Explore Arlington’s Nauck in person. And if you can, help share the rich heritage digitally.
The community—bordered by Army-Navy County Club, Four Mile Run, South Walter Reed Drive and South 16th Road—features African American roots that predate the Civil War. Records from the 184os show that free blacks like Levi and Sarah Ann Jones bought land, built homes and sometimes found neighbors by selling excess portions of their lots.
A surge of growth came with the start of the 20th century, when an influx of former slaves arrived as the federal government shuttered its nearby Freedman’s Village.
Faced with encroaching segregation, Nauck/Green Valley residents became self-sustaining as entrepreneurs, educators, religious leaders, health workers and other professionals established an array of resilient neighborhood institutions.
Several survive to this day.
Through generous loans and donations by residents, descendants and their institutions, the official Nauck/Green Valley Heritage Project continues to grow as an online archive dedicated to capturing the community’s rich history and cultural legacy.
The archive is a partnership of Arlington Public Library’s Center for Local History, the Nauck Civic Association, Arlington County’s Neighborhood Services and Drew Model Elementary School.
The goal is to find and make available digitally those seemingly lost chapters—and images—that can add to one of Arlington’s most inspiring stories.
Spread the word about Nauck/Green Valley.
Preservationists are standing by: online donation form / email / 703-228-5966.
