Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 12/13/2012
NRHP Listing Date 02/27/2013
NRHP Reference Number 13000044
Alexandria Union Station, built in 1905, drew inspiration from the City Beautiful urban planning movement. Its design went beyond that of a merely serviceable train station and resulted in the creation of an architecturally appealing municipal gateway. The Colonial Revival-style station resulted from the consolidation—or “union”—of rail lines in Alexandria and the greater District of Columbia area. It is the only Colonial Revival-style public building of its era in Alexandria and the only remaining one that recalls the city’s long railroad history. The station’s passenger traffic began declining in 1932 when the George Washington Memorial Highway opened, luring commuters from trains to autos. The Alexandria Union Station was extensively renovated in 1982, with further improvements in the mid-1990s. The station remains in use.
Many properties listed in the registers are private dwellings and are not open to the public, however many are visible from the public right-of-way. Please be respectful of owner privacy.
Abbreviations:
VLR: Virginia Landmarks Register
NPS: National Park Service
NRHP: National Register of Historic Places
NHL: National Historic Landmark
Updated: December 5, 2022
