McLean

About

McLean is located between the George Washington Parkway to the east and the rapidly growing business center of Tysons Corner to the west. It stretches almost 10 miles southeast to northeast along Old Dominion Road. A century ago, the strip of land known as Old Dominion Road was an electric railroad line on the Great Falls and Old Dominion (GF&OD) service running from Georgetown to Great Falls. One stop on the Railroad was at Ingleside, a crossroads midway between Langley and Lewinsville, where the McLean Post Office was established in 1910. McLean was named in honor of John R. McLean, publisher of The Washington Post and stockholder of the railway.

McLean is steeped in history dating back almost 400 years to the time of the sixth Lord Fairfax. One of the more notable estates was known as Salona. It was built on part of the 2,862 acre grant known as Langley. During the war of 1812, the estate’s owner, the Reverend William Maffit, reportedly gave refuge to President James Madison as the British troops burned Washington D.C. During the Civil War, Salona served as the headquarters for Union General William “Baldy” Smith. Salona remained a working farm until the late 1940’s when the current owners began selling acreage. State Representative Clive and Susan DuVal began purchasing Salona in stages beginning in 1953. The DuVal family later generously arranged for the preservation of the house and property. Fairfax County is currently in negotiations to transform the remaining acreage into a park with open space and playing fields.

Quality of Life

McLean is home to many diplomats, members of Congress and high ranking federal government officials. While McLean may be better known for its upscale residences and famous politicians, it is offers a variety of homes for several different income levels. Prices begin in the low $200,000’s for modest garden and high rise apartments, shift upward to the $400,000-$700,000 price range for typical townhouses and modest detached homes, and skyrocket to over $5 Million for custom, one-of-a-kind private residences that overlook the Potomac River.

The McLean community is bustling with active community organizations, established to allow residents and visitors the experience of area cultural opportunities. Original, high-quality theatrical productions, professional classical music presentations, and art exhibits are available year-round at the McLean Community Center. The recently renovated Dolly Madison Library is an oasis of quiet tucked into a corner of McLean Central Park. Clemijontri Park is a fabulous new ADA accessible children’s park complete with a beautiful, old fashioned Merry-Go-Round. McEnearney Associates is proud to Sponsor Mac’s Mercury, a handsome stallion that calls the Carousel home. McLean Hardware, a local institution since 1948 is a wonderful alternative the Big Box Hardware store. They have plenty of young staff ready to help you find just the right tool the moment you walk through their doors. Another classic McLean experience is dinner at the McLean Family Restaurant. Don’t be surprised if you see a former Speaker of the House enjoying an old fashioned dinner in the booth next door. McLean Family has been serving up hot meals since 1955. And if your car needs repair, the friendly and honest mechanics at McLean Service Center will take care of that too. They have been fixing cars since the time of the 1953 Chevy Bel-Air.

Two very secret, but well recognized entities have world headquarters located in McLean, the Mars Candy Company and the Central Intelligence Agency. Neither discloses the number of employees working on site, claiming that information is strictly “need to know.”

Transportation

McLean is conveniently located near three major highways, the Beltway, Rt. 495, Rt. 66, and The G.W. Parkway. The main local thoroughfares are Rt. 123, named after Dolly Madison and Old Dominion Drive. The closet Metro station (on the Orange line) is currently located just outside the McLean boundary line in West Falls Church. However, construction is underway for the Silver Line which will provide McLean with its own Metro Station in 2013.

Airport:

Washington Dulles International Airport:  < 18 miles, about 20 minutes via the Dulles Airport Access Road

Ronald Reagan National Airport:  < 15 miles, about 30 minutes via G.W. Parkway

Baltimore Washington International Airport:  < 50 miles, about 1 hour via Rts 495 and 95

To view a variety of reports, statistics and demographic information on McLean, please click any of the following links.

• Neighborhood Information
• School Information
• Cost of Living
• Comparative Community Report

Map of Community