Westover Historic District
Also known as: 000-0032
Why it's listed
Westover is a planned residential neighborhood in northwestern Arlington County, Virginia, covering about 143 acres and roughly 418 primary buildings. It grew in phases beginning with the Westover Apartments in 1939, followed by Westover Hills, Keene's Addition and Westover Park through the 1940s. Most of the buildings were put up by Mace Properties with mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration. The streets are lined with two-story brick Colonial Revival single-family houses, twin houses, duplexes and garden apartments, designed by architects including Adolph Thelander and Harry Ormston. Buildings sit back from winding streets and cul-de-sacs, leaving generous yards, courtyards and open space. A commercial area along Washington Boulevard includes a shopping center, a junior high school and a church, with a park and pedestrian paths nearby. The neighborhood was recognized for its architecture and for its role as an example of mid-twentieth-century suburban community planning, with a period of significance from 1939 to 1948.
Significance in brief: The district is significant for architecture and community planning and development. It is a largely intact example of an FHA-insured suburb built by Mace Properties, with Colonial Revival single-family houses, twin houses, duplexes and garden apartments in a planned layout of winding streets, yards and shared open space.
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 06000345, listed May 2, 2006. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Bounded by McKinley Rd., N. Washington Blvd., N. 16th St., N. Jefferson St., N. 11th St. and N. Fairfax Dr., Arlington |
|---|---|
| County | Arlington County |
| Listed | May 2, 2006 |
| Reference number | 06000345 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1939-1948 |
| Architect / builder | Keene, E. Ray; Mace Properties; Mims, Speake, and Co.; Ormston, Harry E.; Stephens, A.S.J.; Thelander, Adolph F. |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals/Colonial Revival; Modern Movement/Moderne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Community Planning and Development |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still largely residential, with a shopping center, junior high school, church and parks; many houses have replacement windows and some have additions. |
| Acreage | 173.4 |
| Coordinates | 38.88540, -77.13625 (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 06000345.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14713518
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.