Reston is a Planned Community in Northern Virginia. Today's Reston is the product of the vision of Robert E. Simon, Jr. and the Mobil Corporation. It is the nation's best known and most successful planned community, or New Town, as they are often called. Planned Communities integrate every aspect of human life including the social and economic, education, health services, recreation, religious institutions, industrial facilities and commercial centers. Placement of roads, utilities and housing are predetermined for the entire development in advance of construction.
Housing is provided for a variety of income levels.
Masthead from The Reston Letter v.1, no.1, February 1963. Researchers may access the database to learn about Reston in particular, and planned communities in general, by means of a searchable database connected to scanned representations of items in the collection. The electronic images focus on people, themes, and organizations key to Reston's history as a planned community. Scanned textual materials include deeds, certificates, promotional brochures, studies, reports, and correspondence. Scanned maps display Reston's Master Plan, major road systems, educational facilities, and recreational areas.