Few people are aware that the land occupied by Washington Dulles International Airport was once the home of one of the country’s founding fathers. Francis Lightfoot Lee was a signer of the Declaration of Independence, the only Loudoun County resident to have that honor. Recognizing and remembering Francis Lightfoot Lee and his contribution to the founding of the country was the focus of Mary Browne’s administration as regent, Cameron Parish Chapter, NSDAR. She worked with local land lawyer and historian Carl MacIntyre and his wife Helen MacIntyre, a member of Cameron Parish. The couple researched the historical significance of the land and Francis Lightfoot Lee. Mrs. Browne designed and raised the funds to purchase the plaque. Over the past 10 years, Mrs. Browne continued to spearhead the effort to have the plaque publicly displayed.
The plaque was dedicated at Washington Dulles International Airport on Nov. 16, 2012. The plaque was originally presented to the airport authority in April 2002. Only now, however, at the completion of a major construction program, is it displayed publicly. It holds a place of prominence on a historical marker alongside the plaque dedicated in 1962 by Presidents Kennedy and Eisenhower. This dedication took place coincident with the 50th anniversary of the airport’s dedication.
Present were Regent Margaret Stromberg, Past Regents Mary Browne, Anne Dahmer and Juliana Geris. Todd Sheller, executive staff coordinator for Dulles, represented the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.