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Coming at You From the Grande Voiture du Virginie |
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Attention! Fire Damages American Legion Post 162 Our Longtime home for our Locale Promenades, Post 162 was severely damaged by fire Saturday January 26, 2019. We will be holding our promenade at American Post 176. Details regarding the Memorial Day events will be forthcoming. We ask our fellow 40&8'ers to support Sam Ramseur and the post family as they assess the damage and work to rebuild a new Post 162. Merci *Update The reconstruction of Post 162 is underway, and it is hoped the post will be partially open sometime this fall. Details to Follow.
Fairfax County 1569 was founded in 1982 when a small group of Legionnaires and Voyageurs decided to form a new Voiture in Lorton, Virginia. Legionnaires and Voyageurs enlisted the help of Mr. Harry P. Graul, who had served as a Chef de Gare and held several positions in the Grand Voiture du Virginia.
Mr. Graul signed up enough members from Lorton Post 162 and received a temporary Charter in 1982 with the help of Grand Correspondent Jim Burden. It wasn’t until 1989 that the Voiture received its official charter and the name FAIRFAX COUNTY VOITURE LOCALE 1569.
For a few years it was a Voiture Locale without a Chateau and Promenades were held at the Post home of Lorton American Legion Post 162. To this day we continue to make the American Legion Post 162, our home.
One day it was discovered by Harry that the Virginia railroad system was doing away with their Caboose’s. He contacted them and after a few calls the Virginia Railroad system donated a Caboose for our Chateau and shipped it down to Alexandria, VA along with rails, cross timbers, and spikes. To this day the Caboose is located behind Post 162 as shown in the picture above.
Today in the Nationale Organization, it is known as the only known Chateau on Rails, Fairfax County Voiture Locale 1569, Lorton, Virginia. Lorton Post 162 leased the property to the Voiture for $1.00 a year for thirty years. Voiture 1569 spent $800.00 dollars to move the Caboose from Alexandria to Lorton, VA. If you have the opportunity to visit us, you will see a renovation of the (Caboose) Chateau, that you’ll never believe.
Voiture 1569 started with the original ten founding Voyageurs and has grown to our current membership of 52.
Every May Voiture 1569 is proud to be a part of the Memorial Day Celebration. Voyageurs from all over the nation come to Lorton, VA to participate in the handing out of flags at the Arlington National Cemetery on the last Monday of the month. Sunday night before Memorial Day a banquet is held at Post 162, Legion Drive, Lorton, VA for all those who participate in the National Ceremony.
Voiture 1569 is proud of its heritage and its voyageurs. Since the inception of Voiture 1569 we have had the following voyageurs serve the Grande and Nationale.
1990 Grand Chef de Gare—Harry Graul
1998 Grand Chef de Gare—Bob Kaseman 2008 Grand Chef de Gare - A. Dick George 2015 Grand Chef de Gare - Samuel S. Ramseur 2017 Grand Chef de Gare - Jay Wilson 2019 Grand Chef de Gare - Randall Shrader 2022 Grand Chef de Gare - Victor Graulau Jr.
1999 Sous Chef de Chemin de Fer - Harry Graul
2002 Chef de Chemin de Fer—Bob Kaseman
Voiture 1569 meets the first Saturday of every month at 11:00 am at Lorton Post 162, 8210 Legion Drive, Lorton, VA. All Voyageurs in good standing are welcome to join us at our Promenade.
MOVING TRAIN NEWS (click for PDF copy)
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The Caboose renovation as of 17 August 2019
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WELCOME TO FAIRFAX COUNTY VOITURE 1569 FORTY AND EIGHT 8210 LEGION DRIVE LORTON, VIRGINIA |