Dear Graham, It is cheaper to stay out near Manassas. Check out Expedia.com for Manassas Virginia. They show photo, rate the motels and give prices (start at $69). The closer to DC the more expensive the place will be. For local history books, don't forget the Daughters of the American Revolution Library in DC. You can research for $10 a day.(I think) The Library of Congress and the Archives are other excellent research sites, as you know. The Archives will get you the Civil War records of (at least) Northern soldiers. Another Church to check out. THE FALLS CHURCH at Rt. 7 and Lee Highway is from before 1780. (Google The Falls Church and you get the following.) The first church to be built after it was established by the Colonial General Assembly in 1732 was a wooden building on this site as a part of Truro Parish . It was completed in 1734 by Richard Blackburn on land donated by John Trammell. Until that time, this area was served by clergyman who lived near present-day Quantico, and the nearest church was Occoquan Church near Lorton. The name "The Falls Church" came from its geographical location. Among the very few, widely separated churches in the parish, this church was identified as the one that was "near the falls" of the Potomac River. One of the roads which intersected near the church led to the ferry below the Little Falls. The Falls Church was the name commonly used after 1757. The name Falls Church was adopted by the community which developed around the church, and subsequently by the city when it was incorporated in 1948. Historic Marker Outside the Historic Church on Washington Street In 1762, the wood building was judged to be "greatly in decay". The vestry (the church governing body), meeting at The Falls Church, ordered a new brick building constructed on the same site. In 1763, George Washington and George William Fairfax were appointed church wardens with responsibility to contract for a new building. This was Washington’s last official act on behalf of this church after the parish was divided in 1765 and before work began. After 1765, the seat of Truro Parish, which had been here, returned to the southern part of the county and this church became the seat of the new Fairfax Parish. Work on the new church was begun in 1767 by Colonel James Wren who had designed the building and was a member of the vestry as well. The new building was completed late in the fall of 1769. It is the oldest remaining church building north of Quantico in Virginia. Enjoy. This is an exciting area for research. Linda -----Original Message----- From: Glouer4@aol.com [mailto:Glouer4@aol.com] Sent: Monday, March 20, 2006 11:13 PM To: VAFAIRFA-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [VAFairfax] PLANNING A TRIP -- HELP PLEASE Hi, I’m planning to drive from TX to Fairfax Co for research in early to mid April, and I’m hoping that some of you folks could reccomend the best places for research in the Fairfax Co area. I would like to visit the library or libraries with the best records or collections for that area, especially items not already published in book form. Any churches that were open before 1780 ? I also would like a reccomendation on where to stay and eat, preferably in or near Manassas or the western part of Fairfax City or nearby, please. Thanks, Graham Louer Frisco TX Researching in this area: Graham, Grimes ==== VAFAIRFA Mailing List ==== E-mail List Mom at mailto:daisysroots@yahoo.com http://www.rootsweb.com/~vafairfa/ ============================== Jumpstart your genealogy with OneWorldTree. Search not only for ancestors, but entire generations. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13972/rd.ashx