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

Camp Russell A. Alger

Photographed by Craig Swain, November 16, 2007

1. Camp Russell A. Alger Marker

Inscription. Named for Secretary of War Russell A. Alger, the camp was established in May 1898 on a 1,400-acre farm called Woodburn Manor. Some 23,000 men trained here for service in the Spanish-American War. The large military population greatly affected the lives of the residents of the small communities of Falls Church and Dunn Loring. The camp was abandoned early in August 1898 after an epidemic of typhoid fever. The War Department began the sale of land in September 1898.

Erected 1998 by Department of Historic Resources. (Marker Number B-14.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, Spanish-American. In addition, it is included in the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR) series list. A significant historical month for this entry is May 1898.

Location. 38° 51.954′ N, 77° 12.181′ W. Marker is near Falls Church, Virginia, in Fairfax County. It is on U.S. 50, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 7425 Arlington Blvd, Falls Church VA 22042, 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. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: A Memorial to the Four Chaplains (approx. 0.7 miles away); We will never forget. (approx. ¾ mile away); Luther P. Jackson High School (approx.

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1.4 miles away); The Pines (approx. 1.6 miles away); Tinner Hill Heritage Trail (approx. 1.6 miles away); James Lee Elementary School (approx. 1.6 miles away); Tinner Hill (approx. 1.6 miles away); a different marker also named Tinner Hill (approx. 1.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Falls Church.

Also see . . .
1. Report on the Camp's Water Supply. From the New York Times, June 8, 1898. (Submitted on December 13, 2007, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)

2. Camp Abandoned. New York Times article from August 15, 1898. (Submitted on December 13, 2007, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)

3. Senator Russell Alexander Alger. (Submitted on March 16, 2011, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland.)

Photographed by Craig Swain, November 16, 2007

2. Camp Russell A. Alger Marker

Camp Russell A. Alger, 1898 image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Wikipedia

3. Camp Russell A. Alger, 1898

Credits. This page was last revised on June 17, 2023. It was originally submitted on December 13, 2007, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 5,488 times since then and 85 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 13, 2007, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 3. submitted on March 16, 2011, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland.