National Register of Historic Places

Washington Historic District

Washington, Rappahannock County, Virginia
Listed
May 27, 1975
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
75002033

About this property

The town of Washington, commonly known as Little Washington (in relation to the larger city of Washington, D.C., nearby), is a historic town located in the eastern foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains near Shenandoah National Park. The entire town is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district, Washington Historic District. It is the county seat of Rappahannock County, Virginia, United States. Washington, Virginia, is considered part of the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. The town was established by an act of the Virginia General Assembly in 1796 and as the county seat of Rappahannock County, Virginia, in 1833. The town was incorporated in 1894 and was rechartered by the Virginia General Assembly in 1985. A large portion of the town was designated as the Washington Historic District on the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 and is considered to be the best preserved of county-seat communities in the Piedmont. The town is led by a 7-member elected Town Council composed of a mayor, a treasurer, and five other members, all of whom serve 4-year terms. The internationally recognized The Inn at Little Washington is located in the town. The town combines a mixture of open spaces, residences, village commerce, tourism facilities, historic buildings, cultural offerings, and local government activities. As of the 2020 census, Washington had a population of 86. The area of the town is 182 acres (74 ha).

Location

Washington, Rappahannock County, Virginia
38.71544, -78.15989

Categories

COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTPOLITICS/GOVERNMENTARCHITECTURE
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.

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Everything a full report reveals about Washington Historic District

This page lists Washington 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.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Washington School
Industrial
0.3 mi
Calvert Mill/Washington Mill
Industrial
0.5 mi
Sunnyside
Early Republic
2 mi
Caledonia Farm
Industrial
3.7 mi
Mount Salem Baptist Meetinghouse
Industrial
4.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was Washington Historic District listed on the National Register?

Washington Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 27, 1975.

What type of historic resource is Washington Historic District?

Washington Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Washington Historic District?

The period of significance for Washington Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Washington 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 Washington Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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