Gum Springs Museum
Gum Springs celebrated the 180th anniversary of its founding last year.History is all around us in Fairfax County, and especially when you live here in the Mount Vernon District! We are fortunate to have so many well-known historic sites such as Mount Vernon Estate, Gunston Hall, Woodlawn & Pope Leighey House, the Workhouse Arts Center and more. But have you ever taken a moment to think about some of the history left out of books that shaped our District and our country? Nearly 191 years ago, Gum Springs was founded by the patriarchal Freedman West Ford. Gum Springs began as a place for Black individuals to prevail, assimilating runaways and freed slaves who migrated there by way of the nearby port of Alexandria.
Gum Springs is the oldest African American community in Fairfax County, and it was and is a space where Black individuals can raise a family, get an education for their children and feel a sense of community. According to Gum Spring Museum founder Ron Chase, Gum Springs had five schools for Black students. The most well-known, Drew-Smith Elementary School, was located where the Gum Springs Community Center and Museum are today. At the time, the only other institution available for Black students to attend was the Manassas Industrial School which meant students had to wake up at 5 a.m. to get there on time. Having schools nearby provided the ability for students and families to stay in the area. Today, Gum Springs continues to be a thriving community with over 2,500 residents with as many as 500 being descendants of the original families.
A great place to learn more about Gum Springs is the Gum Springs Museum. This Museum was founded and continues to be operated by Ron Chase, whose great-great grandfather moved to the community in the 1840s. Ron has lived in Gum Springs nearly his entire life after going to school at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and Virginia Commonwealth University. He opened the museum in 1966 and has dedicated every day since then ensuring the legacy of Gum Springs continues to live on.
“The knowledge of African American history is essential to the history of our nation. The contributions of individuals who came from Gum Springs helped change the lives of so many such as Annie Smith, the first teacher at Drew-Smith Elementary School who taught students that would later go on to be doctors and lawyers,” said Ron. He also says that when he walks around the Museum and sees photos of people like Samuel Taylor, who bought land on Fort Hunt Road and resold it to Black families (at cost) to build up a community, he is inspired by their perseverance to create a lasting presence.
During Black History Month, take a moment to stop by the Gum Springs Museum to learn about the men and women who made contributions to not only our District, but the whole nation. For those who know Ron, he pours his heart and soul into the Museum and always has a welcoming smile for everyone, especially new visitors. The Gum Springs Museum is open Tuesday - Friday from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Saturday 1:30 – 5 p.m. You can keep up to date on upcoming events and programs on their website https://gumspringsmuseum.blogspot.com/, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/gumspringsmuseumronchase/ and keep an eye out for their new magazine coming out in March – History In Motion the Gum Springs Historical Society Magazine.
The next time you drive down Sherwood Hall Lane and Fordson Road into Gum Springs, take a moment to reflect on the vast history we are fortunate to have here in the District.