The town of Washington, Virginia is a historic village located in the eastern foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains near Shenandoah National Park.

The town combines a mixture of open spaces, residences, village commerce, tourism facilities, historic buildings, cultural offerings, and local government activities.

[3] The three siblings received 1,750 acres of land located "between the mountains and the fork of the Rushy River," in what was then Orange County, for importing six people into the colony of Virginia, payment of seven pounds five shillings of "good and lawful money," and an annual fee of one shilling for every fifty acres of land.

At this time there were virtually no Native Americans in the area and the way was open to English settlement of the Piedmont region of Virginia.

Thomas received the central part, adjacent to and south of the Rush River and containing the land that would become the town of Washington.

[6] Gambill divided the land: in 1754 he sold the western part, which contained what became the western portion of the town of Washington, to John Minor; in 1761 he gave the eastern part, which contained what became the northeastern portion of the town, to his son William Gambill.

[10] Only a few buildings were mentioned in these deeds; these included Wheeler's storehouse, Jett's store, and a schoolhouse, located along the road to Chesters Gap.

[14] The local legend that George Washington surveyed and laid out the town in 1749 is believed to have been created from fictitious documents in 1932.

In 1803 Mrs. Anne Cox established a tavern in the center of town; this building survives today as the gift shops of The Inn at Little Washington.

Mary Resor also established a tavern, on Gay Street, which was next owned by George Thorn and later became the home "Avon Hall."

A new water system was constructed for the town in the mid-1930s through Franklin Roosevelt's Works Progress Administration, and a volunteer fire department was created at that time.

In the later 1930s, caravans of tourists began visiting the town on their way to Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park.

Over the next 50 years, the town flourished because of the influx of tourism, with many new stores, art galleries, restaurants, and overnight lodging.

Largely due to the Inn's influence, the town is also home to several art galleries, unique shops, bed and breakfasts, and restaurants.

The town attracts art lovers, history buffs, and hikers that come into the county for day hikes or weekend camping trips.

A small frame building (1857) on the northwest corner of the complex served as the original office of the Commonwealth Attorney.

[30] Other notable buildings include the tavern and inn originally owned by Anne Coxe (circa 1800, now commercial shops); a log building that was probably one of the original dwelling houses constructed when the town was formed in 1796–1797; the country-Gothic Trinity Episcopal church (1857) and the Doric Presbyterian church (1858, now the Town Hall), both constructed by James Leake Powers; the brick Baptist church and Masonic hall (1875); and a brick Edwardian bank building (1915, now commercial offices).

[34] The town is located on the eastern side of the Blue Ridge Mountains near the northern part of Shenandoah National Park.

Via US 211 and US 522, US 211 Bus/US 522 Bus provides access to Luray to the west, Culpeper to the south, Warrenton to the east and Front Royal to the north.