Falls Church residents marked the nation’s 250th birthday in a building that dates back to the time of the American Revolution.
A packed crowd participated in a community reading of founding documents on Saturday (July 4) at the Falls Church.
Noting that the church dates to the 1760s, local historian Charlie Lord reminded the audience that “the space you’re occupying was filled with many of the ideas you’re going to be hearing today.”
“This is absolutely wonderful,” said Bonnie Murphy, president of the Village Improvement and Preservation Society.
The civic group has held Independence Day ceremonies for decades, featuring community readings of documents that shaped the Revolutionary era. The 2026 edition may have represented the largest turnout.
Readings kicked off with the works of Thomas Paine, who helped popularize the idea of cutting ties with the English crown. They continued with the Virginia Declaration of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights and multiple constitutional amendments.
Each of the several hundred people in attendance had the opportunity to read a paragraph from one or more documents.
Following the indoor program, attendees ventured outside for an ice cream social and tree planting on the grounds of the church.
It was on those grounds that, in September 1776, the Declaration of Independence was read aloud. To most witnessing that event, it marked their first knowledge of the formal split with King George III, although it would be seven long years before the war concluded.
The main brick building of the Falls Church was completed in December 1769. In the run-up to the Revolutionary War, it served as a recruiting center for the Fairfax Militia, organized by George Mason, who worshiped there.
Though largely untouched by the Revolutionary War, the church’s role in the community was impacted by the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, which in 1786 disestablished the Church of England as the commonwealth’s official state religion.
Most Church of England parishes in the United States, including the Falls Church, transitioned into the Episcopalian denomination, part of the Anglican Communion.
The church, and the community around it, were significantly impacted by fighting during the Civil War. Nearly a century later, in 1959, the original building was stripped down to bare bricks and fully renovated, Lord said.
While the July 4 event at the church went on as scheduled in air-conditioned comfort, the Falls Church Civic Jam, planned for the evening of July 3 outdoors at the Falls Church Community Center, was postponed due to excessive heat.
The civic jam is a centerpiece presentation of the Falls Church 250 Committee, established by the City Council to lead commemorative events. The event has been rescheduled for the evening of Friday, July 24.
