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Latest from Vale Club's President:

STAYING BUSY AMID SOME WILD TEMPERATURE SWINGS
 
There have been some wild temperatureswings over the past month, with flowersblooming and pollen counts high, so the Vale
Club’s February speaker was particularly timely. Dr. Jean Shiller’s presentation on “Climate Change and Health Impact” was both informative and thought provoking.
 
The movie outing last month to ‘80 for Brady’ was well attended. I hope it becomes a regular event going forward. If anyone is interested in organizing a movie club, please contact me or any member of the Outings Team.
 
By the time you read this message, the second Team Trivia event will have already taken place, on March 2, and the winning
team will have been crowned. You can find photos of the winners posted on Vale Club’s media sites. Thank you to Michelle Florio for volunteering her time as Master of Ceremony and to Barbara Autrey for allH er help. I want to acknowledge Donald Pennyfeather at Mulligan’s Pub for his generosity in donating the space to Vale Club for the evening.
 
Coffee meetups at Bobby’s Bagels on the first Monday of the month have proven very popular this year. They are a great way to interact with members in an intimate setting. I encourage everyone, especially new members, to drop by if you can. Diana Durbin and Ann Carroll make sure everyone is warmly welcomed.
 
Lee Ellis
Vale Club President


FVS History Highlights: “a place to tie to” 

‘Vale Schoolhouse isn’t the only historical schoolhouse in Oakton’
 
As you drive south on Hunter Mill Road toward Oakton and the intersection with Rte 123, you can see a school building on your Left as you pass through the roundabout. Do you know its history?
 
It was built in 1897 and was named the Oakton Schoolhouse. An annex was added in 1904 allowing the small student population to be divided by age and grade level between two teachers, with a capacity of 45 students. The building served as a school for only 15
years, after which there were numerous additions and alterations to the site.
 
It was used as a private residence, a retail hardware store and in 1968 became the Appalachian Outfitters, a camping and outdoor activity
store originally started to help Boy Scout troops find equipment. Over the years hikers, Boy Scouts, spelunkers and other outdoor
enthusiasts gathered around the pot bellied stove getting advice and encouragement. In 2004 the store closed.
 
Through a public-private partnership the school building was preserved; in 2007, it was moved from its location—up Hunter Mill Road directly on Rte 123—to where it sits today. Expert workers had prepared the building by lifting it up on steel beams, removing its
stone and concrete foundation and putting plastic covering on the area connected to the additions.

Utility lines and traffic lights had been removed to allow it to pass. The 35-ton, 1,000-square-foot schoolhouse was lifted onto a semi-
trailer truck and made the journey up Hunter Mill Road to its present location. Fairfax County Park Authority owns the building and grounds; it is cared for by members of the Greater Oakton Community Association.

Another piece of our local history preserved through the efforts and foresight of our committed neighbors.
 
Darlene Williamson
Historic Preservation officer


 

Vale Club

Vale Club is dedicated to enriching the lives of women in the Vale community. Our goal is to provide our members with a variety of social, educational, and volunteer opportunities throughout the year. The majority of our members live within the Oakton community. We have multiple member activities each month, primarily scheduled from September through May, with a few Special Interest Groups meeting during the summer months ...s
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Vale Schoolhouse

A brief history of The Vale Schoolhouse as recorded by the Fairfax County Public Schools of Yesteryear and Todayhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUOCcwvqBB0

Vale Schoolhouse, at the corner of Vale and Fox Mill Roads in Oakton, VA, was built c.1884 as a one-room public school. A second room was added in 1912. The school closed in 1931 when many Fairfax County schools were consolidated ...read more
Friends of Vale Schoolhouse, Inc. is Vale Clubs 501(C)3 charity for the maintenance and preservation of the historic Schoolhouse property which was placed on the VA Landmarks Register and the National Register ... read more

 

Contact Us

  • The Vale Schoolhouse is located at the corner of Vale Rd and Fox Mill Rd in Oakton, VA
  • P.O. Box 6, Oakton,VA 22124
  • For other information contact our President at leehellis2@gmail.com