Washington dates to 1796, and 70% of its homes were built before 1940
3 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 147 buildings. Below: 2 old photos and papers, maps from 1961 on, and the census since 1880.
The first recorded official document relating to the land that became the town of Washington was a land grant in the year 1735 from King George II of Great Britain to Thomas, James, and Elizabeth Kennerly. The three siblings received 1,750 acres of land located "between the mountains and the fork of the Rushy River," in what was then Orange County, for importing six people into the colony of Virginia, payment of seven pounds five shillings of "good and lawful money," and an annual fee of one shilling for every fifty acres of land. At this time there were virtually no Native Americans in the area and the way was open to English settlement of the Piedmont region of Virginia.
Passages that mention Washington, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of the invasion and capture of Washington, and the events which preceded and followed1857 · page 318Read the page →
Read the text
If the object of the enemy was to proceed direct to Washington, the road by Bladensburg offered fewer obstructions than that over the Eastern Branch Bridge, although it was six miles further ; and yet, if I had retired toward Bladensburg, I should have been removed so much further from annoying or impeding the enemy, if he proceeded to Fort Washington, and I should have left the road to Washington City, by the Eastern Branch Bridge, open to him, which, although I had, as I supposed, left a secure arrangement
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of southwest Virginia, 1746-1786, Washington County, 1777-18701903 · page 462Read the page →
Read the text
About this time the militia was transferred from the State's service to the service of the United States, to serve six months. A portion of the Washington county militia marched for the city of Washington a few days after Colonel Coleman marched for the Northern Neck, and, upon the return of Coleman's forces to Fort Mitchell, the field and staff officers of his command were ordered to Washington city. The troop of cavalry and riflemen were ordered to Charles City courthouse, from which point they passed to Camp
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of the invasion and capture of Washington, and the events which preceded and followed1857 · page 335Read the page →
Read the text
Assistant Adjutant-general of Militia, came to me from Washington with a message from General Winder informing me that General Winder had retreated from Battalion Old Fields into the City of Washington across the bridge, which he had ordered to be burned ; and that the general expected I would resist the enemy as long as possible should he move against me in that direction.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of southwest Virginia, 1746-1786, Washington County, 1777-18701903 · page 634Read the page →
Read the text
The first postoffice in Southwestern Virginia was established at Abingdon on the 25th day of April, 1793, with Gerrard T. Conn as postmaster, and this was the only postoffice to be foimd in the county of Washington, until the year 1833. It is hard to believe that the citizens of this county for forty years had but one postoffice and one place at which they could mail their letters and receive their mail.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Timeline
Washington, 1796 to 1961
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
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). How TownRatings grades history →
From Wikimedia Commons (5), the Library of Congress (1), the National Register of Historic Places (3), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
2009
2008
2007
2005
