Historic Clifton: Small Town USA

Historic Clifton will reel you in like a fisherman dangling a worm off his rod.

I knew this Virginia town’s small-time vibe “hooked” me when we drove down Main Street, and I saw the Texaco gas station sign. Had we time-traveled back to the 1950s? As if to further confuse me, a mustard yellow vintage Triumph Spitfire 1500 was parked in front of the The Main Street Pub in Clifton’s historic general store. 

We parked on Main Street before the Peterson’s Ice Cream Depot. Since it was only 9 am on Sunday, no sticky-finger toddlers walked around with their custard ice cream cones. 

A quick scan of Historic Clifton’s Main Street revealed 19th-century homes, a neo-Gothic church, antique shops, restaurants, and cafes. My Golden Retriever Parker scanned the horizon for green space. Take a self-guided walking tour of over a dozen homes, stores, and churches on Main Street. Read the historic placards to learn about their origins.

Fairfax Gem

You’d never believe this tiny town (population: 200) lies just miles from metropolitan Fairfax, Virginia. Time halts in Historic Clifton like a train momentarily stops at the station. 

“Clifton developed historically as a commerical and supply center for the southwestern section of late 19th century Fairfax County, where grain and dairy farming was the major economic activity.”

National Register of Historic Places

The U.S. Department of Interior declared Historic Clifton a national historic district in 1984. The Clifton Historic District extends along Main Street and four streets west and east of Main Street, forming a grouping of 62 buildings.

Harrison G. Otis promoted Clifton as a place to stay. He opened the Clifton Hotel in 1869. The large, clapboarded, three-story frame building adjoined the railroad line so it was a convenient place to stay.

(Check out my articles on other Small Towns USA, such as Saluda, North Carolina, Old Ellicott City, Maryland, and Berkeley Springs, West Virginia.)

Devereux Station

The town founders originally named Clifton as Devereux Station since it functioned as a train stop during the Civil War. Don’t be surprised to hear a train whistle while you are eating breakfast. Trains still rush through Clifton. Around 9:15 a.m. I heard the piercing whistle as the multi-car train flew by. 

During the Civil War, the Union Army assumed control of all railways in Federal territory. The military used the Orange and Alexandria (O&A) railroad line to move provisions, equipment, and soldiers from Alexandria to central Virginia. Confederate units, such as Mosby’s Rangers and Chinquapin Rangers, frequently attacked Clifton and the Devereux Station. You can still see the 518590 caboose in Clifton today. Once painted red, the train has now faded to mauve.

Clifton Farmer’s Market

If you visit Clifton on a Sunday morning, stop at the Farmer’s Market. It runs from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and operates from April to November.

Sniff the sweet perfume of peaches in summer or apples in the fall. Select a bouquet of dried flowers to sit on your dining room table. Peruse the jars of local honey. 

Cherry red tomatoes, lime green chiles, feathery ears of corn, and burgundy beets clump together on the long tables. For a fruit dessert, be sure to take home a striped watermelon ball.

Clifton Cafe

Since I love dining out for breakfast, I wanted to find a good restaurant in Clifton that serves pancakes, French toast, or avocado toast. But I hit the jackpot when I discovered the Clifton Cafe. They prominently advertise “Coffee & Crepes” as part of their logo. Even better, the restaurant features outdoor seating on its porch and patio. This meant that my dog Parker could join me!

While I was sorely tempted to try the brioche French toast, I ordered a savory crepe. I could choose between eight savory crepes and four sweet crepes. I ordered “Hannah’s Denver Crepe,” which included diced ham, cheddar, tomato, mushroom, onion, and peppers. I added avocado slices ($2 extra).

My crepe arrived as a delicately folded rectangle that covered the plate. Cheese melted around the vegetables and ham. Parker stared forlornly at the plate but was not allowed to beg for food.

You can also order chicken florentine, goat and date, chorizo and hash, salmon, meat lovers, and Chesapeake crab BLT savory crepes. The sweet crepes looked divine! The choices include Nutella and banana, Nutella, banana and berries, berries and blintz, and apple pie blintz. Powdered sugar will paint your lips white!

Dog-Friendly Town

Dog-friendly Clifton is an ideal destination if you like to bring your pooch on your weekend adventures. Your four-legged friend will feel like a celebrity at Clifton Cafe. Two servers asked to pet my dog and talk to him. They even dropped off a bowl of water and a cup of ice for a treat during the muggy July morning.

You can also walk your dog along Main Street to admire the historic buildings and let Fido sniff the grass. We detoured to the Farmer’s Market to look at the produce and specialty items.

The Virginia Mercantile store will allow your dog to be in the store, but the animal must be on a leash. They sell dog-related merchandise.

Peterson’s Ice Cream Depot

We started our walking tour after we finished our breakfast at Clifton Cafe. We walked up to Main Street so Parker could pose before Peterson’s Ice Cream Depot. This is the kind of place that I’d visit every week if I lived nearby.

On their website, the owners say their mission is to create a laid-back environment at Peterson’s, like their favorite getaway in Key West. “We love seeing kids (of ALL ages) and furry friendly pets enjoying a cone or a ‘pup cup.'”

Peterson’s Ice Cream Depot is “simply irresistible.” Northern Virginia Magazine readers voted it the best ice cream in Northern Virginia. I just wish the shop had been open on Sunday morning. I definitely needed to sample the 30 different homemade ice cream flavors. I definitely would order Chocolate Drama! Parker would need a “pup cup”!!!

Harris House

There are numerous houses to visit, including Beckwith House (1771) and the Harris House (1830). In fact, the Harris House is “original in all detail & contains a sick room with its outside entrance that was so common during that period.”

Historic Clifton also likes to publicize its notable guests. Jeff Arch wrote his screenplay for Sleepless in Seattle while staying in a house on Main Street. Actress Helen Hayes also summered in Clifton.

Clifton Baptist Church

Next we stopped to examine the Clifton Baptist Church, which was built in 1877 on the corner of Main Street and Chapel Road. In 1912, the church structure was replaced with a neo-Gothic style building. “The pointed-arch windows, with their wood tracery, and the shingled bell tower are characteristic of this period of church architecture,” according to the nomination form for the National Register of Historic Places.

The sign outside the church proclaimed: “1776 she was born – 2024 she needs to be born again.” Parishioners planted small American flags in the grass surrounding the sign.

Payne House

Leave enough time to stop at each of the forest green historical placards to read about the residence. For example, I learned that the Payne House was built in 1884. Its owner, Melvin M. Payne, worked as a housebuilder and lumber broker for the railroads.

“Payne’s bench mark, a split tree and cross, can be found ‘branded’ on the framing of many older Clifton area homes. It is also carved into the parlor mantel.”

Kidwell House

The A. J. Kidwell family lived in the white house on Main Street from 1890 through the 1950s. A town blacksmith, Kidwell became a member of the first Town Council in 1902.

You can still see some of handiwork around town. He operated the smithy located in the now vacant lot behind the First Baptist Church.

Woodward House

You’ll need to turn off Main Street to visit some of the historic houses lining the road toward the farmer’s market. Due to the 4th of July holidays, residents decorated many houses with festive red, white, and blue bunting.

Wallace Woodward owned the Woodward House, built in 1899. He was one of Clifton’s lumber merchants. The house is described as “the best in material and workmanship.” It was completely restored in 1969.

Pink House

If you enjoy antique shopping, be sure to stop by the historic Pink House. While the store was closed on Sunday morning, we were able to see multiple items on the porch, including a wooden traveling case, candlestick, plant box, and floral centerpiece. A sign in the window reminds visitors to “Shop Local.”

The Ambler family originally lived in this house, which dates back to 1905. They maintained a farm outside of town. In the 1960s, a business located in the building painted the structure pink. The locals still call it the “Pink House,” even though the siding is now yellow.

Historic Clifton Park

After our breakfast, my niece and I walked Parker to the town’s public park. Although your dog must stay on its leash, you can walk him around the playground or sit in the gazebo. Children happily played in a green caboose. Bring a basket for lunch; there are ample picnic tables.

Parker loves to sit next to me on benches to cuddle, so we were both happy to get out of the heat and rest. Red, white, and blue bunting draped the white gazebo. Boxwoods framed the perimeter of the structure, and wooden benches ringed the outside of the building.

Paradise Springs Winery 

No visit to Clifton is complete without visiting the Paradise Springs Winery. Lying on 36 acres in the quiet corner of this historic town, it is the closest winery to the nation’s capital and the first winery to operate in Fairfax County.

Founded in 2007, the family-run winery is located on the outskirts of the historic town. It borders the Bull Run River. This place welcomes dogs and families with lots of land to picnic and run around. Enjoy wine tastings, tours, and their food truck.

“The property was originally part of a land grant from Lord Fairfax in 1716 to the Kincheloe family and has been passed down through generations since.”

Paradise Winery

You don’t want to miss the winery’s log cabin, which dates back to between 1800 and 1825. Howard Richter, a protégé of Frank Lloyd Wright, renovated it in 1955. Ring the bell outside the log cabin.

Fun Fact: The winery is named after the mineral springs on the west side of town. “Paradise Springs” made the town famous as a resort destination for Washingtonians. In fact, the winery reports that past presidents and generals visited Clifton for its healing waters.

Outdoor Adventures

If you want to combine adventure and relaxation, head to Historic Clifton for a hike in the morning and then enjoy lunch or dinner at one of the restaurants on Main Street. You just need to follow the road past Paradise Springs Winery. Where the road ends, you’ll see the sign for Hemlock Overlook Regional Park.

According to Visit Fairfax, the park has several hiking and horse trails and also serves as an Outdoor Education Center operated by Adventure Links, an ACAA-accredited camp, in cooperation with NOVA Parks. Adventure Links programs are open to the public and groups by reservation and include activities like kayak rides, wilderness training, and movie nights.  

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