Wessynton, Virginia Homes For Sale

Aficionados of mid-century modern homes for sale in the Washington Metro region will want to know about the delightful community of Wessyton. Located in the southernmost part of Alexandria, this collection of 156 single-family residences is also in the Mount Vernon area, and part of Fairfax County. Twenty-three of the homes are right on the Little Hunting Creek tributary which leads to the Potomac River. And regardless of whether you have an actual waterfront lot, all residents have access to the dock, boating and other recreation.

Wessynton Mid-Century Homes for Sale

The Wessyton location traces all the way back to the Doeg Indians and was later part of George Washington’s famed Mount Vernon estate. But the specific location remained mostly undeveloped until the 1960s when the Mount Vernon Ladies Association sold 65 acres of wooded land to a developer. The result was the quintessential American mid-century neighborhood with a boat dock, tennis courts, swimming pool and clubhouse. Plus, 20 acres of the original Wessynton Forest were left in place—perfect for nature walks and frolicking woodland creatures.

The development of Wessynton was guided by architect Nicholas A. Pappas of the Deigert and Yerkes and Associates firm. Pappas designed five different home models—Garden, Manor, Meadow, Forest and River. Those names seem perfectly coined. River homes have huge redwood decks with water views, the Garden houses have lovely garden courtyards and the Manor is the most expansive of the residences.

Pappas was guided by classic principles of modernism, incorporating the natural landscape into the homes’ design and placement, and using earth-tone palettes of olive, sand and pale yellow. Typical floor plan features included open space layouts, plenty of large windows, slate floors and redwood ceilings.

Homes for sale in Wessynton have recently being priced in the mid-to-high six figure range. But because it’s a relatively small community, active listings don’t pop up all that frequently. When these homes do come on the market, they typically sell fast. Those interested in the mid-century genre in this area may also want to check out the Hollin Hills neighborhood to the north. 

From waterfront homes to those cozy abodes on winding roads with trees all about, Wessynton contemporary homes from the late 1960s to early 1970s represent an alluring form of design form, combining angular modernism with more traditional mid-century forms such as split-level and Rambler L-shaped layout. Residents also enjoy easy access to Washington, DC and Old Town—just head straight up Mount Vernon Highway or take the slower and more scenic route along the water, via the George Washington Memorial Parkway.

Other Mid-Century Modern and Contemporary Communities in Fairfax County

In addition to Wessynton, there are a number of sizable mid-century neighborhoods in Fairfax County. The Truro community was developed around the same time as Wessynton and was steered by the same architectural firm—Deigert & Yerkes and Associates. This is one of the largest of the contemporary subdivisions of the era with 377 single-family homes. Styles range from the unusual (such as the handful of “pod houses” designed by Hugh Newell Jacobsen) to more traditional Colonial and Split-level forms.

Hollin Hills boasts a hefty 450 homes as well as some truly adventurous design concepts. The chief architect was Charles M. Goodman, a pioneer in concepts of prefabrication methods in order to make intriguing homes affordable for the middle class. With huge window walls composed in modules, flat and butterfly roofs, linear patterns and natural surroundings, these award-winning homes for sale in the southern part of Alexandria are highly sought-after.

With 90 townhomes overlooking Lake Anne and Reston Town Center, Hickory Cluster is another of Goodman’s projects. His use of different materials and patterns to form a particular looks is on full display, with huge windows, cement beams and square panels in either wood or brick, creating signature grid-like patterns. Doors painted in primary colors are another mid-century modern touch.

With 355 homes, Holmes Run Acres in Falls Church features some truly interesting designs from the early part of the mid-century era. Architects Satterlee & Lethbridge did much of the design work in the very early 1950s, although construction would continue for another decade. The smallest of the models was a simple single-story Rambler while the largest were Split-levels with around 2,400 square feet of living space. Grids of windows, massive chimneys, cathedral ceilings and low-pitched roofs were, and still are, among the features in this popular community.

Pine Springs in the Falls Church area is comprised of 121 single-family homes, primarily designed by Chloethiel Woodard Smith, Arthur Keyes, Nicholas Satterlee and Donald Lethbridge. The earliest design work was done in the very early 1950s, with stylized structures featuring either flat, butterfly or very low-angled roofs, plus massive stretches of windows on one side of the house and extremely wide chimneys. During the last stages of construction in the early 1960s, more traditional styles were introduced.

To learn more about homes for sale in Wessynton, as well as other mid-century modern neighborhoods in Washington Metro, call Andre Perez at District Partners at Compass today, (202) 798-3600.