Hugging the Potomac and surrounded by a county and a state park, as well as a federal wildlife refuge, the small neighborhood was once the well-kept secret of the few who owned tiny summer cottages. Gunston Manor, which remains unincorporated, is one of the few communities in Northern Virginia where fast-food workers live next door to Web site developers, where residents rely on well water and septic tanks, where some residents enjoy a cup of coffee on their docks in the morning. While the bucolic area has long attracted quirky characters seeking a less hectic and rigid lifestyle, Gunston Manor now faces many of the same issues that plague other developing outposts in the Washington area. The residents are trying to figure out how to preserve the community's heritage while adjusting to rapid change. One walk around Gunston Manor is enough to blur memories of the hectic pace of life upriver.
Friendly dogs greet visitors on the street, and neighbors wave at each passing car.
Boats and campers parked in many yards serve as reminders of the community's active summer life. Neighboring Mason Neck State Park, Pohick Bay Regional Park and Mason Neck National Wildlife refuge offer secluded trails, fishing, picnicking and boating. And the refuge, which backs into Gunston Manor, is home to bald eagles, blue herons, wood ducks and other wildlife. I love seeing the world, but I'm always happy to be here again. Living here, I feel like I'm on a huge ship heading out to sea on my next adventure.