Information Page by Mike Andrew, REALTOR®
Town of Herndon, Fairfax County, Virginia
Herndon’s historic center grew around the railroad depot and the dairy farms that once shipped milk to Washington. Today the depot anchors a commercial core surrounded by older residential streets, with many houses dating from 1890 to 1920. A 1917 fire shaped much of the commercial area that survives, while the local historic overlay guides changes to designated properties.
Historic downtown Herndon is centered around the depot and the W&OD Trail.
The dot marks downtown Herndon, rather than a historic-district boundary.
The Herndon Historic District covers the town's historic center in western Fairfax County. The community grew around the railroad, which reached Herndon by 1859, and later became a shipping point for local dairy farms.
The depot remains a central landmark and houses a museum operated by the Historical Society of Herndon. The Town of Herndon publishes separate guidance for properties within its local Historic District Overlay.
Two starting points for exploring the historic center and looking more closely at an individual property.
The east walking tour starts at the depot and passes homes and buildings in the Historical Society’s plaque registry. A separate west tour explores other streets, and the brochure includes town historical markers. The routes use public streets and sidewalks; the homes remain private.
The town’s preservation page links its local Historic District map, property list, process guide and modification form. Town staff use the proposed work to determine whether review is exempt, handled by staff or referred to the Historic District Review Board. Start with these local resources for a particular address.
Town of Herndon: preservation maps and property-modification resources
The settlement received its name in 1858 in honor of Captain William Lewis Herndon of Fredericksburg. He commanded a packet ship that sank off Cape Hatteras the previous year.
Herndon Historic District — Virginia Department of Historic Resources
After Herndon's incorporation in 1879, the first town council meetings were held in the depot. The building later housed town offices before becoming a museum, giving it a civic history as well as a railway one.
Eleven local women founded the Fortnightly Club in 1889, meeting once every two weeks to study. Their collection grew into a public library. The present branch keeps the name in recognition of the club's long volunteer service.
The historic district includes modest houses from several building periods, with many built between 1890 and 1920. Residential streets retain a range of house forms rather than one consistent architectural style. The local Historic District Overlay distinguishes contributing and noncontributing buildings; the Town’s address-based map identifies which designation applies to a property.
Historic railroad station and museum; the state record explains its changing uses.
County library beside the Town Green and former railroad corridor.
Town guidance explains the Historic District Overlay and how to locate a property within it.
Browse listings on Mike Andrew’s real estate website. You can change the map area, price, bedrooms and other search filters there.
Search current listings in HerndonThis search covers the broader Herndon area. The listing service does not provide a separate historic-district filter.
The depot houses a museum operated by the Historical Society of Herndon, preserving the building’s railway and civic history.
Use the Town’s Historic District map and address search. They distinguish properties within the local overlay and identify contributing and noncontributing buildings.
Much of the historic commercial area was rebuilt after a fire in 1917, so its buildings tell a different chapter from some of the surrounding older houses.
For current community rules and services, use the relevant association or government source.
Thinking about buying or selling in Herndon Historic District, or just have a question? Send Mike a message and he’ll get back to you personally.
Mike is a Northern Virginia real estate agent with REAL Broker, based in Reston.