2026 SESSION
ENROLLED
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 11
Commending Huntley Meadows Park.
Agreed to by the Senate, January 15, 2026
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, January 19, 2026
WHEREAS, Huntley Meadows Park, a public park in the Hybla Valley of Fairfax County known for its incredible biodiversity and natural beauty, has served members of the community and visitors to the area for 50 years; and
WHEREAS, Huntley Meadows Park is sited on land that was originally purchased by George Mason in 1757; two of his grandsons ultimately built homes on the property, including Huntley Hall, which is listed on the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places; and
WHEREAS, while several parcels were sold for family farms, the Mason family retained ownership of parts of the land until the early 1900s; the land nearly became the site of a transatlantic airport in the 1920s, but was ultimately purchased by the federal government in 1941; and
WHEREAS, Huntley Meadows Park was officially established in 1975, when President Gerald Ford authorized the donation of 1,261 acres to the residents of Fairfax County for use as a public park; and
WHEREAS, shortly after the creation of Huntley Meadows Park, beavers returned to the area and began to reshape water flow, resulting in the park's distinctive wetlands ecosystem; more than 300 species of wildflowers, 200 species of birds, and dozens of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and other fauna have been identified within the park over the course of its history; and