Holmes Run Acres Historic District
Also known as: DHR File No. 029-5183
Why it's listed
Holmes Run Acres is a suburban neighborhood in Falls Church, Fairfax County, laid out on a 135-acre abandoned farm and built between 1951 and 1958. It holds more than three hundred single-family houses, the Woodburn School, a recreation center with pools, and Luria Park. The architects, Satterlee and Lethbridge, designed affordable, quickly built houses from modular standardized parts, with open plans, plywood panels, fixed glass and sliding windows. Four house types, named for their builders (one- and two-story Luria, Gaddy, and Bodor), mix wood and brick. At a time when colonial-style subdivisions were more common, the community took a different approach. Houses were staggered and angled on quarter-acre wooded lots to preserve privacy and fit the terrain, and streets curve with the land. Residents have long resisted sidewalks and streetlights to protect the natural setting. Although many buildings have been altered, the neighborhood keeps a high level of integrity and its modern suburban character.
Significance in brief: The document excerpt contains only the Section 7 description and house inventory, so the statement of significance is not included. The description presents the district as a departure from the colonial-style postwar subdivisions of its time, using modular, affordable houses designed by architects Satterlee and Lethbridge and sited to fit the natural terrain. It retains a high level of integrity and its modern suburban character.
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 07000230, listed March 22, 2007. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Area generally bounded by Gallows Rd., Surrey Ln, and Holmes Run Dr., Falls Church |
|---|---|
| County | Fairfax (city and county) |
| Listed | March 22, 2007 |
| Reference number | 07000230 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architect / builder | Architects Satterlee and Lethbridge; houses built by the Luria Brothers, Gaddy, and Bodor |
| Architectural style | Modern Movement |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Community Planning and Development |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Houses, school, recreation center and park remain in their historic uses; many houses have been modified, often by enclosing carports or adding sympathetic additions, but the district retains a high level of integrity. |
| Acreage | 140 |
| Coordinates | 38.85435, -77.21214 (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 07000230.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5883615
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.