A Civil War battle took place on the outskirts of McLean grounds
At Lewinsville Park next to McLean High, a Civil War battle took place that killed three Union soldiers and no Confederate soldiers. The 79th New York Infantry, a predominantly Scottish group of soldiers known as “The Highlanders,” were integral to the Union’s fighting force. Colonel J.E.B. Stewart, who led the Confederates, operated a cannon on Great Falls Street.
The Highlanders were a volunteer fighting force whose commander was killed at the First Battle of Bull Run. General McClellan of the Union assigned them a new commander, but they wished to choose their own. The Highlanders then rebelled against the Union and were stripped of their colors as punishment.
“The Highlanders were very notable in [the Battle of Lewinsville],” historian and author Carole Herrick said. “To reward them for their service, McClellan gave them back their colors.”
Coincidentally or not, McLean High School later took the Highlander as its mascot. Lewinsville Park, featuring a plaque to commemorate its battle, is now a common practice location for various community sports and the site of the annual celebration McLean Day in May.
McLean has two hidden underground “bunkers” –
Beyond the labyrinth of old props behind the stage, concealed beneath a trap door and wobbly ladder, theater students have found a sanctum. The 70-year-old space dubbed “the Bunker” is a time capsule of sorts, home to decades of spray paint and debris. Although many students believe it was intended as a Cold War bunker, security and staff are uncertain.
Students and staff have also questioned whether the boiler room, with an entrance in the red hallway, was intended as a safe space for students in the event of a nuclear attack.
“I'm assuming that they were built during the Cold War,” said STEM teacher Cara Mosley, who serves as the school’s unofficial historian.
Although there are mixed opinions among McLean students and staff whether the Bunker was intended for a nuclear attack, the hidden space still provides a unique hideout for theater students.
At Lewinsville Park next to McLean High, a Civil War battle took place that killed three Union soldiers and no Confederate soldiers. The 79th New York Infantry, a predominantly Scottish group of soldiers known as “The Highlanders,” were integral to the Union’s fighting force. Colonel J.E.B. Stewart, who led the Confederates, operated a cannon on Great Falls Street.
The Highlanders were a volunteer fighting force whose commander was killed at the First Battle of Bull Run. General McClellan of the Union assigned them a new commander, but they wished to choose their own. The Highlanders then rebelled against the Union and were stripped of their colors as punishment.
“The Highlanders were very notable in
Olympian swimmer Katie Ledecky learned to swim at the McLean Sport and Health –
Katie Ledecky, widely considered to be the greatest female swimmer of all time, began her career just a few miles from McLean High School.
Long distance-swimmer Ledecky has won more Olympic medals than any other woman in United States history, with 14 total. Ledecky lived in Bethesda as a child, and she learned floating and safety for the first time at the McLean OneLife Fitness, an indoor pool in a sports complex.
Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia have all produced several Olympian swimmers, beyond just Ledecky, including Michael Phelps.
“There must be, forgive the pun, something in the DMV water,” Ledecky said in her autobiography Just Add Water.
The Tysons Apple Store was the first to ever open –
The iPhone has proved to be one of the most transformative products of this century, shaping the way we think, feel and communicate. Little known to McLean students, the devices in our pockets were first sold just down the road.
In 2001, Steve Jobs hosted a press conference and unveiled the first Apple Store in Tysons Corner, VA. 500 eager customers waited outside at 4 in the morning to visit the store upon its opening. Shortly after, the phone’s technology spread across the world and revolutionized modern communication.
The original Apple Store in Tysons has since relocated to a different area of the mall, but the history remains a testament to McLean’s impact on the world.
“The reason we are number one is because we were supposed to open at the same time as the Glendale Galleria center,” Apple Store worker David said. “[Then] they had a system outage…we were open before them.”
“Miss McLean” used to be the school’s beauty pageant –
From 1966 to 1982, McLean hosted a school beauty pageant with 40 contestants per year. Vying to be their year’s “Miss McLean,” participants would answer questions, sing songs and perform choreographed dances to be evaluated by a panel of judges.
“Sophomore Kathy Walsh was pronounced the most beautiful girl in McLean amid much applause in the Fifth Annual Key Club sponsored Miss McLean contest,” the 1970 yearbook reads. “McLean’s forty most attractive girls paraded to the music of Mr. Roger’s stage band.”
The McLean home “Hickory Hill” belonged to the Kennedy family –
A white brick colonial mansion in McLean, “Hickory Hill” was once the longtime home of the Kennedy family. John F. Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy lived in the 1870-built home for about a year. Soon after the couple’s subsequent move to Georgetown, Robert F. Kennedy and his wife Ethel lived in the home with their 11 children. Given the Kennedy’s wealth and political influence, Hickory Hill was home to several bizarre occurrences.
“Ethel Kennedy used to hold a fundraiser at Hickory Hill,” historian and author Carole Herrick said. “Everybody would bring an animal…cats, dogs, snakes, mice, whatever people wanted to bring. [One year,] there was an elephant and it got loose and was running around the neighborhood before they captured it.”
Hickory Hill was Robert's home when he was assassinated during his 1968 presidential campaign, shaking up the nation and town of McLean alike.
“The Kennedys, particularly Robert Kennedy, put McLean on the map,” Herrick said. “He was very well thought of at McLean. Everybody liked him… He would often be seen riding his horse around.”
