author
Ross De Witt Netherton
1918–2010
A longtime Northern Virginia historian and preservation advocate, he wrote vivid local histories that helped readers see the stories behind familiar places. His work often blended legal training, civic memory, and a deep affection for Fairfax County and nearby communities.
2 Audiobooks
Green Spring Farm, Fairfax County, Virginia
by Ross De Witt Netherton, Nan Netherton
The Fairfax County Courthouse
by Ross De Witt Netherton, Ruby Waldeck
About the author
Born in 1918 and active for decades as a researcher, writer, and preservationist, Ross De Witt Netherton became closely associated with documenting the history of Northern Virginia. Archival material at George Mason University describes his work preserving and recording the region’s past, often in collaboration with his wife, Ann Rohrke "Nan" Netherton. The same source notes that he studied law at the University of Chicago and also taught law and conducted legal research.
Netherton wrote or co-wrote books focused on Fairfax County and nearby landmarks, including Fairfax County in Virginia: A Pictorial History and works on local preservation and courthouse history. His writing is especially useful for readers interested in how everyday places, public institutions, and transportation shaped community life in Virginia.
He died on April 30, 2010, at age 91. An obituary in the Falls Church News-Press remembered him not only as a historian, but also as a civic activist and a generous keeper of local memory.