Whitney Rhodes, BA ’08, Communication, has spent more than seven years providing top-notch, detailed coverage of cities and communities on the East Coast. As a student at George Mason University, and then later, as editor for the Fairfax City Patch, a local online news organization, a sizable amount of this coverage was centered on Fairfax, Va.
Rhodes used her impressive knowledge to author Fairfax (Images of America) (Arcadia Publishing, 2013), available now.
The book presents a photojournalistic history of Fairfax, with detailed descriptions and captions. Rhodes procured the photos through countless hours of research at local libraries and many conversations with local government officials. She spent much of her time in the Virginia Room of the City of Fairfax Regional Library.
"I’m sure the staff there was getting sick of me," she joked.
Another valuable source of material came from contact with Fairfax residents such as Lee Hubbard, who had documented a lot of the city’s history.
"Lee amassed a considerable collection of historic photos in his time spent growing up and living in Fairfax," Rhodes said. "Some of the photos were given by friends, some he took himself, [and] others he stumbled across and kept. He provided a detailed glimpse at some of the lives of city residents and their businesses."
Rhodes’ own research and journalistic history provide the backdrop for the book. She notes that although she spent over a year poring over the city’s rich history, there is much more to the story.
"Really, this book is a diving off point for readers," Rhodes said. "Hopefully, it pushes them to discover more about the city’s active past."
Arcadia Publishing contacted Rhodes last summer to gauge her interest in the project. As the local Patch editor, she knew the city well. She was also born and raised in Fairfax, and earned her communication degree at Mason, with a concentration in journalism. While there, she involved herself heavily in student media.
At Mason, Rhodes interned for USA Today, served as the managing editor for the Broadside student newspaper’s online operations, and created the university’s first student-run online daily news operation, called Connect2Mason (Broadside and Connect2Mason have since combined to become "Fourth Estate"). Under Rhodes, the site won the 2008 Associated Collegiate Press Pacemaker Award.
After graduation, Rhodes ran the online Patch site in Cranford, N.J., and served as assistant new media editor for the Courier-Post, also in N.J. The Patch organization tasked her with building the Fairfax City Patch from the ground up, as they did not yet have a presence in the city. Because the site operated on a 24/7, "hyperlocal" news cycle, Rhodes covered breaking news throughout the city, both singlehandedly and through assigning staff members and freelancers. She attended local government and budget meetings, and had her finger on the pulse of the town, updating the site with art, cultural, and neighborhood events. She created video and multimedia packages for stories. She met and cultivated relationships with local government officials, business owners, George Mason University staff, and many Fairfax residents.
"The City of Fairfax is near to my heart not only because I was born and grew up there," she said. "I'd spent years getting to know its ins and outs and the people in it for my job. I thought of [the book] as a chance to give back."
Currently, Rhodes is in Tasmania, Australia, and considering writing a second book.