This piece of ground has changed as a "place" -- from a resourse to be exploited to a place "along the way" to a strategic location. Perceptions of a landscape reflect these disjunctions in time. 

This piece of ground is a portion of the eastern extent of Virginia's Piedmont, defining the headwaters of Popes Head and Pohick Creek watersheds. The terrain is undulating and hilly, as seen in the topographic map prepared in 1959 at the time this property was being designated as the location of the "Northern Virginia College of the University of Virginia." 

Prehistorically, this piece of ground was exploited primarily for its outcroppings of quartz, a valued indigenous stone used in the manufacture of tools. Two small habitation areas likely served as temporary camps from which these surface quarries could be mined. 

Historic records indicate this piece of ground served as a crossroads by 1748, recognized "roads" replacing long used Indian trails. At the outskirts of Fairfax City, freed Blacks settled many of these parcels, as indicated by the Hopkins Stlas of 1879. By 1870, a general store for the use of freed Blacks was in operation at the intersection of Braddock Road and Ox Road, also known as Farr's Crossroads. Remains of other nineteenth and twentieth century homesteads, including the residences of B. Watkins and E. Watkins have been located. This was "along the way" from Fairfax City to Occoquan, the closest port access to the Chesapeake. 

Civil War activities peripheral to Fairfax City and major battlefields are seen throughout this area. High points in the landscape served as bivouac areas for Northern and Southern troops at various moments. A circular bunker overlooking Farr's Crossroads was built by a Confederate Calvary Unit. This same hill was once the location of Richard Farr's residence. These historic sites were destroyed without mitigation in 1980 with the expansion of Parking Lot L. 

At the edge of Fairfax City, this piece of land was wooded and out of agricultural production by the mid-twentieth century. In 1960, it was deeded to the State of Virginia to form a new college in Northern Virginia. 

Prompted by the commission of the 1979 Masterplan, an archaeological reconnaisance of George Mason University properties was undertaken. This was the first systematic survey undertaken to locate archaeological features, and was done in order to assess the potential site mitigation requirements. In December of 1980, then Attorney General marshall Coleman ruled that "As a general rule, the Commonwealth and its agencies are not subject to statutory provisions unless the General Assembly has expressly provided." His ruling responded to Dr. Thomas A. Graves, then President of The College of William and Mary in reference to the construction of a waster treament plant on Campus property on an archaeological sites which had been identified as the "old Gloucester Towne." This ruling vacated the State's responsibility to protect sites which it owned. Known as the Gloucester Ruling, archaeological sites on the George Mason Campus have been similarly destroyed without being explored. 

to be completed

The Geological Surveys of 1966 and 1984

Shortly after the first buildings of this campus had been erected, a geological survey of this area was taken that shows the campus at the edge of the town. 

Brown is used for the contour lines which indicate elevation and blue for the water features that cut across the contours. Green suggests the vegetative cover, while black indicates the built environment. Where the built environment is dense, red is used in place of individual structures. Purple, which can stand for any of the other colors, reflects revison of the map using areal photographs. On this map, features in purple denote change in the built environment from 1966, when the map was compiled, to 1984, when it was photorevised.

A Pictorial Survey

The site of the Campus in 1968. The original four campus buildings are located at the top of the picture. 

The original four buildings, the library and the construction of the Lecture Hall. 

The original four buildings, the library and the completed Lecture Hall (seen from the West). 

The original four buildings, the library and the completed Lecture Hall (seen from the East). 

The addition of Thompson Hall. 

The original four buildings, library, Lecture Hall, the new library towers, Robinson A and Student Union I (seen from the West). 

The original four buildings, library, Lecture Hall, the new Library towers, Robinson A and Student Union I (seen from the North). 

The Masterplan of 1960

The first stage were "four buildings around a lawn." On the plans, these four buildings were labelled A, B, C and D. Later they were called East, West, North and South Buildings. Only the East and West Buildings have maintained their names. North Building is now named Finley Building and South Building was renamed Krug Building. All buildings were air conditioned, making the college the first air conditioned state educational institution. 

While the perspective plan includes a Lecture Hall, connected by a colonnade with the East Building, the first additional authorized building was the Library. It was later named Fenwick Library.

The first four building "around a lawn" were understood as a clear reference to the buildings around The Lawn of the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. In addition, in the words of the architects, the architecture of the buildings was meant to reflect Jeffersonian influence through the use of red brick with buff colored mortar, white vertical columns, and sloped shingled roofs.

The Masterplan of 1968

"It has been the most exciting assignment and we are gratified to have been able to make a contribution to the continuing successful growth of the Campus

Discussions about the shape of the campus are preserved in a series of drawings, reflecting various types of campus configurations: cluster college, dispersed college, growth college..

On the basis of these discussions, preliminary plans for the campus expansion were made.

Next, these preliminary plans were related to existing buildings that were renamed College I. Structures for College II were projected south of College I.

A final masterplan was drawn that included projected buildings.

George Mason began it's campus with four buildings. By 1968, the first wing of the Library and the Lecture Hall had become the newest additions to the campus. The master plan of 1968 was proposing a whole new idea as to what the campus should look like in it's future expansion. However only three additional buildings were actually part of the new plan. The three proposed buildings were, Student Union I, the Physical Education building and the second wing of the library.

The idea of this plan was to expand the campus by adding on from the back of the first four buildings. There also was an idea to create a road that would encircle the entire campus, that would give it a sense of unity and security. George Mason was expected to continue to grow in student population. Thus it was felt necessary that five more academic and student union buildings were needed on campus. The intended idea of these ten additional buildings plus, the already existing five academic buildings and the library was to create six unique cluster colleges on the George Mason campus. Because the campus was expanding, only five of the new additional cluster colleges would be centrally located to one another. 

The original four buildings and their student union building would form one of the projected colleges. Each of the student union buildings would be located in the center quad of each of the cluster of academic buildings. Ample plazas and walkways would connect the buildings.

A University Center was proposed that would be located so that it opened up onto the side lawns of three of the of the cluster colleges.

Not only would there be expansion on the main campus but, there would also be expansion west of the main campus. On the west campus married housing and research institutes would be located here.

In this master plan of 1968 there was a total of twenty-nine buildings that were ideas for construction and expansion of the George Mason College. However as time progressed and financial barriers occurred not all the buildings were actually able to become part of the campus. Only five buildings were built and became part of the campus by the time the next master plan was designed. These buildings included one of the student union buildings, the first part of Robinson, the Physical Education building and the second wing of the library. Instead of the married housing being completed student apartments were built on the main campus.

The Masterplan of 1979

The campus as it appeared in 1979 when a new masterplan was prepared.

The Masterplan of 1987

The Masterplan of 1987 was developed by the firm of Sasaki, Associates, Inc. 

The Masterplan of 1991

The Masterplan of 1991 was developed by the firm of Marcellus, Wright, Cox and Smith.

1964

The original four buildings as part of George Mason College of the Universtiy of Virginia

East Building

West Building

North (Finley) Building

South (Krug) Building

1967

Fenwick Library was designed by the architectural firm DMJM. The cost of building construction was approximately $1.2 million dollars. The complex is composed of brick, precast concrete and glass set in bronze tone aluminum frames. The walls were finished with vinyl, fabric, ceramic tile and wood paneling. The original plan for the building also included a recessed court. 

Lecture Hall

The Lecture Hall was designed by the firm of Vosbeck, Vosbeck and Associates. It is constructed of brick and glass in bronze frames to compliment Fenwick Library. The building consists of two rectangular masses joined together by a glass enclosed central space with a raised skylight. There are two classrooms in the building in addition to the actual lecture space which has a seating capacity of approximately 300 people. 

1971

Thompson Hall

1974

Student Union I

Student Union I was designed by the firm of Nottingham and Associates.

1975

Robinson Hall
Harris Theatre

Both buildings were designed by the firm LBC&W.

1977

Student Housing (Apartments)

1981

Student Housing (Halls)

1982

Field House

King Hall

King Hall was designed by the firm of Hubert L. Jones.

Student Union II Student Union II was designed by the firm of Nottingham and Associates.

1984

Student Housing (Patriot Village)

1985

Patriot Center

1986

Student Housing (Commons)
Student Housing (University Park)

1987

Science and Technology I

Science and Technology I was designed by the firm of John Carl Warnecke and Associates. 

1988

Humanities I (Performing Arts)

Humanities I was designed by the firm LBC&W.

1989

Commerce Building I (Enterprise Hall)

Enterprise Hall was designed by the firm of Long, Brown and Associates.

Humanities II (Mason Hall, Fine Arts)

Humanities II was designed by the firm VVKR, Inc.

Providence Park
Student Housing (Presidents Park)

1990

Humanities III (Theater)

The Theater Building was designed by the McGuire Group.

1991

Science and Technology II

Science and Technology II was designed by the firm of Gauthier Alvarado and Associates

1995 

1996

George W. Johnson Learning Center was opened at the end of the academic year 1995/96 to coincide with the date of the retirement of the fourth president of George Mason University whose name the Center bears.

1997

The Krasnow Institute was developed by the architectural firm of Dewberry and Davis.

During the initial stages of the planning for this Institute, it was called Krasnow Memorial Institute. Plans prepared by the firm of Dewberry and Davis envisioned a set of living units and office units for the Institute's faculty.