[1649] England's King Charles 11 deeds vast Northern VA holdings - including what now is Reston-to seven of his supporters.

[1852] Reginald Fairfax, descendant of original owners, sells land which includes Reston-for $5.00 an acre.

[1886] What will become Reston is sold at a tax auction. Land to the south goes to William Dunn, that to the north to Dr Carl Wiehle, divided by the W&OD railroad (which in the late twentieth century will become a hiking & biking trail).

[1892] Dr Wiehle drafts plans for a Utopian new town. 1897 Wiehle is incorporated. (revoked,1990)

[1927] A Smith Bowman from Kentucky buys 4,000 acres in never-established town, renamed Sunset Hills Farm.

[1934] With the end of Prohibition, Bowman begins sale of Virginia Gentleman bourbon from the distillery on his property.

[1947] Farm expanded by 3,000 acres, becomes largest in Northern VA.

[1961] Robert E Simon invests money & dreams to purchase all but the farm's main house & distillery to begin a New Town on 6,750 acres.

[1962] Fairfax County Board of Supervisors passes Residential Planned Community (RPC) zoning to make Reston possible. Nationwide imitation will follow.

[1963] Construction begins on Lake Anne dam in March, & in Lake Anne Village Center in May.

[1964] First industrial tenant comes to Isaac Newton Sq in November; Reston's first residents come a month later.

[1965] Lake Anne Village Center officially opens. Hunters Woods' first residents move in.

[1966] Reston holds dedication ceremony in May. Reston Players present, "Greatest Game in Town".

[1967] First issue of Reston Directory published. Gulf Reston buys developer interest from Simon in town of 1291 residents. Reston Community (now Citizens) Association founded to continue Simon's ideals & to foster interests of residents.

[1968] Reston Commuter Bus System's instant success gets national attention as demonstration that customized service can lure riders out of autos.

[1969] Common Ground opens as a coffee house/luncheon/meeting place at Lake Anne Center.

[1970] 11,500 residents note founding of Reston Interfaith & The Common Ground Foundation, opening of Cedar Ridge, Reston's first low/moderate income housing.

[1971] Now 16,000 strong, Restonians hail May opening of Fellowship House in Lake Anne, first housing for senior citizens.

[1972] Gulf Reston's paid-ahead taxes build ramps onto Dulles Access Road. (The Toll Road will not be ready for another 12 years.) Common Ground Foundation begins intra-Reston bus service, forerunner of RIBS, Hunters Woods Village Center opens.

[1973] international Center, including Sheraton Inn & Conference Center, dedicated. Some staff arrives in nearly-completed million-sq-ft US Geological Survey head-quarters. Reston's first stoplight is at Wiehle Ave & North Shore Dr.

[1974] Tall Oaks Center dedicated.

[1976] Reston gets post office building & police substation. Statistics: 28,000 residents, 265 businesses, 7,500 jobs, 372 acres maintained by RHOA (later RA).

[1977] Openings-Terraset-the nation's first underground, solar heated/cooled school, & ACCESS-A natl prototype of free-standing emergency medical care. Internal travel easier with opening of 4-lane Wiehle Ave bridge & added 2 lanes on Reston Ave bridge.

[1978] South Lakes High School opens. 600 acres now maintained by RHOA.

[1979] Reston Community Center, funded by a special tax district, opens after long citizen campaign. Mobil subsidiary buys out town of 30,000 residents and 349 businesses from Gulf-Reston.

[1980] Voters reject town status. Rent increases force closings on Lake Anne Plaza of two institutions: the Common