Rugged, energetic beauty is what defines Great Falls, a community of 8,599 in Fairfax County, Virginia. This is because, as they did when George Washington surveyed them prior to the construction of the Patowmack Canal over two centuries ago, the falls that give the town its name remain an undisturbed slice of nature that, with sharp, untouched rock outcroppings and bubbling streams, still look as they did in colonial times. For hikers and other sports enthusiasts as well as painters and photographers, the fact that such picturesque settings, complete with the remnants of the period town of Matildaville, exist within a short drive of Washington DC has not gone unnoticed. With a median family income of $170,000 and easy access to the other important business and government centers in Virginia and Maryland, Great Falls offers more than just the chance to spend time in nature, however, as its population is known for a high level of education, influence, and social involvement. Consisting of a number of excellent Georgian, custom, and other homes as well as privately held wilderness areas that are open for development, the excellent estates a prospective buyer has to choose from in Great Falls are also sure to satisfy any homeowner's criteria.