Editing Annandale, Virginia (section)

===American Civil War===
The [[American Civil War]] touched Annandale several times between 1861 and 1865.  [[Union (American Civil War)|Union]] troops defending the vicinity of [[Washington, D.C.]], frequently took positions in and around the town.  [[Confederate States of America|Confederate]] forces probing those defenses skirmished with them from time to time.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=33512|title= Action At Annandale|date= July 7, 2021|website= The Historical Marker Database |access-date= January 26, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=6926|title= Mason's Hill|date= April 5, 2008|website= The Historical Marker Database |access-date= January 26, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= https://annandaletoday.com/new-signs-explain-civil-war-events-that/|title= New signs explain Civil War events that happened near Annandale |date= June 29, 2012|website= Annandale Today|access-date= January 26, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.novahistory.org/FortSchneider/FortSchneider.htm|title= Fort Schneider, Purdy's Farm, Annandale, VA|last= Robison |first= Debbie |date= January 24, 2014|website= Northern Virginia History Notes |access-date= January 26, 2022}}</ref>  The Methodist Chapel, which had fallen into disrepair during the war, was dismantled by Union troops to obtain construction materials in 1863.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.annandalechamber.com/annandale_united_methodist_church.rhtml|title= Annandale United Methodist Church, The True Story|last= Callahan |first= M. |website= www.annandalechamber.com|publisher= Annandale Chamber of Commerce|access-date= January 26, 2022}}</ref>

After the war, farmers and businessmen returned to their pursuits and dairy farming began to grow in Fairfax County. Small communities continued to develop or grow near railroad stations and the dairy farms. Residents built stores, churches, and schools for their communities.