Aurora Highlands Historic District
Also known as: 000-9706
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Aurora Highlands is a 128-acre residential neighborhood in southern Arlington County, Virginia, laid out on a regular grid a few miles from Washington, D.C. It grew from three subdivisions platted between 1896 and 1930: Addison Heights, Aurora Hills and Virginia Highlands. Two dwellings from around 1870 and 1880 predate the first subdivision. Most houses were built between 1911 and 1940, many as Craftsman bungalows. The area also holds seven concrete-block houses built in 1910 by architect Milton Dana Morrill, and seven houses identified as Sears, Roebuck and Company mail-order kits. Colonial Revival, Tudor Revival and mid-century Modern Movement buildings add variety, along with churches, schools, parks and a small commercial strip on 23rd Street South. The district was listed for its architecture and for what it shows about planned suburban development, which accelerated during both World Wars as middle-class families sought housing near the capital. Despite replacement materials and additions, its overall integrity remains largely intact.
Significance in brief: The district is argued to be significant under Criteria A and C in the areas of Architecture and Community Planning/Development. It shows three phases of middle-class commuter suburban growth near the capital, driven by housing demand during the two World Wars. It also preserves a range of early-twentieth-century styles, including Milton Dana Morrill's concrete-block houses and seven Sears kit houses.
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) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 08001018, listed October 22, 2008. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Bounded by 16th St. S., S. Eads St., 26th St. S., and S. Joyce St., Arlington |
|---|---|
| County | Arlington County |
| Listed | October 22, 2008 |
| Reference number | 08001018 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | circa 1870-1957 |
| Architect / builder | Morrill, Milton Dana; Sears, Roebuck and Company; McClaine, C.C.; Muhleman & Kayhoe; Price, J. Lee; Taishoff, Harry; Minnick, J.C.; Morris, Henry C. |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Italianate, Colonial Revival, Tudor Revival, Mission/Spanish Colonial Revival, Bungalow/Craftsman, Moderne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Community Planning and Development |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still a primarily residential neighborhood; the overall integrity is described as substantially intact despite some replacement materials and modest additions. |
| Acreage | 128.8 |
| Coordinates | 38.85866, -77.06326 (NPS GIS) |
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.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 08001018.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14711989
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.