Interested in learning about Reston’s origin and past? History buffs new to the area have several available resources.
The easiest, most convenient way to learn more about the community is to head to the Reston Museum at Lake Anne Village Center.
The museum, which is volunteered-based and run by the Reston Historic Trust, offers a large collection of materials related to Reston's history, development, architecture, government, culture, and social life from 1965 to the present. For those looking for more details, George Mason University’s Special Collection and Archives supports a subset collection called the Planned Community Archives. The brunt of the Planned Community Archives, or 450 cubic feet worth of materials, focuses on Reston.
For those willing to spend a few bucks, local resident and budding filmmaker Steve Resz recently debuted his video documentary about the history of the planned community, called “Reston: Past, Present and Future.” The three-hour documentary, which sells for $24.99 at the Lake Anne Pharmacy, provides a thorough review of Reston’s past and present.
In addition, several books focus on Reston history. “Reston Town Center: A Downtown for the 21st Century,” edited by Alan Ward, was released this year. The book explores the origins and evolution of Reston’s urban core.
Tom Grubisich’s “Reston, the First Twenty Years,” documents how Reston grew from an idea into a thriving community. Nan Netherton also compiled a history of Reston with a spin. Her book, “Reston: New Town in the Old Dominion, a Pictorial History,” offers readers a visual overview of Reston’s past.
“The Nature of Reston,” with contributions by local naturalist Claudia Thompson-Deahl, Reston’s founder Robert E. Simon and longtime resident Charles Veatch, tours the beauty of Reston’s natural areas.