From its beginnings as a colonial village, the prosperous Fauquier County seat community of Warrenton has been home to lawyers and politicians such as John Marshall, who practiced here; William Smith, governor of Virginia in 1846-49 and 1864-65; and Eppa Hunton, Confederate general and U.S. congressman. Known as Fauquier Court House until its incorporation in 1810, Warrenton takes its present name from the Warren Academy. The community has long been noted for its beautiful setting, healthful climate, and cultivated society. As a result it boasts an exceptional collection of houses, churches, and commercial buildings in a wide range of styles. The district also preserves a number of structures associated with the Civil War, when Warrenton was variously occupied by both sides. The architectural focal point is the county courthouse, a Classical Revival building erected in 1890 on the site of an earlier courthouse. The most prestigious residences in the Warrenton Historic District line Culpeper and Falmouth streets.

The Warrenton Historic District was originally listed in the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register in 1983. Additional Documentation to update the district’s nomination was approved in 2024.  This document provided current information about the district’s physical condition, further supported the significance of the district, and extended the end date of the period of significance from the early 1930s to 1970.  Additionally, this update adds two areas of significance to the six cited in the original nomination: African American Heritage and Social History. The following individually-listed NRHP properties are also within the boundaries of the Warrenton Historic District: Fauquier County Jail; Brentmoor; and Paradise.
[NRHP Approved: 3/5/2024]

The boundaries of the Warrenton Historic District were also increased in 2024.  The Boundary Increase area added properties located within the Warrenton Town Limits at the outer edges of the historic core of the town, including two individually listed residences: Monterosa and Yorkshire House.