Falls Church (The) Falls Church, VA (part of Washington Guide)

Established first in 1733 as part of the official Church of England, the existing brick building was designed by James Wren in 1769. Much of the original construction still remains. During the Revolutionary War, Falls Church served as a recruiting headquarters for the Colonial army. Activities subsided then until 1830 when it closed altogether. It was reopened during the Civil War as a hospital and a stable, causing damage to the vestry that can still be seen today. In 1873, the church was officially reorganized as an Episcopal church, and the congregation remains very active.