Mason's Hill: Strategic Location (Historical Marker)

Here follows the inscription written on this roadside historical marker:

Mason's Hill
Strategic Location

Early in the U.S. Civil War, Mason's Hill was strategically important because of its high elevation and good views of nearby thoroughfares, Columbia Turnpike, and Little River Turnpike. Mason's Hill, Munson's Hill, and Bailey's Crossroads were especially significant.

Confederate Col. J.E.B. Stuart and his men occupied Munson's Hill soon after the First Battle of Manassas, July 21, 1861 until September 21 of that year. It was the closest Confederate position to Washington, D.C., and from the White House, President Abraham Lincoln could see a Confederate flag flying there. Stuart's men used logs to build imitation cannons known as "Quaker Cannons" to mislead the Union Army and present an illusion of Confederate artillery strength, the first use of this tactic in the war.

Stuart also had an outpost at Mason's Hill, where Col. Edward P. Alexander built a signal corps observation tower with a six-foot "astronomical glass" to observe Washington. Confederate spy E. Pliny Bryan had planned to signal messages to the tower from his Washington rooming-house window, but the Confederates abandoned Mason's Hill before this scheme could
Mason's Hill Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Shane Oliver, August 23, 2022
2. Mason's Hill Marker
be implemented. The Union soon occupied this area.

In the nearby fields between Munson's Hill and Bailey's Crossroads, Union Gen. George B. McClellan staged a military review on Nov. 20, 1861 to boost the morale of the army that was demoralized after its defeat at Manassas. Lincoln, his cabinet, and thousands of spectators attended. Observers were greatly impressed by the 65,000 well-trained and well-equipped soldiers whom McClellan, the new commander, had transformed into the Army of the Potomac.

(captions)
Quaker gun battery, 1861
Panoramic view of the village of Falls Church, Mason's Hill, and the surrounding country. From Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, October 26, 1861.
Gen. J.E.B. Stuart
Abraham Lincoln
Images courtesy of the Library of Congress and the Virginia Room, City of Fairfax Regional Library.

Marker Erected 2022 by Fairfax County Park Authority.


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Here follows an article from the Annandale Patch newspaper written by Sherell Williams in 2012:

New Civil War Marker Installed in Mason District Park

The marker was installed last week as part of Fairfax County's Civil War 150th Legacy Project.

Visitors to may notice a new addition to the park not far from the picnic tables near the baseball field. Last Wednesday, a new Civil War marker was installed as part of the Civil War 150th Legacy Project.

The marker, called Mason’s Hill, represents a strategic location used by Confederate Col. J.E.B. Stuart following the First Battle of Manassas. According to the summary graphic, at Mason’s Hill, Col. Edward P. Alexander built a signal observation tower with a six foot "astronomical glass" to observe Washington.

Mason’s Hill isn’t the only new marker in the Annandale area. Ravensworth, a marker located in the Ravensworth Shopping Center in Springfield, was also installed last week. Markers have also been installed in Clifton, Centreville, Vienna, McLean and Great Falls. By late summer or early fall, markers will also be installed in Rose Hill near Alexandria and in Lorton.

The goal of the Legacy Project is to place markers in every supervisory district throughout the county. The Fairfax County History Commission and the Fairfax County Sesquicentennial Committee manage the project, but the markers are the result of a countywide effort between several agencies such as the Fairfax County Park Authority and members of the communities where the markers are installed. The project is financially supported by the Board of Supervisors.

“Our intent was to show that no matter where you go in Fairfax County, Civil War history is always nearby,” said Patrick Lennon, destination marketing manager for Visit Fairfax.

Each marker should last at least 100 years after its installation. The graphic inside the markers is replaced every 5-7 years in case since it might lose color or other problems.

In addition to the markers above, Lennon said five more markers are planned for installation by July 2013.

The date for the dedication ceremony for Mason’s Hill will be announced at a later date.

To learn more about the markers, Civil War related events in the county, dates and other history, visit www.fairfaxcivilwar.com.