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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 look at the expanding suburbs and preserved landscapes of Northern Virginia and Maryland. From the urban core of Washington, Alexandria, and the Pentagon, development reaches westward through Fairfax and Reston toward the growing aviation hub at Dulles International Airport. The map highlights significant federal and military tracts that have shaped regional land use, including the Fort Belvoir Military Reservation and the Marine Corps Development and Education Command (Quantico).

Beyond the suburban sprawl, the landscape transitions into the rolling terrain of the Bull Run Mountains and the rural reaches of Warrenton and Marshall. Preservation of American history is evident at Manassas National Battlefield Park, while the Southern railroad line traces a path through smaller settlements like Nokesville and Calverton. The sheet captures the critical moment when formerly quiet towns were being integrated into the metropolitan corridor by the rise of Interstate 66 and Interstate 95.