem Baptist Church encouraged black settlement. In 1890 the Rev. Samuel K. Taylor, William Belfield, Lovelace Brown, Hamilton Gray, Robert D. King, Henry Randall, and Nathan Webb formed the joint Stock Company of Gum Springs and sold lots. Gum Springs has remained a vigorous black community.

Erected 1991 by Department of Historic Resources. (Marker Number E-94_2.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Education • Religion & Religious Structures • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR) series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1833.

Location. 38° 44.621′ N, 77° 4.841′ W. Marker is near Alexandria, Virginia, in Fairfax County. It is at the intersection of Sherwood Hall Lane (Virginia Route 626) and Fordson Road, on the right when traveling west on Sherwood Hall Lane. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2808 Sherwood Hall Ln, Alexandria VA 22306, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Washington Metropolitan Area

and in Northern Virginia.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

and in the Mid-Atlantic.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers.

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At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Bethlehem Baptist Church (within shouting distance of this marker); Harper v. Virginia Board of Elections (approx. ¼ mile away); Woodlawn Methodist Church (approx. ¼ mile away); West Ford (approx. 0.3 miles away); a different marker also named Gum Springs (approx. 0.4 miles away); US Route 1 Wall of Aviation (approx. 0.4 miles away); Hybla Valley Airport (approx. half a mile away); Peake Family Cemetery (approx. half a mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Alexandria.

More about this marker. An identical marker stands several blocks away. The web site for Virginia Department of Historic Resources designates the other marker as E-94_1 and this marker as E-94_2, although the markers themselves both read E-94.

Also see . . . Gum Springs Museum. (Submitted on June 24, 2024.)

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), November 12, 2022

2. Gum Springs Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on June 24, 2024. It was originally submitted on November 12, 2022, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 798 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 12, 2022, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.