Burke, Virginia | |
|---|---|
 Houses in Burke in October 2016 | |
 Location of Burke inFairfax County,Virginia | |
  Burke, Virginia  Burke, Virginia  Burke, Virginia | |
| Coordinates:38°46′53″N77°16′15″W / 38.78139°N 77.27083°W /38.78139; -77.27083 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Virginia |
| County | Fairfax |
| Named after | Silas Burke |
| Area | |
• Total | 8.7 sq mi (22.6 km2) |
| • Land | 8.6 sq mi (22.3 km2) |
| • Water | 0.1 sq mi (0.3 km2) |
| Elevation | 256 ft (78 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 42,312 |
| • Density | 4,771/sq mi (1,842.1/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Codes | 22009, 22015 |
| Area code(s) | 703,571 |
| FIPS code | 51-11464[1] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1494192[2] |
Burke is an unincorporated section ofFairfax County, Virginia, United States, traditionally defined as the area served by the Burke post office (Zip Code 22015). Burke includes twocensus-designated places: the Burke CDP, population 42,312 in 2020[3]and theBurke Centre CDP, population 17,518 in 2020.[4]
Burke is named after Silas Burke (1796–1854), who built a house on a hill overlooking the valley ofPohick Creek in approximately 1824. Burke was a farmer, merchant, and local politician. He was a judge, sheriff, director of the Orange and Alexandria Railroad Company, president of the Fairfax Agricultural Society and the Fairfax Turnpike Company, among other leadership titles. He was also an overseer of the Fitzhugh’s plantation, which meant that he managed the Fitzhugh’s slaves and farming tasks. Burke also had personal slaves for his own farm. The Silas Burke house still stands.[5]
When theOrange and Alexandria Railroad was constructed in the late 1840s, the railroad station at the base of that hill was named "Burke's Station" after Burke, who owned the land in the area and donated a right-of-way to the railroad company. The community that grew up around the railroad station acquired apost office branch in 1852. The railroad tracks located on the same historical line are owned by theNorfolk Southern Railway and form part of theManassas Line of theVirginia Railway Expresscommuter rail system, which has two stations (Rolling Road andBurke Centre) in the Burke area. The original Burke Station building can still be seen in the community, turned 90 degrees from its historical footprint.[6]
During theCivil War, the railway station was garrisoned byUnion troops. TheBog Wallow Ambush occurred nearby in 1861.[7] On December 28, 1862,Confederatecavalry under GeneralJ.E.B. Stuart raided the station. Stuart seized supplies from the area, destroyed a nearby bridge, monitored Union messages passing over the telegraph lines, and then famously sent a telegram to Union Quartermaster GeneralMontgomery C. Meigs complaining of the poor quality of the mules he had captured.[6][8] Further action was seen in the neighborhood in 1863.[9]
In 1903, Henry C. Copperthite changed the name of the post office from Burke's Station to Burke after buying the Burke House and 241 acres (98 ha) to build a racetrack for trotting and pacing horses. Copperthite was a wealthy man and the largest non-government employer in Washington, D.C.; in 1914 his factory in Georgetown produced 50,000 pies a day, earning him the nickname "King of Pie". Copperthite built four hotels, stables and expanded thegeneral store. Burke became a popular summer destination where people attended fairs and saw horse races, foot races, motorcycle races, exhibition boxing matches and baseball games. Trains ran to Burke fromWashington Union Station in Washington, D.C.,Alexandria,Prince William, andLoudoun counties and as far away asRichmond. Copperthite installed the first phones in Burke, and his stables housed the horses of PresidentMcKinley and Vice PresidentTheodore Roosevelt. The site of the racetrack is marked by a historic marker erected by Fairfax County in 2016.[10][11]
The area remained predominantly rural into the mid-20th century. AfterWorld War I, Burke's population grew as federal government workers moved into the area within easy commuting distance to Washington.
In 1951, the U.S.Civil Aeronautics Administration announced plans to condemn 4,520 acres (1,830 ha) of land in Burke to construct a second airport to serve the Washington metropolitan area.[12] After a lengthy lobbying campaign by area residents, the government in 1958 selected a different site nearChantilly, Virginia, which would becomeWashington Dulles International Airport. Land that had been purchased to build the airport was later developed into Burke Lake Park and the planned community of Burke Centre.[13]
The first large subdivision in the vicinity, Kings Park, was constructed beginning in 1960, and was followed by many others over the next two decades, converting Burke into a densely populated suburban community.
A historic marker in Burke denotes the Huldah Coffer House, owned by a prominent resident of the county for many years.[14] Another privately erected historical marker indicates the site of the former Lee Chapel Methodist church, which was intentionally burned in 1951 after having been abandoned for some years, but whose cemetery remains on the site.[15]
Burke[16]
Burke is located south of the center of Fairfax County at38°46′53″N77°16′15″W / 38.78139°N 77.27083°W /38.78139; -77.27083 (38.781480, −77.270750).[17] The Burke CDP is bordered by the CDPs ofBurke Centre to the west,Kings Park West to the northwest,Long Branch andWakefield to the north,Kings Park to the northeast,West Springfield to the east,Newington Forest to the south, andSouth Run to the southwest.Burke Lake Park, which borders the Burke CDP to the southwest and is not part of any CDP, is a large recreational park operated by the Fairfax County Park Authority, featuring a golf course and woodland surroundingBurke Lake.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the Burke CDP has a total area of 8.7 square miles (22.6 km2), of which 8.6 square miles (22.3 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km2), or 1.22%, is water.[18] Most of the water making up Burke consists of artificial ponds and lakes.
| Climate data for Burke | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 44 (7) | 49 (9) | 58 (14) | 69 (21) | 78 (26) | 85 (29) | 89 (32) | 87 (31) | 81 (27) | 70 (21) | 59 (15) | 48 (9) | 68 (20) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 24 (−4) | 26 (−3) | 33 (1) | 42 (6) | 52 (11) | 61 (16) | 66 (19) | 65 (18) | 58 (14) | 45 (7) | 36 (2) | 28 (−2) | 45 (7) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 3.48 (88) | 3.01 (76) | 4.13 (105) | 3.54 (90) | 4.42 (112) | 3.69 (94) | 4.26 (108) | 3.98 (101) | 4.30 (109) | 3.48 (88) | 3.41 (87) | 3.41 (87) | 45.11 (1,145) |
| Source:Weather.com[19] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 33,835 | — | |
| 1990 | 57,734 | 70.6% | |
| 2000 | 57,737 | 0.0% | |
| 2010 | 41,055 | −28.9% | |
| 2020 | 42,312 | 3.1% |
At the2020 census (some information from the2022 American Community Survey) there were 42,312 people, 13,880 housing units and 13,786 households residing in the CDP. Thepopulation density was 4,920.0 inhabitants per square mile (1,897.4/km2). The average housing unit density was 1,614.0 per square mile (622.4/km2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 56.46%White, 7.22%African American, 0.36%Native American, 18.41%Asian, 0.06%Pacific Islander, 4.95% fromother races, and 12.53% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race was 14.20% of the population.[20]
Of the households, 74.1% were married couple families, 8.4% were a male family householder with no spouse, and 14.6% were a female family householder with no spouse.[20]
The average family household had 3.41 people. The median age was 39.6, 26.4% of people were under the age of 18, and 15.8% were 65 years of age or older. The largest ancestry is the 13.7% who hadGerman ancestry, 35.1% spoke a language other thanEnglish at home, and 25.3% were born outside the United States, 73.8% of whom werenaturalized citizens.[20]
The median income for a household in the CDP was $172,432, and the median income for a family was $176,970. 11.9% of the population weremilitary veterans, and 65.0% had abachelor's degree orhigher. In the CDP 2.0% of the population was below thepoverty line, including 1.2% of those under age 18 and 3.0% of those age 65 or over, with 5.3% of the population withouthealth insurance.[20]
As of thecensus[1] of2000, there were 59,830 people, 19,215 households, and 15,756 families residing in the community. Burke is the largest community in Virginia recognized by the Census Bureau, other than counties and incorporated cities (although 11 cities andArlington, Virginia have greater populations). The population density was 5,008.0 inhabitants per square mile (1,933.6/km2). There were 19,367 housing units at an average density of 1,679.9 per square mile (648.6/km2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 74.36%White, 14.66%Asian, 5.04%African American, 3.27% from two or more races, 0.21%Native American, 0.08%Pacific Islander, and 2.37% fromother races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 7.43% of the population.
There were 19,215 households, out of which 44.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.6% weremarried couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.0% were non-families. 13.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 2.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.99 and the average family size was 3.30.
The population distribution by age is 27.9% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 30.6% from 45 to 64, and 5.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 95.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.1 males.
According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in Burke is $113,034, and the median income for a family was $125,905. Males had a median income of $66,149 versus $41,933 for females. Theper capita income for the CDP was $34,936. About 1.5% of families and 2.3% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 2.4% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or over.
Elementary and secondary school students in Burke are served by theFairfax County Public School System. The elementary schools in Burke are White Oaks, Terra Centre, Fairview and Cherry Run, although students also attend Ravensworth and Kings Park/Kings Glen as well Sangster. Burke is home toLake Braddock Secondary School, though many students within the district attendRobinson Secondary School andWest Springfield High School, as well asSouth County High School.
Fairfax County Public Library operates the Pohick Regional Library, the Burke Centre Library, and the Kings Park Library in the CDP.[21]
Burke is served by twoVirginia Railway Express stations,Burke Centre andRolling Road, both on theManassas Line. The former is also anAmtrak station. It is also served by theWashington Metrobus system, via the 17A, B, G, H, K, and L and the 18G, H, J, P, R, and S routes, with rush-hour-only service to the Pentagon and Springfield Metro stations.
Along the boundaries of adjoiningFairfax Station, Burke Lake Park is an 888-acre (3.59 km2) park centered on a 218-acre (0.88 km2) recreational lake. The park contains a 4.68-mile (7.53 km) jogging trail, campsites, numerous picnic and sports areas, an 18-hole par three golf course with driving range, adisc golf course,miniature golf course, boat rental, amphitheater, ice cream parlor, carousel, and miniature train ride.
Burke Centre is a 1,700-acre (690 ha) planned community that was formerly part of the Burke CDP but is now a separate census-designated area. It is located west of Burke and is divided into five subcommunities: The Commons, The Landings, The Oaks, The Ponds and The Woods. Other notable communities in the Burke area include Rolling Valley West, Burke Village I & II, Lakepointe, Longwood Knolls, Burke Lake Meadows, Edgewater, Lake Braddock, Signal Hill, Crownleigh, and Cherry Run along with Burke Station Square.
All distances are by road from Burke Station, the original settlement of Burke:
| Administration |  | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Organizations | |||||||
| Landmarks | |||||||
| Transportation |
| ||||||
| Culture |
| ||||||
| Education | |||||||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Geographic | |
