With the United States turning 250 years old tomorrow, I thought it would be fun to look at a few local places that are actually older than the country itself.

We think of the DMV as constantly changing, with new buildings, new restaurants, Metro stops, development, and traffic.

But some of the buildings around us were standing before the United States even existed.

Here are a few:

• Old Wye Mill, Wye Mills, Maryland
Built in 1682, and one of the oldest operating grist mills in the country.

• Mount Vernon, Fairfax County, Virginia
George Washington’s estate, with the original house dating back to around 1734.

• Ball-Sellers House, Arlington, Virginia
Built around 1742, and considered the oldest surviving house in Arlington.

• Carlyle House, Alexandria, Virginia
Built in 1753, right in the heart of Old Town Alexandria.

• Gunston Hall, Mason Neck, Virginia
Built around 1755, and once home to George Mason.

• Old Stone House, Georgetown, Washington, DC
Built in 1765, and one of the oldest surviving structures in DC.

• The Falls Church, Falls Church, Virginia
Completed in 1769, and one of the buildings that helped give the city its name.

• Christ Church Alexandria, Alexandria, Virginia
Completed in 1773, just a few years before independence.

• Pohick Church, Lorton, Virginia
Completed in 1774, another historic piece of colonial Northern Virginia.

That is one of the things I love about our area.

Yes, we have cranes, condos, office conversions, zoning fights, and constant change.

But we also have real history built into the neighborhoods themselves.

Architecture, age, and a sense of place are part of what make different areas feel the way they do.

Old Town feels different from Ballston. Georgetown feels different from Navy Yard. Falls Church feels different from Arlington.

And that is part of what makes the DMV such a special place to live.