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D−History
History · South Riding

Half of South Riding’s homes were built after 2006

More historic than 3% of U.S. towns · #220 of 253 in Virginia. What drives it

Most of South Riding was built recently: 0.2% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 2006. Below: maps from 1968 on.

0on the National Register
0.2%homes built before 1940
1famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Quick answers

About South Riding’s history

How historic is South Riding?

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More historic than 3% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
The full story ↓
History grade

What drives South Riding’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, South Riding is more historic than 3% of U.S. towns, #220 of 253 in Virginia. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.

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HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of South Riding’s overall grade.
Founding eraNo founding year we can rely on, so the grade uses the other two–Homes built before 19400.2% of homes (±0.2) · typical VA town 1.9% · U.S. 8.4%DNational RegisterNo listings counted · typical VA town 3.6 per 10,000 · U.S. 2.4C−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 3%
NewerOlder
Virginia towns of 2,500+ (253)Ahead of 13%

Virginia towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Virginia town has 3.6 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so South Riding’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (17% of Virginia towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.

How sure. Graded on two of the three inputs, so a change in either one moves the letter more than it would with three. The pre-1940 share (±0.2 points) is firm at this size.

Founding year: our sources. Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about South Riding’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of South Riding are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start South Riding’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how South Riding’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
The story

How South Riding came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of South Riding.

Read it all →

In January 1995, the Declarant of developers who owned the land established South Riding Proprietary as a not for profit corporation, as a way of providing services to residents of what became South Riding. In 2009, South Riding Proprietary was granted 501(c)(4) status by the Internal Revenue Service. The Proprietary continues to own and govern South Riding.

ChaptersEstablishment and development

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

By decade

South Riding, decade by decade

Today12 recent
2015-06-11 13 50 30 A Southern Magnolia blossom at a nursery on U.S. Route 50 (John Mosby Highway) in20152015-06-11 13 50 30 A Southern Magnolia blossom at a …2015-06-11 13 49 41 A Southern Magnolia blossom at a nursery on U.S. Route 50 (John Mosby Highway) in20152015-06-11 13 49 41 A Southern Magnolia blossom at a …2015-06-07 20 23 03 A field during sunset in20152015-06-07 20 23 03 A field during sunset in2015-06-07 20 19 01 View west along U.S. Route 50 (John Mosby Highway) during sunset in20152015-06-07 20 19 01 View west along U.S. Route 50 (Jo…2015-04-10 15 58 10 Developing Red Maple seeds in20152015-04-10 15 58 10 Developing Red Maple seeds in2014-05-13 20 02 32 Lightning in20142014-05-13 20 02 32 Lightning in2014-05-13 20 00 06 Lightning in20142014-05-13 20 00 06 Lightning in2014-05-13 09 45 56 Native cherry blossoms in20142014-05-13 09 45 56 Native cherry blossoms in2014-05-13 09 45 45 Native cherry blossoms in20142014-05-13 09 45 45 Native cherry blossoms in2014-05-13 09 45 41 Native cherry blossoms in20142014-05-13 09 45 41 Native cherry blossoms in2014-05-13 09 45 34 Native cherry in20142014-05-13 09 45 34 Native cherry in2014-05-13 08 32 55 Eastern Red Cedar at South Riding Golf Club in20142014-05-13 08 32 55 Eastern Red Cedar at South Riding…
On the map

South Riding on the map, 1968 to 1977

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of South Riding. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

South Riding on the 1968 USGS mapSouth Riding on the 1977 USGS map1968Arcola sheet · 1:24,000

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of South Riding.

Places that used to be

Old corners and places now gone

Old hamlets and crossroads still carry their names on the map.

Hamlets and corners on the map
Pleasant Valley
Gone or out of use
Strobel Airfieldairport

Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Stone RidgeIts storyD

Questions about South Riding’s history

How does South Riding rank for history?

South Riding is more historic than 3% of U.S. towns, #220 of 253 in Virginia. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

How old are the homes in South Riding?

0.2% of South Riding’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate), against a typical 1.9% for a Virginia town; the median home was built in 2006.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

From Wikimedia Commons (12), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.