Belle Haven, Fairfax County, Virginia
| Belle Haven, Fairfax County, Virginia | |
|---|---|
| Census-designated place | |
Belleview Branch Post Office
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 Location within Fairfax County |
|
 Belle Haven
Belle Haven
Belle Haven
|
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| Coordinates: 38°46′44″N 77°3′39″W / 38.77889°N 77.06083°WCoordinates: 38°46′44″N 77°3′39″W / 38.77889°N 77.06083°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Virginia |
| County | Fairfax |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.9 sq mi (7.4 km2) |
| • Land | 2.0 sq mi (5.1 km2) |
| • Water | 0.9 sq mi (2.3 km2) |
| Elevation | 15 ft (5 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 6,518 |
| • Density | 3,290/sq mi (1,270.3/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 22307 (Alexandria/Belleview) |
| FIPS code | 51-05928 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2389195 |
Belle Haven is a census-designated place (CDP) in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. Nearby CDPs are Huntington (northwest), Groveton (southwest) and Fort Hunt (south). The population of Belle Haven was 6,518 at the 2010 census.
The CDP is located just south of Old Town Alexandria and bounded on the west by Richmond Highway (U.S. 1) and on the east by the Potomac River. It encompasses Belle Haven, a wealthy subdivision dating from the 1920s, and several adjoining neighborhoods. Some, particularly New Alexandria and Belle View, are among the lowest-lying residential areas of Fairfax County, and sustained extensive flood damage from storms including 2003's Hurricane Isabel and 1972's Hurricane Agnes. The Belleview branch of the Alexandria Post Office is located here, and serves the 22307 ZIP code in which the majority of the CDP falls.
The name "Belle Haven" derives from when Scottish pioneers settled along the Potomac River in the early 18th century. They named the settlement after their favorite countryman, the Earl of Belhaven. This early settlement thrived along the Potomac River as a port and was later renamed "Alexandria". The area later became part of the West Grove Plantation, which was built by Hugh West around 1748. It capitalized on its close and favorable position to the newly forming town of Alexandria.
The West family was important in Virginia and Fairfax County politics in the 18th century. Hugh West himself was a burgess from Fairfax County, a vestryman, and a trustee of the town of Alexandria. His son, John, followed in his father's footsteps with continued public work until he died in 1777.
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