| Mason Neck | |
|---|---|
| — Unincorporated community — | |
|
Mason Neck
|
|
| Coordinates: | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Virginia |
| County | Fairfax |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP codes | |
| FIPS code | |
| GNIS feature ID | |
Mason Neck is a peninsula jutting into the Potomac River to the south of Washington, DC. It is surrounded also by Belmont Bay to the west, Gunston Cove to the east, and Pohick Bay to the northeast. The unincorporated community of Mason Neck forms the southernmost section of Fairfax County, in Northern Virginia, and comprises an area of approximately 9,000 acres (36 km2), two-thirds of which is preserved as parkland by regional, state, and national authorities. The Census Bureau defines Mason Neck as a census-designated place (CDP) with a population of 2,005 as of 2010.[1]
Contents |
Archaeological evidence on Mason Neck indicates that the peninsula was inhabited by the Dogue Indian tribe prior to the arrival of European settlers. The recorded history of Mason Neck began around 1775 with the construction of Gunston Hall, the plantation home of Virginian statesman and author of the Virginia Declaration of Rights, George Mason. Mason Neck is also the location of Pohick Church, frequented by both Mason and George Washington, and Cranford Methodist Church, which was built in 1857 and served as a hospital during the American Civil War.
During the 19th century and early 20th century, much of the land was used for logging of mature pine and hardwood timber. Over time, pollution and habitat destruction caused a decline in the bald eagle population. By the 1960s, much of the forest had grown back, but residential development as a suburb of Washington DC posed another threat. In 1969, local residents and conservation groups achieved the establishment of the Elizabeth Hartwell Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge, with the specific objective of protecting the bald eagle. This, along with Mason Neck State Park and Pohick Bay Regional Park, provides a variety of recreational activities while preserving the land's natural resources[2]
In addition to bald eagles, Mason Neck is home to a surprising variety of different species for Northern Virginia. Other birds include the Great Blue Heron, Canadian geese, ospreys, wood ducks, teal, owls, and woodpeckers. Whitetail deer are a common sight, along with beavers, muskrats, groundhogs, and fox. A diverse population of frogs and toads is audible on summer nights. Eastern box turtles, Eastern snapping turtles, wood turtles, and spotted turtles can be found around ponds, streams, and marshes, as well as snakes, such as the Northern Copperhead and the Northern Black Racer.