Fairfax Sanitary Sewers

Fairfax Sanitary Sewers

An investigation of the Fairfax Sanitary Sewers through image, text, and audio.

A sanitary sewer construction project in Fairfax, Virginia was undertaken during the Great Depression with the aid of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. The PWA supplied a $44,956 grant for the project, whose total cost was $100,088. Work occurred between January 1936 and January 1937.

Natalie Cumming

https://livingnewdeal.org/us/va/fairfax-va/

1936-1937, visited in 2019

The Sanitary Sewers is open to the public for photographs, visits, etc.
National Archives: Record Group 135: Public Works Administration; Projects Control Division; Entry 52: Indices to Non-Federal Projects; Report No. 5: Status of All Completed Non-Federal Allotted Projects, page 120.

Infrastructure

PWA Docket No. VA W1158
Coordinates: 38.846, -77.306

October 15th, 2019

There is a photo of the sewers, a photo of the surrounding area, text of "RESERVED PARKING TOWING ENFORCED All Others will be Towed at Owners Cost & Risk All Vehicles Towed Between 11pm-6am Towed Call 703-385-7924" and an audio recording of the cars driving by on Main Street.

The bus took me 4 minutes, I took iPhone photos and audio in 11, and I got back on the bus and back to campus in 15. But, I really did have a significant impact. I went to the sewers in Fairfax. But, of course, as I’m sure everyone’s heard, there’s nothing there. However, I think that tells the better story. There’s lots of locally owned businesses surrounding it, cars drive by on Main Street, people are going to get dinner and this landmark that blends right into the infrastructure. These sewers are visible but don’t really look like anything special. It really said a lot about how we see history and choose to build over it but also this hidden beauty that there’s a lot of history around us that we might never explore. And, one that I can see in minutes. I had access to a bus, my phone died but I had a portable charger, and I used my phone to document it. Accessibility and easy documentation has certainly changed since the 1930s.