Sterling, Virginia
Encyclopedia
Sterling, Virginia is a census-designated place
in Loudoun County
, Virginia
. The population as of the 2010 Census
was 27,822.
It is located northwest of Herndon
, east of Ashburn
, and west of Great Falls
, and includes part of Dulles International Airport and the former AOL
corporate headquarters. Sterling is also home to the National Weather Service
Weather Forecast Office
(serving the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area
), as well as the Sterling Field Support Center, the National Weather Service
test, research, and evaluation center for weather instruments.
. Tavenner had purchased land from Albert Shaw Jr., who had inherited it from his father Albert B. Shaw
, editor and publisher of the American Review of Reviews
. One of Shaw's spreads, totaling 1640 acres (6.6 km²), was called "The Experimental Farm", because he was the first area farmer to receive a U.S. grant for applying "scientific methods", as Tavenner called them. According to Tavenner, "White Russians
", refugees from the Soviet Union
, ran the farm when Shaw stayed in New York City
.
Dulles International Airport and the extension of water and sewer lines to the airport began to change the landscape when construction started in 1959.
As selling points, Loudoun's taxes were less than half of Fairfax's taxes; Washington was a half-hour away, and the elder Broyhill envisioned commuter trains on the Washington and Old Dominion Railroad
, which since 1951, had carried only freight. The railroad tracks were the southern boundary of the present Sterling Park.
The original Sterling Park and "Broyhill's Addition" had one thing in common. Residents had to be of the "Caucasian Race
”. No board member or speaker before the board raised an objection to the clause, a common one in the United States throughout the 1960s, even though discriminatory housing was outlawed by the Civil Rights Act of 1866
. No African American
family moved into Sterling Park until August 1966, when the illegality of the clause became apparent. By then, the population of "The Park", as it had come to be known, had reached 5,000.
. The USGS has assigned Sterling the geographical coordinates: [39.0062204, -77.4285992]. Sterling is part of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and borders the Potomac River
.
, Electronic Instrumentation and Technology Inc, and Paxfire Inc.
Also, companies that have a branch office or headquarters in Sterling, with a total number of employees over 1,000 or more are as follows: Alcatel Networks Inc, Geo Trans Inc, HR Solutions LLC, M C Dean Inc, National Electronics Warranty Corp, N E W Customer Service Companies Inc, and Orbital Science.
At one time, Atlantic Coast Airlines
had its headquarters in Sterling.
has a Loudoun
campus on Harry F. Byrd Highway (Route 7). Nearby, in Ashburn
, The George Washington University, has its Virginia Science and Technology Campus, established in 1991.
and the Shenandoah Valley
. George Washington
used the road frequently in his travels between Mount Vernon
and the western frontier. General Braddock's
troops, including Daniel Boone
, traveled Vestal's Gap Road during the French and Indian War
. http://www.loudoun.gov/default.aspx?tabid=885 http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=20033 http://www.vestals.us/gaproad.html
Sterling offers the following parks and clubs as recreational areas: Algonkian Regional Park, Dulles Golf Center & Sports Park, Sterling Park Golf Swim & Tennis Club.
services are provided by the Sterling Volunteer Fire Department. Rescue and EMS
services are provided by the Sterling Volunteer Rescue Squad. Both are non-governmental 501(c) non-profit
organizations and share two stations, with one located in the Sterling Park
community and one located in the Potomac Falls community. Police services are provided by the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office and the Virginia State Police.
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
in Loudoun County
Loudoun County, Virginia
Loudoun County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and is part of the Washington Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the county is estimated to be home to 312,311 people, an 84 percent increase over the 2000 figure of 169,599. That increase makes the county the fourth...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. The population as of the 2010 Census
United States Census, 2010
The Twenty-third United States Census, known as Census 2010 or the 2010 Census, is the current national census of the United States. National Census Day was April 1, 2010 and is the reference date used in enumerating individuals...
was 27,822.
It is located northwest of Herndon
Herndon, Virginia
Herndon is a town in Fairfax County, Virginia, in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area of the United States. The population was 21,655 at the 2000 census, which makes it the largest of three towns in the county.-History:...
, east of Ashburn
Ashburn, Virginia
Ashburn, Virginia is a census-designated place located in Loudoun County, Virginia, northwest of Washington, D.C., and is part of the Washington Metropolitan Area...
, and west of Great Falls
Great Falls, Virginia
Great Falls is a census-designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. The population was 15,427 at the 2010 census.Although primarily a bedroom community for Washington, D.C., one major attraction is Great Falls Park which overlooks the Great Falls of the Potomac River, for which...
, and includes part of Dulles International Airport and the former AOL
AOL
AOL Inc. is an American global Internet services and media company. AOL is headquartered at 770 Broadway in New York. Founded in 1983 as Control Video Corporation, it has franchised its services to companies in several nations around the world or set up international versions of its services...
corporate headquarters. Sterling is also home to the National Weather Service
National Weather Service
The National Weather Service , once known as the Weather Bureau, is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States government...
Weather Forecast Office
National Weather Service Baltimore/Washington
The National Weather Service Baltimore/Washington is a local office of the National Weather Service responsible for monitoring weather conditions in 44 counties in: eastern West Virginia, northern and central Virginia, the majority of the state of Maryland, as well as the entire city of Washington,...
(serving the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area
Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area
The Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area is a combined statistical area consisting of the overlapping labor market region of the cities of Baltimore, Maryland and Washington, D.C.. The region includes Central Maryland, Northern Virginia, and Jefferson County in the Eastern Panhandle of West...
), as well as the Sterling Field Support Center, the National Weather Service
National Weather Service
The National Weather Service , once known as the Weather Bureau, is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States government...
test, research, and evaluation center for weather instruments.
History
In the beginning of 1962, large farms made up the 1762 acres (7.1 km²) of what today is called Sterling Park. Route 7, also known as Leesburg Pike, bordered what used to be Jesse Hughes's dairy farm. Hughes arrived in Loudoun County in the early 20th century and was a longtime head of the county's DemocratsDemocratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
. Tavenner had purchased land from Albert Shaw Jr., who had inherited it from his father Albert B. Shaw
Albert Shaw (journalist)
Albert Shaw was a prominent American journalist and academic of the early 20th century.-Life:Born in Shandon, Ohio to the family of Dr. Griffin M. Shaw, Albert Shaw moved to Iowa in the spring of 1875, where he attended Iowa College specializing in constitutional history and economic science and...
, editor and publisher of the American Review of Reviews
Review of Reviews
The Review of Reviews was a noted family of monthly journals founded in 1890-93 by British reform journalist William Thomas Stead...
. One of Shaw's spreads, totaling 1640 acres (6.6 km²), was called "The Experimental Farm", because he was the first area farmer to receive a U.S. grant for applying "scientific methods", as Tavenner called them. According to Tavenner, "White Russians
White Emigre
A white émigré was a Russian who emigrated from Russia in the wake of the Russian Revolution and Russian Civil War, and who was in opposition to the contemporary Russian political climate....
", refugees from the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, ran the farm when Shaw stayed in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Dulles International Airport and the extension of water and sewer lines to the airport began to change the landscape when construction started in 1959.
As selling points, Loudoun's taxes were less than half of Fairfax's taxes; Washington was a half-hour away, and the elder Broyhill envisioned commuter trains on the Washington and Old Dominion Railroad
Washington and Old Dominion Railroad
The Washington and Old Dominion Railroad was an intrastate short-line railroad located in Northern Virginia. Its oldest line extended from Alexandria on the Potomac River northwest to Bluemont at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains near Snickers Gap, not far from the boundary line between...
, which since 1951, had carried only freight. The railroad tracks were the southern boundary of the present Sterling Park.
The original Sterling Park and "Broyhill's Addition" had one thing in common. Residents had to be of the "Caucasian Race
Caucasian race
The term Caucasian race has been used to denote the general physical type of some or all of the populations of Europe, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, Western Asia , Central Asia and South Asia...
”. No board member or speaker before the board raised an objection to the clause, a common one in the United States throughout the 1960s, even though discriminatory housing was outlawed by the Civil Rights Act of 1866
Civil Rights Act of 1866
The Civil Rights Act of 1866, , enacted April 9, 1866, is a federal law in the United States that was mainly intended to protect the civil rights of African-Americans, in the wake of the American Civil War...
. No African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
family moved into Sterling Park until August 1966, when the illegality of the clause became apparent. By then, the population of "The Park", as it had come to be known, had reached 5,000.
Geography
According to the USGS, Sterling has an average elevation of 289 feet (88.1 m) above sea levelSea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
. The USGS has assigned Sterling the geographical coordinates: [39.0062204, -77.4285992]. Sterling is part of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and borders the Potomac River
Potomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
.
Communities
- Broad Run Farms is a residential area north of Virginia State Route 7Virginia State Route 7State Route 7 is a major primary state highway and busy commuter route in Northern Virginia, United States. It travels southeast from downtown Winchester to State Route 400 in downtown Alexandria...
and 28 that was incorporated in 1952. It shares the ZIP code of 20165 and calls itself, alternately, Sterling, or Potomac Falls. As an area much older than the surrounding recent growth, it has features unique to the region, including large lots, highly wooded old-growth trees, a wide variety of housing and a voluntary civic association. The PotomacPotomac RiverThe Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
forms its northern border, and Broad Run its southern. A U.S. Senate lawyer bought the Miskel farm in 1950 and later subdivided it, founding Broad Run Farms. (The Civil War Skirmish at Miskel FarmSkirmish at Miskel FarmThe Skirmish at Miskel Farm, also known as the Fight at Miskel Farm or Gunfight at Miskel Farm, was a skirmish during the American Civil War. It took place April 1, 1863, near Broad Run in Loudoun County, Virginia, between Mosby's Rangers and the 2nd Pennsylvania Cavalry as part of Mosby's...
propelled ConfederateConfederate States ArmyThe Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
Captain John S. MosbyJohn S. MosbyJohn Singleton Mosby , nicknamed the "Gray Ghost", was a Confederate cavalry battalion commander in the American Civil War...
to fame.) The community banded together in 1995 with state and county help to finance and install its own sewer service in part through an added property tax. The lien was paid off several years early, the tax has been retired.
- DullesDulles, VirginiaDulles, Virginia is an unincorporated area located in Loudoun County, Virginia, part of the Washington Metropolitan Area. The headquarters of Orbital Sciences Corporation, GeoEye, and ODIN technologies and the former headquarters of MCI Inc...
is an unincorporated census-designated placeCensus-designated placeA census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
located in Loudoun County, also part of the Washington Metropolitan Area with ZIP code 20166. That ZIP code is assigned to Sterling, although the area covered by Dulles extends well outside the area of Sterling (to ChantillyChantilly, VirginiaChantilly is an unincorporated community located in western Fairfax County and southeastern Loudoun County of Northern Virginia. Recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau as a census designated place , the community population was 23,039 as of the 2010 census -- down from 41,041 in 2000, due to the...
, for instance). The headquarters of Orbital Sciences CorporationOrbital Sciences CorporationOrbital Sciences Corporation is an American company which specializes in the manufacturing and launch of satellites. Its Launch Systems Group is heavily involved with missile defense launch systems...
, ODIN Technologies, the former headquarters of MCI Inc.MCI Inc.MCI, Inc. is an American telecommunications subsidiary of Verizon Communications that is headquartered in Ashburn, Virginia...
, and AOL are located in Dulles. The usage of Dulles as a community name began in the mid-1980s when Loudoun County economic development officer Pam Treadwell successfully lobbied the United States Postal ServiceUnited States Postal ServiceThe United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
to allow Sterling businesses and residents to use Dulles as an alternate address. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A60156-2004Dec12_4.html
- Potomac Falls is an unincorporated census-designated placeCensus-designated placeA census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
also located in Loudoun County. Potomac Falls lies along the Potomac River and is in the northernmost portion of Sterling with the ZIP code of 20165, bordering MarylandMarylandMaryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. The name for Potomac Falls came from a competition to name the second new Post Office in Sterling. Alternately called Potomac Falls or Sterling, The village consists of the communities Glen Heather, Calvert's Glen, Cascades, CountrySideCountryside, VirginiaCountryside is a census-designated place in Loudoun County, Virginia. The population as of the 2010 Census was 10,072.Countryside is located about northwest of Washington and is bounded by the Potomac River to the north, and by Route 7 to the south...
, Lowes Island, Rivercrest, Potomac Hunt, Great Falls Forest and Great Falls Chase. (Great Falls Forest was first considered a part of Fairfax County, however, when an additional part of the neighborhood was added, it was switched to Loudoun County. Great Falls Chase, is also a new addition to what was previously known as Great Falls Forest.) Development of Potomac Falls began in the late 1980s, and is essentially complete today. Potomac Falls borders Great FallsGreat Falls, VirginiaGreat Falls is a census-designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. The population was 15,427 at the 2010 census.Although primarily a bedroom community for Washington, D.C., one major attraction is Great Falls Park which overlooks the Great Falls of the Potomac River, for which...
and Fairfax CountyFairfax County, VirginiaFairfax County is a county in Virginia, in the United States. Per the 2010 Census, the population of the county is 1,081,726, making it the most populous jurisdiction in the Commonwealth of Virginia, with 13.5% of Virginia's population...
to the southeast and has several shopping areas, schools, and community centers. Potomac Falls is also home to three 18-hole golf courses including Trump National Golf Club and is home to the Potomac Falls High SchoolPotomac Falls High SchoolPotomac Falls High School is a public secondary school in Sterling, Virginia unincorporated area in Loudoun County, Virginia. The school is part of the Loudoun County Public Schools system and is located on 46400 Algonkian Parkway...
Panthers.
- Sterling ParkSterling Park, VirginiaSterling Park is a community in Sterling, Virginia and is considered part of the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The community opened in 1963 on former farmland near Dulles International Airport in Loudoun County. The land where Sterling Park was built was mainly made up of a few very large farms...
is a portion of Sterling with the ZIP code of 20164. The land where Sterling Park was built was mainly made up of a few very large farms. When construction of Dulles International Airport began in 1959, land prices began to rise. In 1961 Marvin T. Broyhill Sr. saw this as a great investment opportunity and decided to buy the 1762 acres (7.1 km²) that now make up Sterling Park for the price of $2,115,783.86. Construction of homes priced $14,800 to $22,500 was completed by 1967. Sterling Park was one of the first planned communities built in eastern Loudoun County and was a popular place for government workers to settle with their families outside Washington, D.C. Sterling Park also contains a variety of businesses, churches, parks, a community center, a semi-privatePrivacyPrivacy is the ability of an individual or group to seclude themselves or information about themselves and thereby reveal themselves selectively...
golf clubCountry clubA country club is a private club, often with a closed membership, that typically offers a variety of recreational sports facilities and is located in city outskirts or rural areas. Activities may include, for example, any of golf, tennis, swimming or polo...
featuring two poolSwimming poolA swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
s and tennis courtTennis courtA tennis court is where the game of tennis is played. It is a firm rectangular surface with a low net stretched across the center. The same surface can be used to play both doubles and singles.-Dimensions:...
s, and schools. It is the home of the Park View High School PatriotsPark View High School (Sterling, Virginia)For schools of a similar name, see Park View School .Park View High School is a public secondary school in Sterling, an unincorporated area in Loudoun County, Virginia, United States...
.
- Sugarland Run is a portion of Sterling with the ZIP code of 20164. Built in the 1970s in the style of Sterling Park, its only shopping center consists of a 7-Eleven7-Eleven7-Eleven is part of an international chain of convenience stores, operating under Seven-Eleven Japan Co. Ltd, which in turn is owned by Seven & I Holdings Co...
food mart and gas station, a delivery-only Pizza HutPizza HutPizza Hut is an American restaurant chain and international franchise that offers different styles of pizza along with side dishes including pasta, buffalo wings, breadsticks, and garlic bread....
restaurant, a Panda West, a High Up Food Mart, and a laundromat (which burned down on January 10, 2008). The housing around Sugarland Elementary School consists of town homes, apartments and single-family homes, while the housing around Meadowland Elementary is predominately single-family homes. It is one of the few communities in the area with contemporary style houses. Sugarland Run also has a community center, which is situated near the preconstructed Willow LakeWillow LakeWillow Lake may refer to:In the United States*Willow Lake , listed on the NRHP in Georgia* Willow Lake Township, Minnesota* Willow Lake in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, Queens, New York* Willow Lake, South Dakota...
, and over 26 miles (41.8 km) of walking paths. There is also a community swimming pool and playgroundPlaygroundA playground or play area is a place with a specific design for children be able to play there. It may be indoors but is typically outdoors...
situated across from the lake. The swimming pool is 25 yards (22.9 m) by 50 meters, with a large diving well and a separate baby pool. It is the home of the Dominion High School TitansDominion High SchoolDominion High School is a public secondary school in Sterling, an unincorporated area in Loudoun County, Virginia, United States. It is part of Loudoun County Public Schools. Dominion High School first opened in 2003, receiving students from Potomac Falls High School and Park View High School...
.
- CountrysideCountryside, VirginiaCountryside is a census-designated place in Loudoun County, Virginia. The population as of the 2010 Census was 10,072.Countryside is located about northwest of Washington and is bounded by the Potomac River to the north, and by Route 7 to the south...
is a housing development in Sterling (20165 ZIP code) bounded by the Potomac RiverPotomac RiverThe Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
to the north and by Route 7 (Leesburg Pike) to the south. This subdivision was conceived in the middle 1970s when a tract of 1000 acres (404.7 ha) of open farmland was subdivided in preparation for a planned housing development. Construction on homes began in 1983 and continued through 1991. Today, Countryside covers about 3.75 square miles (9.7 km²) and consists of 2,539 homes, which includes 1,269 single-family homes, 1,168 town homes, and 102 condominium units. Countryside contains a shopping center Countryside Marketplace, which is anchored by SafewaySafeway Inc.Safeway Inc. , a Fortune 500 company, is North America's second largest supermarket chain after The Kroger Co., with, as of December 2010, 1,694 stores located throughout the western and central United States and western Canada. It also operates some stores in the Mid-Atlantic region of the Eastern...
and CVS. The shopping center is within the mixed-use Countryside Commercial and Professional Center, which contains various office buildings. Countryside is governed by the Countryside Proprietary, the community's homeowners association.
- Lowes Island is an advertised portion of the legal subdivision of Cascades (see below), but is not a legal subdivision itself. While newer residents use the city address Potomac Falls, VA. The post office will recognize either Potomac Falls, VA or Sterling, VA as a correct mailing address. Almost 50% of the Lowes Island geography is taken up with the club grounds and a golf course.
- Cascades is a 2500 acre (10 km2) planned community within the 20165 zip code. The area is located in the northeastern most part of Loudoun County, Virginia, between the Fairfax County line to the east, the Potomac River to the North, and Algonkian Parkway to the south. Located just north of Route 7, along the Algonkian Parkway, the community is made up of approximately 6500 homes.
Economy
Sterling is home to many businesses and also serves as branch offices for many major companies. According to Manta, the following companies with annual revenues of $20 million or more, have headquarters in Sterling, Virginia: Neustar, Inc.NeuStar
Neustar, Inc. is a provider of clearinghouse and directory services to the global communications and Internet industries.-History:Neustar was incorporated in Delaware in 1998. It started as a business unit within Lockheed Martin Corporation...
, Electronic Instrumentation and Technology Inc, and Paxfire Inc.
Also, companies that have a branch office or headquarters in Sterling, with a total number of employees over 1,000 or more are as follows: Alcatel Networks Inc, Geo Trans Inc, HR Solutions LLC, M C Dean Inc, National Electronics Warranty Corp, N E W Customer Service Companies Inc, and Orbital Science.
At one time, Atlantic Coast Airlines
Atlantic Coast Airlines
Atlantic Coast Airlines was an airline based in the United States owned by Atlantic Coast Holdings, Inc.. It operated as United Express for United Airlines and Delta Connection for Delta Air Lines. It was headquartered in the Dulles area of unincorporated Loudoun County, Virginia, United States....
had its headquarters in Sterling.
Education
Sterling is home to 3 public high schools named Dominion High School, Park View High School, and Potomac Falls High School. There are 3 public middle schools named River Bend Middle School, Seneca Ridge Middle School, and Sterling Middle School. Also, there are 12 public elementary schools named Algonkian Elementary School, Countryside Elementary School, Forest Grove Elementary School, Guilford Elementary School, Horizon Elementary School, Lowes Island Elementary School, Meadlowland Elementary School, Potowmack Elementary School, Rolling Ridge Elementary School, Sterling Elementary School, Sugarland Elementary School, Sully Elementary School. There is one private school serving PK-12 named Faith Christian School.Higher Education
Northern Virginia Community CollegeNorthern Virginia Community College
Northern Virginia Community College, often abbreviated NVCC and colloquially as NOVA, comprises several locations in the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C., and is both the second largest multi-campus community college in the United States and the largest educational institution in the...
has a Loudoun
Loudoun County, Virginia
Loudoun County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and is part of the Washington Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the county is estimated to be home to 312,311 people, an 84 percent increase over the 2000 figure of 169,599. That increase makes the county the fourth...
campus on Harry F. Byrd Highway (Route 7). Nearby, in Ashburn
Ashburn, Virginia
Ashburn, Virginia is a census-designated place located in Loudoun County, Virginia, northwest of Washington, D.C., and is part of the Washington Metropolitan Area...
, The George Washington University, has its Virginia Science and Technology Campus, established in 1991.
Transportation
The main arterial roads serving Sterling are Virginia State Route 28, West Church Road, South Sterling Boulevard, Leesburg Pike, Algonkian Parkway, Potomac View Road, Waxpool Road, and Cascades Parkway.Recreation
Claude Moore Park occupies 357 acres (144.5 ha) in Sterling and offers activities for people of all ages. There are two areas: Sportplex includes baseball and softball fields and the nature area includes hiking trails and the park. The last known undeveloped section of the historic Vestal's Gap Road runs across the park. Originally a trail first used by Native Americans, it was a major route for settlers between AlexandriaAlexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
and the Shenandoah Valley
Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
. George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
used the road frequently in his travels between Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon
The name Mount Vernon is a dedication to the English Vice-Admiral Edward Vernon. It was first applied to Mount Vernon, the Virginia estate of George Washington, the first President of the United States...
and the western frontier. General Braddock's
Edward Braddock
General Edward Braddock was a British soldier and commander-in-chief for the 13 colonies during the actions at the start of the French and Indian War...
troops, including Daniel Boone
Daniel Boone
Daniel Boone was an American pioneer, explorer, and frontiersman whose frontier exploits mad']'e him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. Boone is most famous for his exploration and settlement of what is now the Commonwealth of Kentucky, which was then beyond the western borders of...
, traveled Vestal's Gap Road during the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
. http://www.loudoun.gov/default.aspx?tabid=885 http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=20033 http://www.vestals.us/gaproad.html
Sterling offers the following parks and clubs as recreational areas: Algonkian Regional Park, Dulles Golf Center & Sports Park, Sterling Park Golf Swim & Tennis Club.
Public Works & Services
Fire protectionFirefighter
Firefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous fires that threaten civilian populations and property, to rescue people from car incidents, collapsed and burning buildings and other such situations...
services are provided by the Sterling Volunteer Fire Department. Rescue and EMS
Emergency medical services
Emergency medical services are a type of emergency service dedicated to providing out-of-hospital acute medical care and/or transport to definitive care, to patients with illnesses and injuries which the patient, or the medical practitioner, believes constitutes a medical emergency...
services are provided by the Sterling Volunteer Rescue Squad. Both are non-governmental 501(c) non-profit
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
organizations and share two stations, with one located in the Sterling Park
Sterling Park, Virginia
Sterling Park is a community in Sterling, Virginia and is considered part of the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The community opened in 1963 on former farmland near Dulles International Airport in Loudoun County. The land where Sterling Park was built was mainly made up of a few very large farms...
community and one located in the Potomac Falls community. Police services are provided by the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office and the Virginia State Police.
Notable residents
Famous people who were born in or who lived in Sterling include:- United States President James BuchananJames BuchananJames Buchanan, Jr. was the 15th President of the United States . He is the only president from Pennsylvania, the only president who remained a lifelong bachelor and the last to be born in the 18th century....
had his summer home near what is now Ruritan Circle. - Patton OswaltPatton OswaltPatton Oswalt is an American stand-up comedian, writer, actor and voice actor. He is best known for portraying Spencer Olchin in the popular sitcom The King of Queens, voicing Remy from the film Ratatouille and Thrasher from the Cartoon Network original series Robotomy.-Early life:Oswalt was born...
, stand-up comedian. - Bob RossBob RossRobert Norman "Bob" Ross was an American painter, art instructor, and television host. He is best known as the creator and host of The Joy of Painting, a television program that ran for 12 years on PBS stations in the United States.-Personal life:Ross was born in Daytona Beach, Florida, and...
, American painter. - Hilarie BurtonHilarie BurtonHilarie Ross Burton is an American actress. A former host of MTV's Total Request Live, she portrayed Peyton Sawyer on The CW drama One Tree Hill for six seasons...
, American actress from the television program One Tree HillOne Tree Hill (TV series)One Tree Hill is an American television drama created by Mark Schwahn, which premiered on September 23, 2003, on The WB Television Network. After its third season, The WB merged with UPN to form The CW Television Network, and, since September 27, 2006, the network has been the official broadcaster...
. - Austin St. JohnAustin St. JohnAustin St. John is a former American actor and martial artist known for his role in the popular Power Rangers children's television series as Jason Lee Scott, the original Red Ranger and first leader of the Power Rangers. He is an emergency medical technician and firefighter.-Personal life:St...
, American actor and martial artist from the Mighty Morphin Power RangersMighty Morphin Power RangersMighty Morphin Power Rangers is an American live-action children's television series based on the 16th installment of the Japanese Super Sentai franchise, Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger. Both the show and its related merchandise saw unbridled overnight success, catapulting into pop culture in mere months...
television series, who left acting to work as a paramedic and study martial arts. - Billy KingBilly KingBilly King is the general manager of the New Jersey Nets, and former general manager and team president of the Philadelphia 76ers. King grew up in Sterling, Virginia where he played basketball at Park View High School, and received a scholarship to play at Duke University. He was known primarily...
, current general manager for the New Jersey NetsNew Jersey NetsThe New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
of the NBA. - Pg. 99Pg. 99Pg. 99 was a screamo band from Sterling, Virginia on the outskirts of Washington, D.C. The band formed as a six-piece in fall 1997 and later expanded to an eight-piece...
, a screamoScreamoScreamo, though used loosely to generally describe music that features screamed vocals, is actually a musical subgenre of hardcore punk which predominantly evolved from emo, among other genres, in the early 1990s...
band formed in 1999.
See also
- Willard, Virginia, adjacent village displaced for construction of Dulles Airport
- Algonkian Writers ConferenceAlgonkian Writers ConferenceThe Algonkian Writers Conference holds more than one writing workshop at Algonkian Park and several other events throughout the year for writers in all genres...
, at Algonkian Park in Sterling