Originally scheduled to open in summer 1982, its opening was delayed due to both unavailability of new subway cars and the lack of a test track. Construction of the station was complete by summer 1982, and in September 1983 Metro announced the station would open that December as the new cars would be ready for service. The station opened on December 17, 1983. Its opening coincided with the completion of of rail between
National Airport and
Huntington and the opening of the , and stations. A gap was left between the two canopies to preserve the view of the George Washington Masonic Memorial from Old Town. It opened in 2006. There is a knockout panel at the southern mezzanine under the tracks for a pedestrian tunnel under the tracks to the Alexandria Railway station, which would provide easier access between the two stations. The station was named
King Street from its 1983 opening until November 3, 2011, when the station was given its present name as part of a preparation for service changes planned for 2012. In May 2018, Metro announced an extensive renovation of platforms at twenty stations across the system. The Blue and Yellow Lines south of
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport station, including the King Street–Old Town station, were closed from May 25 to September 9, 2019, during which the platforms at this station were rebuilt, along with new platform tiles, new passenger information displays, and other improvements. The bus, parking, and Kiss and Ride area of King is undergoing a complete reconstruction and is closed, beginning November 2018 until planned reopening dates of Spring 2020 for buses and Fall 2020 for Kiss and Ride and taxis. Temporary bus bays are on Diagonal Road, along portions of Daingerfield Road, and on King Street. Between September 10 and November 5, 2022, King Street-Old Town was closed due to the
Potomac Yard station tie-in, closing all stations south of
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport station. Shuttle buses were provided throughout the shutdown. == Transit connections ==