Centreville and Chantilly
By Mary Stachyra Lopez, Foreword by Eric Cox and Gina Richard
Centreville and Chantilly are located 25 miles west of Washington, DC, and both share rich Civil War histories. Centreville overcame occupation by two armies during the Civil War. Four Chimney House, the home of a prominent Centreville businessman, first became the headquarters of Union general Irvin McDowell, then the headquarters of Confederate general Joseph E. Johnston. Johnston also used the Mount Gilead home, which is still standing, as his personal residence. In Chantilly, after the Second Battle of Bull Run, Confederate forces led by Stonewall Jackson clashed with Union troops at the Battle of Chantilly (also known as Ox Hill), where Union generals Philip Kearny and Isaac Stevens met their deaths. Centreville and Chantilly shares with readers the stories and photographs of two communities that greatly respect their past and embrace their change. Today, Centreville's agricultural heritage lives on alongside modern-day entrepreneurialism at Cox Farms, while Chantilly is home to the National Air and Space Museum's Udvar-Hazy Center and Dulles International Airport.
Mary Stachyra Lopez is an award-winning journalist who has lived and worked in the Sully District for the last several years. During that time, she has learned about the history of these communities and how they have changed over the past decades. Stachyra Lopez was able to compile these wonderful photographs with the help of local residents, the Virginia Room at the Fairfax County Public Library, and the National Archives.