The W&OD Trail
The Washington and Old Dominion Trail (W&OD), originally known as the Alexandria, Loudoun, and Hampshire Railroad, has been an essential transportation route since the 1850s.
The Washington and Old Dominion Trail (W&OD), originally known as the Alexandria, Loudoun, and Hampshire Railroad, has been an essential transportation route since the 1850s. The railroad's primary objective was to expand commerce from Alexandria to the developing communities in the West. The route did not quite achieve its commercial goals, yet it played an essential role in history.
The railroad was the site of a few skirmishes during the Civil War (Battle of Vienna and Balls Crossroads during the Summer of 1861) and was witness to the development of Northern Virginia mainly based on its route. The tracks wound through what is today Arlington, Falls Church, Vienna, Reston, Herndon, Sterling, Leesburg, and Purcellville – all significant modern sites, many of which are vital for economic development.
When the railroad finally ended in 1968, it underwent a series of changes – first at the hands of VEPCO – formerly the local Virginia Power Company – and then later in 1974 by NOVA Parks.
1967, Arlington County paved its first bicycle facility: a multi-use trail of crushed limestone about three miles along Four Mile Run. The trail opening included a Bluemont Park ceremony, a Navy band performance, and cycling exhibitions. This was also the first bicycle trail in the nation to be built with federal funds.
The first section of the W&OD Trail was opened on Sept. 7, 1974, by Falls Church mayor Harold Miller – the first of many events as the park expanded in both directions. On November 5, 1988, NOVA Parks celebrated the opening of the Trail’s final nine miles into Purcellville. Today, the Trail is an artery for visitors and commuters year-round.
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