[5] Fairfax is part of both the Washington metropolitan area and Northern Virginia regions.

[6] Fairfax was founded on land originally occupied by the Iroquoian Native American tribe.

[8] The area that the city now encompasses was settled in the early 18th century by farmers from Virginia's Tidewater region.

[10] On June 1, 1861, the first land battle of the Civil War, the Battle of Fairfax Court House, was fought in Fairfax after a Union Army scouting party clashed with the local militia; the outcome was indecisive with neither side gaining advantage.

The General Assembly specified that the new courthouse should be located in the center of the county, and was established at the corner of what was Old Little River Turnpike and is present-day Main Street and Ox Road at Chain Bridge Road on land donated by town founder Richard Ratcliffe.

The first Confederate officer battle casualty, John Quincy Marr, occurred on the grounds of the courthouse.

[22] The Old Town Hall now houses the Huddleston Library and the Fairfax Art League.

[40] Forbes commended Fairfax for its strong public school system, high median salary, and a rate of sole proprietors per capita that ranks it in the top 1 percent nationwide.

On August 4, 2016, then-Mayor Scott Silverthorne was arrested in a sting operation conducted by the Fairfax County Police Department.

At the meeting in Tysons, detectives performed the exchange and then arrested Silverthorne along with the two other men.

He was charged with felony distribution of methamphetamine and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.

Ongoing funding for the nonprofit grant program will be approved as part of the city’s annual budget process.

[67] The university is most known for its programs in economics, law, creative writing, computer science, and business.

George Mason University economics professors James M. Buchanan and Vernon L. Smith won it in 1986 and 2002, respectively.

The library includes the Virginia Room, a collection of books, photographs, and manuscripts related to Fairfax County history, government, and genealogy.

The two major highways join to form Fairfax Boulevard for approximately 2.8 miles (4.5 km) through the city before separating.

Interstate 66 passes just outside the city limits and is the major highway serving the Fairfax region.