The City of Fairfax, Virginia, is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The six-square-mile jurisdiction in the heart of Northern Virginia was founded in 1805 as the Town of Providence. Known for its courthouse, it was for a time known as Fairfax Courthouse then as the Town of Fairfax. The City of Fairfax was established as the independent city in 1961. The city celebrates its past and embraces the future, and encourages it residents, business leaders and visitors to find out more about this fascinating city.