top of page

Braddock Elementary School

GPS Coordinates: 38.8223688, -77.2161941

Braddock Elementary School

Here follows a history of the school as published on the Fairfax County Public Schools website:

Braddock Elementary School opened on September 4, 1959. During construction our school was referred to as Bristow Elementary School because we were built to serve the Bristow neighborhood. Braddock Elementary School was built during the post-World War II period known as the baby boom. During the 1950s, the United States government made grant funding available to school divisions that were impacted by the rapid growth of the federal government workforce. School system records from 1957 show that the Fairfax County School Board received a funding appropriation from the federal government related to the Bristow School. The School Board officially named our school Braddock Elementary at its meeting on March 3, 1959. The construction of Braddock Elementary School progressed rapidly during the summer of 1959, but our school was not ready for opening day on September 1 because the floors were not finished. Our school originally had 20 classrooms with a capacity of 600 students, and cost $500,000 to build. Our first principal was Margaret F. Daughtry.

What's in a Name?
Learn about the origin of our school's name in this video produced for Fairfax County Public Schools’ cable television channel Red Apple 21:

Braddock Elementary School opened in 1959. The name Braddock, as found in many places in Northern Virginia, comes from Major-General Edward Braddock, a British soldier. In 1754, Major-General Braddock was sent to the colonies as commander of the British forces during the French and Indian War. One of Braddock’s first goals was to destroy Fort Duquesne, an enemy French stronghold in what is now Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In the spring of 1755, Major-General Braddock departed Alexandria, Virginia, personally leading a force of some 2,000 men against the French fort. One local legend tells that while the soldiers were passing through Fairfax County some of the wagons became bogged down in clay. To lighten the load, Braddock ordered that two brass cannons be filled with gold and buried, intending to retrieve them later.
However, the gold was never recovered and its location, lost to time, continues to enthrall treasure hunters.
Braddock’s forces never reached Fort Duquesne. At the Battle of Monongahela, his army was nearly destroyed and Braddock lost his life. General Braddock was buried along Braddock’s Road at a spot chosen by his aide-de-camp, George Washington. A monument to Braddock is located two miles north of Fort Necessity National Battlefield Park near Farmington, Pennsylvania. Visitors to the site can see a remnant of the original Braddock Road, constructed by Braddock’s army on its ill-fated expedition to Fort Duquesne.

A New Beginning
On Sunday, February 23, 1964, a devastating fire tore through Braddock Elementary School. Nearly all of the 20 classrooms suffered damage by flames, smoke, or water. Braddock Elementary School’s 570 students finished out the school year at Thomas Jefferson High School. These students were the first pupils to attend classes in the high school because it was still under construction and was not scheduled to open until the following September. The damage to Braddock Elementary School was estimated at more than $200,000. The County Fire Marshall reported that the fire began in the main office, but the exact cause could not be determined because the intensity of the flames destroyed all traces of evidence. Reconstruction of our school commenced rapidly, and the School Board approved plans for a ten-room addition to our building at a cost of $138,440. In March 1964, Braddock Elementary School’s PTA sponsored a book fair at Annandale High School to raise money for the restoration of our school library. Construction was completed on schedule and Braddock Elementary School was ready for opening day in September 1964.

bottom of page