Culmore, Virginia is a small commercial center in

Fairfax County Fairfax County, officially the County of Fairfax, is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. With a population of 1,150,309 as of the 2020 census, it is the most populous county in Virginia, the most populous jurisdiction in the Washington ...

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. It sits between Seven Corners and the Skyline area on State Route 7.

Overview

A part of a larger, unincorporated area known as

Bailey's Crossroads Bailey's Crossroads is a census-designated place (CDP) in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. The population was 24,749 at the 2020 census. Bailey's Crossroads lies at the crossroads of State Route 7 (Leesburg Pike) and State Route 244 ( Co ...

, Culmore derives its name from the Culmore Shopping Center which forms its heart. The center is located on the south side of Route 7, or Leesburg Pike, and is situated within the loop formed by Route 7, Glen Carlyn Road, Argyle Drive, and Glen Carlyn Drive. Culmore Shopping Center contains the Peking Gourmet Inn restaurant, in which President George H.W. Bush dined. "Culmore" has in recent decades become a place name describing both the shopping center and adjacent buildings, including St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church and a large group of garden-style apartment homes which are located behind the shopping center. The area is almost entirely inhabited by people of

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

, especially Central American, ancestry. Bailey's Crossroads, in which Culmore Shopping Center is situated, is served by the post office in

Falls Church, Virginia Falls Church City is an independent city (United States), independent city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 14,658. Falls Church is ...

and all homes and businesses in the area bear Falls Church postal addresses. Bailey's Crossroads has no local government and falls within the Mason District of the Fairfax County government. During the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

the Culmore area was the scene of sharpshooting, fighting and repeated skirmishes, particularly during the opening phase of the war when Confederate troops occupied

Munson's Hill Munson's Hill is a geographic eminence located in eastern Fairfax County, Virginia. Its summit rises to above sea level. Location and name Munson's Hill is located at . The hill is adjacent to Upton's Hill (410 ft) on its north. It is ...

and

Upton's Hill Upton's Hill, or Upton Hill, is a geographic eminence located in western Arlington County, Virginia. Its summit rises to above sea level and is located in Fairfax County just over the Arlington county boundary and just east of the driveway to Up ...

and Culmore formed a "no man's land" between the opposing forces, with Union soldiers encamped to the east.Bradley E. Gernand,

A Virginia Village Goes to War--Falls Church During the Civil War A, or a, is the first letter and the first vowel letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, and others worldwide. Its name in English is '' a'' (pronounced ), plural ''aes''. It is similar in shape to the Ancient ...

(Donning Company: Virginia Beach, 2002), pp. 16-17, 68-69, 72, 74, 83, 139-141, 205.

References

Unincorporated communities in Fairfax County, Virginia {{FairfaxCountyVA-geo-stub