How many of you have ever heard of the Washington D.C. suburb known as Burke, Virginia? Outside of the D.C. region, very few have heard of this place as it is often overshadowed by the more famous suburbs of Alexandria, Arlington, and Manassas. It was almost the site of Washington’s second airport. The site originally chosen is now a huge man-made lake. The town is named after Silas Burke.
Who was Silas Burke?
Silas Burke was many things, but the one important thing was that he was the director of the Orange and Alexandria Railroad. He donated some of his property to allow the railroad to be built through the area. A train station was built, and it was called Burke Station. While in use, it was the site of a few American Civil War skirmishes to include a raid by Confederate General J. E. B. Stuart.
Along with the Civil War, the town was also the site of a racetrack. It was to be a resort town with big hotels. Today, the original Burke Station is located in a nearby community. What was once the Orange and Alexandria Railroad is now owned by the Norfolk Southern Railway. The only trains that stop in Burke is the Virginia Railway Express which takes commuters to Union Station in Washington D.C.
Today, Burke is mostly homes, strip malls, and a few parks. The rebuilt Silas House is located at a senior center on Burke Lake Road. As you drive around, it does not look like a railroad town, but it was a man who allowed the railroad to shape the region.
The photo of Burke Station is a photo on display at the Fairfax Station Railroad Museum in Fairfax Station, Virginia.
