Long before European settlement, the land that is now McLean was home to the Nacotchtank (Anacostan) and Piscataway indigenous peoples, who utilized the fertile banks of the Potomac River for fishing and trade. During the colonial era, the area was divided into large land grants, primarily functioning as agricultural estates and tobacco plantations.
The modern community of McLean was officially founded in 1910 when two distinct rural villages, Langley and Lewinsville, merged. The catalyst for this unification was the construction of the Great Falls and Old Dominion Railroad. The new community was named in honor of John Roll McLean, the former publisher and owner of *The Washington Post*, who also owned the railroad that connected the area to the capital.
McLean remained relatively rural and pastoral until the mid-20th century. Following World War II, the expansion of the federal government drove rapid suburbanization across Northern Virginia. A major turning point occurred in 1961 when the Central Intelligence Agency relocated its headquarters to the Langley area of McLean. This brought a massive influx of government workers, military personnel, and contractors, transforming McLean into the highly sought-after, affluent enclave it is today.