Herndon, VA

Herndon took its name in 1858 from naval explorer William Lewis Herndon, author of Exploration of the Valley of the Amazon. He went down with the SS Central America after helping save more than 150 passengers and crew. The 2020 census recorded 24,655 residents, making Herndon Fairfax County’s largest incorporated town; just over two acres extend into Loudoun County. The Herndon Depot Museum marks the site of Mosby’s Raid on Herndon Station, a Civil War skirmish fought on March 17, 1863. After the railroad became a hiking and bicycling trail, the station was converted into the museum and visitor center, and a nearby caboose was repainted in Washington and Old Dominion livery. The surrounding Herndon Historic District is listed on the National Register, and NextStop Theatre stages live productions in town.