D.C. Workhouse and Reformatory Historic District
National Register of Historic Places

D.C. Workhouse and Reformatory Historic District

Lorton, Fairfax County, Virginia
Listed
February 16, 2006
Type
District
Period
Civil War
Ref No.
06000052

About this property

The Lorton Reformatory, also known as the Lorton Correctional Complex, is a former prison complex in Lorton, Virginia, established in 1910 for the District of Columbia, United States. The complex began as a prison farm called the Occoquan Workhouse for nonviolent offenders serving short sentences. The District established an adjacent reformatory in 1914, and then a 10-acre (4.0 ha) walled penitentiary constructed by inmates from 1931 through 1938, as a division of the reformatory with heightened security. The complex came under the administration of the District of Columbia Department of Corrections when it was formed in 1946. After further expansions, a peak size of 3,500-acre (1,400 ha), and 92 years of service, the facility was ordered closed in the late 1990s. The final prisoners were transferred out in November 2001. Lorton was also the site of a bunker used by the government from 1959 to 2001 that housed emergency communications equipment to be used in the event of a war with the Soviet Union. Lorton Reformatory also hosted Nike missile site W-64.

Location

Lorton, Fairfax County, Virginia
38.70303, -77.24519

Categories

AGRICULTUREARCHITECTUREPOLITICS/GOVERNMENTSOCIAL HISTORYINDUSTRY
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 D.C. Workhouse and Reformatory Historic District

This page lists D.C. Workhouse and Reformatory Historic District. 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 D.C. Workhouse and Reformatory Historic District report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Occoquan Historic District
Listed
1.5 mi
Rockledge
Industrial
1.5 mi
Silverbook Methodist Church
Industrial
1.6 mi
Fairfax Arms
Industrial
2.4 mi
Pohick Church
Industrial
2.8 mi

Questions about this property

When was D.C. Workhouse and Reformatory Historic District listed on the National Register?

D.C. Workhouse and Reformatory Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 16, 2006.

What type of historic resource is D.C. Workhouse and Reformatory Historic District?

D.C. Workhouse and Reformatory Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for D.C. Workhouse and Reformatory Historic District?

The period of significance for D.C. Workhouse and Reformatory Historic District is recorded as the civil_war era.

Can I research the history near D.C. Workhouse and Reformatory Historic District?

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 D.C. Workhouse and Reformatory Historic District 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 D.C. Workhouse and Reformatory Historic District will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report