Catlett Historic District
Why it's listed
Catlett is a small rural village in southeastern Fauquier County, Virginia, that developed after the Orange and Alexandria Railroad arrived in 1852. The historic district covers about 118 acres and 76 properties around the junction of Catlett Road, Elk Run Road, Old Dumfries Road and the tracks. Most buildings are vernacular frame dwellings and outbuildings, with ten commercial buildings, three churches, a cemetery and an early dairy complex. The oldest dwelling, Prospect Acres, has a log core built around 1855 by Richard Colvin. The 1866 Trenis store is the oldest surviving commercial building, and three Italianate houses on Old Catlett Road are attributed to the builder Harlan P. Waite. Trinity Church dates to 1872. The railroad station is gone, but the village kept most of the buildings shown on a 1914 county map. Its intact character, shaped by the railroad and by Civil War events, is why it was listed.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · catalog entry. Generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29).
| Styles | Gothic Revival; Colonial Revival; Bungalow/Craftsman; Italianate; Other: I-House; Commercial |
|---|---|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Military, Commerce |
| Acreage | 118 |
| Boundary source | NPS cultural-resource GIS polygon |
| Full listing page | Catlett Historic District (property record) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.