National Register of Historic Places

Bowman, A. Smith, Distillery

Reston, Fairfax County, Virginia
Listed
December 9, 1999
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
99001503

About this property

The A. Smith Bowman Distillery is a distillery that was originally based on the Bowman family's 7,200-acre Sunset Hills Farm in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, in what later became the planned community of Reston. The distillery was founded in 1934 on the day after the end of Prohibition, by Abram Smith Bowman and his sons, Abram Smith, Jr., and DeLong. From the time of its founding until the 1950s, it was the only legal whiskey distillery in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The primary brands produced by the distillery were the Virginia Gentleman and Fairfax County bourbon whiskeys. In February 1988, it relocated to Spotsylvania County, near Fredericksburg, into a former FMC Corp. cellophane plant at One Bowman Drive, where operation continues as a microdistillery owned by the Sazerac Company.

Location

1875 Old Reston Ave.
Reston, Fairfax County, Virginia
38.95774, -77.35283

Categories

ARCHITECTUREINDUSTRY
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Bowman, A. Smith, Distillery

This page lists Bowman, A. Smith, Distillery. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Bowman, A. Smith, Distillery report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Herndon Historic District
Listed
1.9 mi
Herndon Depot
Industrial
2 mi
Merrybrook
Civil War
3 mi
Floris Historic District
Listed
3.2 mi
Colvin Run Mill
Industrial
3.3 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Dranesville (December 1861)
1861Civil War
1.8 mi
Skirmish at Herndon Station
1863Civil War
2 mi
Mosby's Raid at Aldie
1863Civil War
2 mi
Action at Dranesville
1861Civil War
2.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was Bowman, A. Smith, Distillery listed on the National Register?

Bowman, A. Smith, Distillery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 9, 1999.

What type of historic resource is Bowman, A. Smith, Distillery?

Bowman, A. Smith, Distillery is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Bowman, A. Smith, Distillery?

The period of significance for Bowman, A. Smith, Distillery is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Bowman, A. Smith, Distillery?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Bowman, A. Smith, Distillery will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Fairfax County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Fairfax County.

Explore FairfaxCounty ›

More historic places in Virginia

Browse all historic places in Virginia.

View Virginiahistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Virginia history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Virginiahistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Bowman, A. Smith, Distillery will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report