Whispers of history linger here at Woodburn Road Park. This isn’t just any park. It’s a place where the past whispers secrets. A place where a small Black community once thrived. Woodburn Road Park holds the echoes of The Pines a vibrant African American enclave.
The Pines a community built on 22 acres of land. It started in 1893 with the Collins family and others. They purchased land creating a haven. This wasn’t just a place to live. It was a community built on hard work and family. The residents operated small farms and a sawmill. They built lives they built a community. Woodburn Road Park stands on land that was once their home.
However the tranquility was shattered. In 1965 the Fairfax County School Board condemned the land. They planned to build a school. A school that never materialized. Instead of a new school the families of The Pines were forced to leave their homes. Their community was torn apart to make way for a project that never came to be. Woodburn Road Park now stands where their homes once stood.
This land wasn’t just taken. It was a forceful eviction. The families were threatened with condemnation. They were given an ultimatum sell or face the consequences. The Collins family and others lost their homes. They lost their community. Their legacy however lives on. A historic marker commemorates The Pines at Woodburn Road Park.
The story of The Pines is one of resilience and loss. A story that resonates within the very soil of Woodburn Road Park. It’s a reminder of a community uprooted a history almost erased. But their story lives on. Their story is the soul of Woodburn Road Park. It is a park with a profound history a park that tells the story of The Pines. Remember them when you walk these grounds. Remember the community that once thrived here. Remember Woodburn Road Park’s complicated past.