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1986 Map of Washington West

Name: 1986 Topographic Map of Washington West
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1986
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1986

About this map

The Potomac River corridor anchors this mid-1980s landscape, serving as the border between the expanding suburban developments of Northern Virginia and the historic urban core of Washington. This map illustrates the dense concentration of federal power and military infrastructure, including the Pentagon, Fort Belvoir Military Reservation, and the Vint Hill Farms Station Military Reservation. To the west, the urban density of Alexandria and Arlington gives way to the planned communities of Reston and the academic grounds of George Mason University in Fairfax.

Beyond the suburban belt, the map captures the transition to more open terrain near the Bull Run Mountains and Sky Meadows State Park. These rural stretches are defined by older crossroads like Bealeton, Middleburg, and The Plains, which remain connected by the Southern Railway and traditional routes like U.S. Highway 50. Large conservation and commemorative areas like Prince William Forest Park and Manassas National Battlefield Park preserve significant open space as the surrounding region undergoes rapid late-century growth.