People gather around a vintage green train car outdoors - railroad history sites

Self-guided · County in Virginia

Railroad History Sites in Arlington County, VA

Depots, roundhouses, trestles and rail yards from the lines that decided which towns grew and which ones faded.

Arlington County is one of 134 counties in Virginia. Railroad History Sites are spread across the country in places most people would not guess. The list below shows how close the nearest ones are to Arlington County, VA.

People walking inside a grand, old train station - railroad history sites — Photo: Ambati Cherubim on Unsplash

Train arriving at a station with people on platform - railroad history sites — Photo: adam roye on Unsplash

A group of people standing next to a train - railroad history sites — Photo: Dominic Kurniawan Suryaputra on Unsplash

On the record near Arlington County, VA

The 12 nearest

12 listed sites on the record match railroad history sites within 30 miles of Arlington County, VA, out of 790 listed sites of every kind within 25 miles. 31 listed sites carry Arlington County as their county.

Southern Railway Building4.0 miles from the center of Arlington County · Building · Washington · listed 2016National Register of Historic Places
Railroad Retirement Board Building4.6 miles from the center of Arlington County · Building · Washington · listed 2007National Register of Historic Places
Washington Railway and Electric Company Garage5.3 miles from the center of Arlington County · Building · Washington · listed 2014National Register of Historic Places
Orange and Alexandria Railroad Hooff's Run Bridge5.5 miles from the center of Arlington County · Structure · Alexandria (Independent City) · listed 2003National Register of Historic Places
Washington and Georgetown Railroad Car House5.7 miles from the center of Arlington County · Building · Washington · listed 2006National Register of Historic Places
Silver Spring Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Station8.9 miles from the center of Arlington County · Building · Silver Spring · listed 2000National Register of Historic Places
Oakton Trolley Station11 miles from the center of Arlington County · Building · Oakton · listed 1995National Register of Historic Places
Rockville Railroad Station15 miles from the center of Arlington County · Building · Rockville · listed 1974National Register of Historic Places
Herndon Depot17 miles from the center of Arlington County · Building · Herndon · listed 1979National Register of Historic Places
Gaithersburg B & O Railroad Station and Freight Shed19 miles from the center of Arlington County · Building · Gaithersburg · listed 1978National Register of Historic Places
Bowie Railroad Buildings20 miles from the center of Arlington County · Building · Bowie · listed 1998National Register of Historic Places
Laurel Railroad Station21 miles from the center of Arlington County · Building · Laurel · listed 1973National Register of Historic Places

Distances are straight-line from the center of Arlington County, VA. Many sites are private property or working buildings - view them from the public way. See them on the map.

Railroad History in Arlington County, step by step

1
Read the short history of the period for this area
2
Open the map filtered to the sites from that chapter
3
Visit the nearest site and read its full record
4
Ask what the marker leaves out and look for the rest
5
Add the site to a route that follows the period in order

What people in Arlington County, VA ask first

How much does it cost to visit these sites in Arlington County, VA?

Most listed sites can be seen from a public road or sidewalk at no cost, and the app is free to use. Some sites are private homes, working churches or museums with their own hours and fees. The record for each one says what it is, so you know before you go.

Where does the information on these sites come from?

From published records: the National Register of Historic Places, the Recorded Texas Historic Landmark program, and the Georgia Historical Society and Georgia Department of Natural Resources marker program. Every site on the page names its source.

Are the hard parts of this history included?

Yes. The record is shown as published, and the stories behind the markers include what happened, who it happened to, and how it was remembered. Leaving the hard parts out would make the stop less worth the trip.

Why are there so many of these sites near Arlington County, VA?

Most areas have more than people expect, because the registers list every surviving building and site tied to a period, not just the famous ones. The list on this page shows exactly what is on the record nearby.

How a visit works in Arlington County

Step 1
Find the place
Every stop starts as a pin with real coordinates. In Arlington County, VA the map shows what is listed around you and how far each one is, so the first decision is where to go, and it takes a few seconds.
Step 2
Read the story
The record behind each marker is kept whole: what happened there, when, who was involved, and why it was worth a sign. You read it standing where it happened, which is the part a textbook cannot give you.
Step 3
Get there under your own power
Walk it, run it, hike it, ride it or drive it. Stops in Arlington County, VA are chained into routes that fit the way you move, so a lunch break, a long run or a Saturday drive can all pass through history.
Step 4
Collect it and come back
Each stop you reach counts toward a badge, and a photo or a correction you send makes the record better for the next person. The map remembers where you have been, so the next trip starts where the last one ended.