'Chantilly Homes and Real Estate Northern Virginia Information and Homes for Sale in Fairfax County, VA'

Northern Virginia is one of the largest and fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the country. And while the area is a modern success story, it has roots deep in the past. Stories of Jamestown and the adventures of Captain John Smith and an Indian girl named Pocahontas are among the first history lessons that children learn in school. This is a place of history. George Washington and George Mason, father of the Bill of Rights, were born here and had their homes here. Robert E. Lee's boyhood home was here too; the first battle of the Civil War took place in Manassas.

The region balances its historic past with a vibrant present. Scenic rural communities lie not too far from modern suburban city centers; cobblestone streets are lined with fashionable shops. Residents can attend foxhunts by day and the opera or ballet at night. Ride a bike along the historic Washington & Old Dominion Railway right-of-way, or enjoy the view from above in a jet flying out of Washington Dulles International Airport.

The scenic Potomac River rushes along the northern border of the state, past the District of Columbia to its east and down into the Chesapeake Bay. To the west lie the Blue Ridge Mountains and Shenandoah National Park.

Three professional sports teams give citizens something to cheer about - the NFL’s Washington Redskins, the NHL’s Washington Capitals and the NBA’s Washington Wizards. In addition, golfers will enjoy Fairfax National Golf Club in nearby Centreville and Pleasant Valley Golfer’s Club at Richard Jones Park in nearby Chantilly. There are numerous other professionally designed and award winning public and private golf courses in nearby towns. There are so many top quality golf courses in Northern Virginia that the area is becoming known as a golf Mecca of the Mid-Atlantic region. Fairfax County has over 30,000 acres of parkland with activities including hiking, biking, and even kayaking on the Potomac.

In addition, Fairfax County has two outstanding performing arts centers, the George Mason University Center for the Arts and Wolf Trap Park for the Performing Arts. Wolf Trap Park is the only performing arts park operated by the US National Park Service and is the summer home of the National Symphony Orchestra.

Fairfax County began with a land grant in 1649 from King Charles II of England to Thomas, sixth Lord Fairfax, for whom the county was named. The Virginia Assembly did not officially form the county until 1741.