Oakton Trolley Station
Also known as: VDHR No. 29-477
Why it's listed
Built in 1905 in Oakton, Virginia, this three-story frame building served as a station on the Washington and Fairfax Electric Railway, a trolley line running from Fairfax Court House to downtown Washington, D.C. Willis R. Gray, who sold the railway a right of way and was developing the Oakton subdivision, encouraged the company to build it. It has a rectangular plan, cedar weatherboards, fishscale shingles in the gables, a tin roof, a brick foundation and a wrap-around porch that once served as a waiting platform. Farmers, nurserymen and florists shipped produce and flowers on the line, and commuters used it increasingly during and after World War I. Service ended in 1939, but the building continued as a general store, post office and boarding house. Restored by 1988 and now a home, it is the only surviving station of its kind on the line, and traces of the trolley roadbed remain beside it.
Significance in brief: The station is significant for its link to the growth of urban and suburban transit in the northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. area. The railway carried produce, goods, mail and commuters from small communities into the city. The larger stations on the line were all designed in a similar style, and this is the only surviving example.
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 95000026, listed February 8, 1995. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2923 Gray St., Oakton |
|---|---|
| County | Fairfax (city and county) |
| Listed | February 8, 1995 |
| Reference number | 95000026 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1905-1939 |
| Architect / builder | Washington and Fairfax Electric Railroad Co. |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Transportation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently a private residence; restored by 1988, with a rear addition built in 1986-87 and a non-contributing garage. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 38.87975, -77.29654 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 95000026.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14713003
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.