Little River Turnpike
Originally a buffalo trail, Little River Turnpike (LRT) was used
by native Americans and early settlers. After 1772, the Virginia
Legislature voted to allow funding for state road improvements. By
1785, an improved road had been made from Alexandria to Snicker's
Gap in the Blue Ridge. It was the first toll road of this new
nation and had toll booths every five miles. It was further
improved in 1803-1806 out to the Little River in Aldie featuring a
macadamized road. This new style of road construction featured
packed aggregate, a crowned surface to shed water and ditches on
either side to hold water and pull it away. The LRT is only called
that in Annandale. It's other names are Duke Street in Alexandria,
Main Street in Fairfax City, Lee-Jackson Highway in Chantilly and
John Mosby Highway in Loudoun.
The Mitchell-Weeks house
The Mitchell-Weeks house here is a replica of the vernacular
style farmhouse found in Northern Virginia in the late 1800s. The
original was built in 1789- a few years after the first
improvements of the LRT. It overlooks the Flat Lick Stream
crossing. The logs for the house and the stones for the chimney are
original.
The Sledding Hill
East of Flat Lick Stream, south of Route 50 and behind the
stores are all woods right now sloping down to the stream. In the
40s, it was cleared as was most of this area during this farming
heyday. According to Voices of Chantilly, a Fairfax
County-published collection of stories from local Chantilly
residents, the slope served as the sledding hill for the
neighborhood kids.
The Cache
You are looking for a small loc-n-loc about the size of a tall
deck of cards. I'm guessing it's about 20-25 feet east of (behind)
the sign. Watch for muggles.
