Built in 1823 by Stanford Cockerille, the Dranesville Tavern originally sat at the intersection of Georgetown Pike and Alexandria Leesburg Pike. It was a "wagon stand" type of tavern that catered to teamsters. The structure served the community for decades before it closed to the public in 1946 and stopped taking boarders in 1968.
In the mid-1960s, the proposed widening of Route 7 threatened the building. To preserve the structure, it was moved 130 feet from its original location in 1968. The building was later listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.
Today, the building is located near Herndon. In July 2025, the Fairfax County Park Authority announced a "Resident Curator Program." Under this program, residents can live in the tavern for free in exchange for the rehabilitation and long-term maintenance of the property.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Kyle McLonely
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