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<div class="vw-place-intro">Virginia’s National Historic Landmarks range from colonial-era churches and plantations to Civil War battlefields, modern architecture, and historic districts. The National Park Service’s state list records 126 Virginia landmarks, but the designation does not mean every property is publicly accessible: check the site’s official visitor information before making plans.<ref>{{Cite web
|url=https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalhistoriclandmarks/list-of-nhls-by-state.htm
|title=List of National Historic Landmarks by State
|website=National Historic Landmarks
|publisher=National Park Service
|access-date=October 22, 2026
}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web
|url=https://www.dhr.virginia.gov/programs/historic-registers/
|title=Historic Registers
|website=Virginia Department of Historic Resources
|publisher=Commonwealth of Virginia
|access-date=October 22, 2026
}}</ref></div>

== What a National Historic Landmark is ==
National Historic Landmarks (NHLs) are places the National Park Service recognizes for illustrating an outstanding aspect of the nation’s history and culture. They can be buildings, sites, structures, objects, or districts; designation is a statement of historic significance, not a guarantee of public ownership or visitor access.<ref>{{Cite web
|url=https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalhistoriclandmarks/index.htm
|title=National Historic Landmarks
|website=National Historic Landmarks
|publisher=National Park Service
|access-date=October 22, 2026
}}</ref>

An NHL is not the same thing as a unit of the National Park System. Some landmarks are within or associated with national parks, while others are privately owned or managed by state, local, or other organizations. Virginia’s Department of Historic Resources also maintains state historic-register information and links to landmark records and nominations.<ref>{{Cite web
|url=https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalhistoriclandmarks/nhlsinparks.htm
|title=National Historic Landmarks in Parks
|website=National Historic Landmarks
|publisher=National Park Service
|access-date=October 22, 2026
}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web
|url=https://www.dhr.virginia.gov/location/nhls-virginias-national-historic-landmarks/
|title=Virginia’s National Historic Landmarks
|website=Virginia Department of Historic Resources
|publisher=Commonwealth of Virginia
|access-date=October 22, 2026
}}</ref>

== Landmark visits to consider ==
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<div class="vw-place-card"><h3>Colonial and early Virginia</h3><p>Explore places connected with Virginia’s colonial history, including [[Jamestown, Virginia]], [[Colonial Williamsburg]], and [[George Washington’s Mount Vernon]]. These are distinct sites with their own visitor arrangements; check each official site for current access and programs.</p></div>
<div class="vw-place-card"><h3>War and national turning points</h3><p>Landmarks and historic landscapes connect visitors with pivotal conflicts and political change. Consider [[Yorktown Battlefield]], [[Appomattox Court House National Historical Park]], or [[Manassas National Battlefield Park]], and consult the managing site for current conditions and interpretation.</p></div>
<div class="vw-place-card"><h3>Architecture and historic districts</h3><p>Some designations cover individual buildings; others encompass districts and broader landscapes. The NPS list includes the [[Alexandria, Virginia|Alexandria Historic District]], the [[Virginia State Capitol]], and the [[Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia]], among many others.<ref>{{Cite web
|url=https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalhistoriclandmarks/list-of-nhls-by-state.htm
|title=List of National Historic Landmarks by State: Virginia
|website=National Historic Landmarks
|publisher=National Park Service
|access-date=October 22, 2026
}}</ref></p></div>
<div class="vw-place-card"><h3>Stories of Black history and civic life</h3><p>Virginia’s landmarks also preserve sites connected with African American history, education, enterprise, and public life. The [[Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site]] in [[Richmond, Virginia|Richmond]] is one place to begin; check the site’s official visitor information before visiting.</p></div>
</div>

== How to plan a visit ==
Start with the NPS list to confirm a property’s official landmark name and location, then follow through to the organization that manages the site. A landmark listing alone does not establish that a property is open to visitors, and some landmarks are private property or are best experienced from public roads or other designated viewpoints.<ref>{{Cite web
|url=https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalhistoriclandmarks/list-of-nhls-by-state.htm
|title=List of National Historic Landmarks by State
|website=National Historic Landmarks
|publisher=National Park Service
|access-date=October 22, 2026
}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web
|url=https://www.dhr.virginia.gov/programs/historic-registers/
|title=Historic Registers: Frequently Asked Questions
|website=Virginia Department of Historic Resources
|publisher=Commonwealth of Virginia
|access-date=October 22, 2026
}}</ref>

Before setting out, confirm current hours, admission, tours, closures, parking, and accessibility with the site itself. For outdoor and battlefield sites, check the managing park’s alerts and visitor guidance as well. The NPS list and Virginia DHR records are useful for identifying places and learning more about their histories, but they are not substitutes for a site’s current visitor guidance.

== Find landmarks by official records ==
The National Park Service’s state-by-state NHL list is the primary directory for designation names and locations. Virginia DHR’s landmark page provides a state-maintained list and links to records; its historic-register resources also explain how to consult nominations and related documentation.<ref>{{Cite web
|url=https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalhistoriclandmarks/list-of-nhls-by-state.htm
|title=List of National Historic Landmarks by State
|website=National Historic Landmarks
|publisher=National Park Service
|access-date=October 22, 2026
}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web
|url=https://www.dhr.virginia.gov/programs/historic-registers/
|title=Historic Registers
|website=Virginia Department of Historic Resources
|publisher=Commonwealth of Virginia
|access-date=October 22, 2026
}}</ref>

For broader trip planning, browse [[Places to visit in Virginia]], [[History of Virginia]], and the regional guides to [[Northern Virginia Travel Guide]], [[Central Virginia Travel Guide]], and the [[Shenandoah Valley]].

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== References ==
<references />

== External links ==
* [https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalhistoriclandmarks/list-of-nhls-by-state.htm National Historic Landmarks by state] — National Park Service
* [https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalhistoriclandmarks/index.htm National Historic Landmarks program] — National Park Service
* [https://www.dhr.virginia.gov/location/nhls-virginias-national-historic-landmarks/ Virginia’s National Historic Landmarks] — Virginia Department of Historic Resources
* [https://www.dhr.virginia.gov/programs/historic-registers/ Historic Registers and research resources] — Virginia Department of Historic Resources
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