By Steve Hull, Oakton Historian & Hunter Mill Defense League Member
For most drivers, Hunter Mill Road is simply a scenic stretch through Fairfax County. But for a dedicated group of local historians, it is a corridor rich with untold stories, stretching from before the Civil War to the present.
The effort to recognize and preserve Hunter Mill Road began between 2000 and 2002, when the History Committee conducted its first research survey. Led by Jeannette Twomey, Holly Towne, Jody Bennett, and Michael Meyer, the team successfully applied to have the road designated a Virginia Byway and deemed “Eligible to List on the National Register of Historic Places” as well as the Virginia Landmarks Register.
When the committee leadership changed around 2004, a new team—Steve Hull, Charlie Balch, Bob Eldridge, and Jim Lewis—took the research to new depths. They spent thousands of hours digging through archives at the Fairfax Library, Fairfax Courthouse, Library of Congress, and National Archives, and even traveled to the Library of Virginia in Richmond and the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center in Pennsylvania. They also drew on the knowledge of local historians like Tom Evans and Ed Wenzel, uncovering stories and documents that had been overlooked for decades.
Their first major public project was the film The Danger Between the Lines, which depicted life along Hunter Mill Road during the Civil War. Building on that success, Jim Lewis spearheaded the creation of tour books and guided tours, using the team’s research to bring history to life for residents and visitors.
The work didn’t just educate—it left a lasting mark on the corridor itself. Revenue from the film and tour books funded eleven historic markers, making the road’s rich past visible to anyone who drives it today.
“Hunter Mill Road is more than a scenic route,” said Lewis. “It’s a living history, and every field, house, and bend in the road has a story to tell.”
Thanks to the decades of dedication from these volunteers, Hunter Mill Road stands as a model of local history preserved, celebrated, and shared.
