Fairfax County is moving ahead with plans to rename the Bailey’s Community Center (5920-A Summers Lane) in honor of a notable historical figure from the area’s Black community.
The Board of Supervisors, led by Mason District Supervisor Andrew Jimenez, approved a motion on May 21 to initiate the renaming process. A prominent figure in the historically Black Springdale community, Minnie Peyton founded five churches, including Warner Baptist and Holy Scripture Church of Christ.
She also donated land to Fairfax County to build an elementary school for Black children, a site that’s now home to the community center. Previously, Black students in Bailey’s Crossroads had to travel to Manassas, since Fairfax County Public Schools was segregated.
The decision to rename the center followed the completion of a report confirming the site’s history by the Fairfax County Historical Commission. Initially requested by Jimenez’s predecessor, former supervisor Penny Gross, the report detailed Peyton’s contributions to the Springdale area after the Civil War.
“Around 1953, the community advocated for a community center to serve children and adults who otherwise were denied access to public playgrounds, sports fields and gymnasiums, and add a modern gathering space for community events,” the board matter stated.
According to county tax records, Bailey’s Community Center and the adjacent Lillian Carey Elementary School — now part of the community center — were built in 1956 on land originally owned by Peyton.
While the Department of Neighborhood and Community Services (NCS) has the go-ahead to begin collecting community feedback on renaming the center, the county doesn’t mandate a specific timeline for facility name changes.
A spokesperson for Jimenez told FFXnow that NCS plans to hold public engagement sessions and offer community members opportunities to vote for any change both in-person and virtually.
“At its core, a community center reflects a community’s vales and history,” Jimenez said in a statement. “Changing a name involves more than just updating our signs; it involves discussion and reflection about where we’ve been and where we’re going. I’m eager to hear from our neighbors in Mason District as we consider honoring Minnie Peyton for her incredible contributions to our community.”
If chosen, the new name would have to be approved by the Board of Supervisors.
Image via Google Maps
