Woodlawn Quaker Meetinghouse
Also known as: Woodlawn Friends Meeting House
Why it's listed
Set on a wooded 2.4-acre parcel that is now an in-holding within Fort Belvoir, this small Quaker meetinghouse in Fairfax County, Virginia, has served worshippers continuously since the 1850s. The wood frame building measures roughly twenty-four by thirty-six feet. Its southern half dates from 1851, and the northern half was added between 1866 and 1869, creating two matching cells with separate entrances for men and women. Inside, raised platforms hold facing elders' benches, and a partition wall with counterweighted paneled doors once allowed separate men's and women's meetings. Quaker families from the Delaware Valley settled the surrounding Woodlawn tract beginning in 1846, intending to show that farming could succeed without enslaved labor. Union soldiers occupied the building during the Civil War and carved names and initials into the siding. A burial ground with over one hundred headstones adjoins it. The building is valued as a rare Virginia example of plain-style Quaker architecture.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as a rare Virginia example of vernacular Quaker Plain Style meetinghouse architecture, of the 'cottage' type with a two-cell plan and a traditional counterweighted partition wall. It is also tied to the Quaker settlers who came to the Woodlawn tract from 1846 to show that farming could succeed without slave labor, and to the building's occupation by Union soldiers during the Civil War.
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 09000335, listed May 21, 2009. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 8990 Woodlawn Rd., Fort Belvoir |
|---|---|
| County | Fairfax (city and county) |
| Listed | May 21, 2009 |
| Reference number | 09000335 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1851-1869 |
| Architect / builder | Alexandria Monthly Meeting, Fairfax Quarter |
| Architectural style | OTHER: Quaker Plain Style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Religion, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | In continuous use for worship since its origins; described as little changed from its historic appearance and in good condition. |
| Acreage | 2.4 |
| Coordinates | 38.71401, -77.14257 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Religious properties are listed for their architectural or historical significance, not their religious use. Listing is honorary and does not restrict the congregation's use of the building. The federal rehabilitation credit is generally unavailable unless part of the building is income-producing; some state programmes and preservation grants do cover religious buildings. Federal funding or permits trigger Section 106 review.
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 09000335.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8033032
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.