Alert

Holiday: All library locations closed Fri., June 19, for Juneteenth. More Info

Alert

Update: Elevator outages, maintenance and upgrades at Central Library More Info

Alert

Storytimes Will “Take a Nap” through June 20 More Info

Arlington Public Library

Web Editor

A Parkington Christmas

The commercial area now known as Ballston was called Parkington from the 1950s into the 1980s.

The name referred to the large parking garage built there to accommodate the growing suburban population of the Washington area. The main shopping attraction of Parkington was the Hecht’s store, which was included into the formation of the Ballston Mall and is now known as Macy’s. The Hecht Company, as it was known at the time, constructed the garage themselves.
During the holidays, Hecht’s advertised it’s “Kiddies’ Train Ride” in local papers, including the Alexandria Gazette. The ad read

“Clear the tracks for the Disneyland Special! Kids, get your Mommie and Daddy to bring you to the Hecht Co. at Parkington today and every day till Christmas! Take the most exciting train ride you ever had! Buy your ticket for just 9 [cents] and hop aboard for a wonderful, magical train ride through Disneyland…where you’ll see your favorite Disney characters – Donald Duck, Alice-in-Wonderland [sic], the Mad Hatter, and many, many more! Buy and armful of tickets and go ’round as many times as you’d like!” There was even a “bucking bronco” nearby. Of course, the train was only for kids, but “doting parents can watch too!”

What About You?

Do you remember the train ride at Hecht’s, or Christmas shopping in Parkington? What other Arlington holiday traditions do you remember? Let us hear from you!

 

The Arlington Years: A Shout Out for Innovation

The Arlington Years

Thoughts from County Native and Arlington Public Library Director, Diane Kresh

A capacity crowd was treated Dec. 2 to an inspiring performance by Pulitzer Prize winning author and New York Times columnist Tom Friedman, whose latest book, Hot Flat and Crowded, redefines the green revolution in common-sense terms and reaffirms that America has lost its groove and must change or, figuratively, die. I say performance because in a masterful, tale-spinning hour, punctuated with both humor and facts, his salient point–that America must innovate or else–put a new slant on the global climate change debate, taking it out of the realm of pure science and into where it matters most: the marketplace, where you must perform or perish.

That the clarion call to innovate took place in the Arlington Public Library’s Central Auditorium is another sign of the important role libraries play in communities across the nation. Not only do we bring in top-tier authors, public figures and thinkers to discuss the bleeding and leading wedge issues of our times and promote the free exchange of opinions and ideas. Our shelves are lined with innovations, failed schemes and dreams, the factual, the fanciful, the good, bad and the ugly–and that is as it should be.

There has long been a link between libraries and innovators. The nation’s first innovator/inventor-in-chief Thomas Jefferson gave up his personal library for the fledgling Library of Congress not once but twice. And Ben Franklin, no stranger to invention himself, started the nation’s first free lending library.

Friedman’s message was clear: the glass of lemonade is still half full. We have exactly enough time–starting now.

The Old Oaken Bucket

Oral histories are a vibrant and personal part of the Virginia Room's collection.

GW-WLgame 1963bl

Here, Barbara Ball Savage, a W & L alumnus, talks about one of Arlington's Thanksgiving traditions, the Old Oaken Bucket game.
This interview was conducted in February of 2000.

Barbara Ball Savage: The Oaken Bucket was very big between W & L and George Washington High School in Alexandria. And you could count on a few fights there every Thanksgiving morning because the tempers would get pretty high. I can remember Forest Tucker, the actor - do you remember who Forest Tucker was? He was a W & L graduate. He graduated with my sister-in-law as a matter of fact. And he would come back for that game, so I can remember him being there while I was in high school. But it was a big thing. Thanksgiving morning we would all bundle up and I swear the days were colder then than they are now. I can remember just freezing. And if it was down in Alexandria we would all pile in cars and go down there and go to that game. It was really a big thing for Arlington and Alexandria. And then we’d come home and the turkey would be just about ready because Mother had things ready. She’d have dinner on the table for 21, 22 people by 2:00 at the latest.[…]

And Thanksgiving was a wonderful time, and then we all went out in the back yard and played touch football. Everybody got in the games and played. Or, we’d finish raking the leaves…[s]o Thanksgiving was a very special day. But that football game, you’d talk about it for a month ahead of time, you know, how important that game was going to be.

What About You?

What do you remember about the Old Oaken Bucket game? What about other Arlington high school traditions? Let us hear from you!

 

Protest!

July 2, 2019 update: Staff from the Center for Local History were recently contacted by a former firefighter who was involved in the demonstrations described in this post. He told us that both police and firefighters are pictured in the photo.  In addition, he clarified that both fire and police did get a new contract that included a pay raise.

This photograph, taken on July 13, 1974, shows an Arlington County police officer and firefighter protest outside the courthouse after a County Board meeting.

A month earlier, the County Board had recommended an 8 percent pay raise for county police officers; the police, represented by the Arlington Policeman's Beneficiary Association, requested a 10.8 percent increase to keep up with the rising cost of living in the Washington, DC, area. At the board meeting on July 13th, representatives for the police and firefighters urged the County Board to reconsider, but to no avail. After the meeting, this protest was held. County police, along with all Virginia county employees cannot, by state law, strike.

However, Arlington's finest protested in another way. Throughout the month of July and the beginning of August, police officers dramatically reduced the amount of traffic tickets issued, about 75 percent. Many of those that were written were for "violations of state statutes" instead of "violations of county ordinance," so the fines collected would go to the state treasury. The county was losing about $7700 per week, and Arlington motorists were very happy.

The crisis was resolved in mid-August with a new contract for Arlington police and firefighters. Concessions were made on both sides, but the crisis spawned a movement within county employee groups to push for more open and flexible collective bargaining for county wages across all departments.

What About You?

Do you remember this protest? Let us hear from you!

To see more items like these, or to learn more about Arlington's history, visit the Center for Local History on the first floor of the Central Library.

Do you have a question about this story, or a personal experience to share? 

Use this form to send a message to the Center for Local History.

Center For Local History - Blog Post Message Form

Do you have a question about this story, or a personal experience to share? Use this form to send a message to the Center for Local History.

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Share Your Story

The Arlington Years: Arlington Talks

The Arlington Years

Thoughts from County Native and Arlington Public Library Director, Diane Kresh

On a brisk and clear September night, men and women, bus drivers and ministers, activists and elected officials, County staff and residents, the young and not so young, gathered in Central Library Auditorium to do what Arlingtonians do best--engage with each about issues that matter. In this case, diversity. Through three lightening rounds of "civics speed-dating," aided by a conversational process model called World Café (and yes, there was food courtesy of Rio Grande, Larry's Cookies and others), 3 hours felt like 3 minutes as citizens (and some friends) of Arlington munched and mapped their way through conversations that were at once challenging, illuminating and good-natured.   Guided by "Dialogue Etiquette," Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (at least at one of my tables), table hosts who kept things moving, provocative ice breakers ("a favorite thing to do with your hands") and food, we talked about borders and barriers--and not just the obvious ones--that keep Arlington from being open and inclusive as a community.

Why Diversity Dialogues?  In “Bowling Alone,” Harvard sociologist Robert Putnam warned about the decline of community in America and how people don't know their neighbors anymore.  With an important election coming up, a financial crisis that is still cresting, struggles some of our neighbors are having with the concept of “other” in their communities, and the pace of life itself, there is plenty to talk about. So the Arlington County Board and the Diversity Dialogue Task Force decided to sponsor a series of community conversations with the goal of building connections among people of different cultures, ages, affinity groups, backgrounds, and perspectives and taking positive steps to meet our collective needs better.
If you missed it last night, don't despair.  There are two more Dialogues coming soon and those who were there last night were charged with bringing two more friends to one of the next sessions. So get ready, we'll be coming for you.

Now the last thing anyone of us needs is yet another commitment: yet another night (or afternoon) out in the community, meeting, greeting, sharing, solving.  But how can we afford not to attend?  If we don't, who will?  If we don't model for our young people the importance of knowing and supporting our neighbors, regardless of whether we know them or not, who will? Barriers come in all shapes and sizes and they don't break down on their own.  Think about a time in your own life when you were new, unknown, different and uncomfortable and remember what it felt like to be accepted, welcomed, and embraced.  Pretty good, huh?
So in this Season of Inclusion, resolve to:
Make time to make a new friend.
Bring a covered dish to a new neighbor.
Open your heart and your mind.
And come to a diversity dialogue.  If nothing else, it's a cheap date--lots of interesting food (who can resist Larry's Cookies?), lively conversation and fun with a room full of people you never met.  You'll be glad you came. I was.

Upcoming Dialogues:
Thursday, October 16, 6:30-9:30 p.m.
Barrett Elementary School (4401 N. Henderson Road, Arlington 22203)
Sunday, October 26th 1:30-4:30 p.m.
Drew Model School (3500 S. 23rd Street, Arlington 22206)

Time Marches On

The ruins of Abingdon Plantation sit on a hill by a roadway in busy Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

The property began as a 6000 acre land grant to Robert Howson in 1669, which was traded to John Alexander for 6000 hogsheads of tobacco. A member of the Alexander family built the first part of the plantation house in 1746.

Abingdon Plantation was purchased in 1778 by John Parke Custis, stepson of George Washington, who wished to locate his young family close to Mount Vernon. The Custis family’s plans were cut short when John Custis died from camp fever at Yorktown in 1781. His widow, Eleanor Calvert Custis, married Dr. David Stuart, an Alexandria physician in 1783 and had 13 more children. The two oldest Custis girls, Elizabeth and Martha, resided with the Stuarts, while Nellie and George Washington Parke Custis grew up at Mount Vernon. The Stuarts returned the Abingdon Plantation to the Alexander family in 1792.

In the years following Abingdon Plantation was occupied by Union troops during the Civil War. The plantation’s productivity was hampered by the nearby development of several brick manufacturing companies and the region’s growing transportation needs, with the Washington Alexandria and Mount Vernon electric railway, the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad and the Mount Vernon Memorial Highway (later GW Parkway) cutting into the land.

A fire destroyed the abandoned and deteriorating Abingdon home on March 5, 1930. In 1938 President Roosevelt selected the site for National Airport which opened in 1940. Today, the airport’s parking area surrounds the ruins of the main house, which can be seen by the nearby metro line. Visitors can see artifacts from the Abingdon house site in a special exhibit hall inside the airport, and the site is open to the public.

What About You?
Have you visited the Abingdon Plantation site? Let us hear from you!

From Mann to Huske, Arlington butterflies better

Before Arlington's Torri Huske took home gold for the 2024 Paris Olympics 100-meter butterfly, local celebrity Shelley Mann was the first to do so in the same event.

This article was originally written in 2008 and has been updated by Center for Local History staff in celebration of the 2024 Olympics.

Shelley Mann moved to Arlington as a preschooler with her parents, Hamilton and Isabel Mann. She started swimming at age 11 when her parents enrolled her at summer camp to get her involved with other children. Shelley excelled and enjoyed it so much she joined the swim club at Walter Reed Hospital, where Hamilton Mann was stationed.

Shelley Mann poses at the pool, circa 1950s.

While at Walter Reed, the team won American Athletic Union indoor and outdoor championships from 1953 to 1956. The AAU was a national network of sports teams that produced dozens of Olympic athletes during the middle of the twentieth century.

Though training for several hours a day, Shelley was still an ordinary, though popular, teenager. She attended Thomas Jefferson Junior High and graduated from Washington-Lee High School in 1955.

Shelley Mann meets with then-vice president Richard Nixon circa 1955 on an Olympic-related visit.

Cover from an April 27, 1958, issue of the Syracuse Post-Standard featuring Shelley Mann, who had retired to enroll at Cornell University.

While a student, Shelley sang in the choir, was a member of the social group the Sub Deb Club, and attended dances, football, and basketball games, and went out to eat with her friends. However, as Shelley's trophies and awards mounted, she became a local celebrity.

In the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia, Shelley Mann won the gold medal in the 100-meter butterfly, the first year the butterfly stroke was part of the Olympic program. She was also part of the silver medal-winning 4x100 meter freestyle relay team. Her gold was the only one brought home by an American woman, and one of only two gold medals won by the entire US swim team.

Once Shelley returned to the US, she was a national sensation and claimed as Arlington's own. On December 17, 1956, only home for a few days, Shelley received the key to Washington, DC, and was feted at Washington-Lee High School by Arlington's county board and citizens.

Page from the Olympic Trials program. This was the first year butterfly was included as a swim event, and Shelley Mann is listed here as a record holder. 

What About You?

Do you remember Shelley Mann and her swimming exploits? Did you know her? Let us hear from you!

A Day at the Beach


Arlington Beach and Amusement Park opened May 30, 1923, on the Potomac River in the vicinity of the Long Bridge (the old Fourteenth Street Bridge).

The beach flourished until 1929 when it was bought by the Washington Airport Corporation to provide additional landing space.

In addition to a sandy beach, there were bath houses, a dance pavilion, merry-go-round, Ferris wheel, and many other amusement park features. The park also touted excellent parking facilities. Dancing was advertised as one of the chief attractions in the opening season.

Unfortunately, due to its location next to the airport, visitors to the beach were all too often witnesses to airplane accidents and fatalities. Aviation was in its early days and was a largely unregulated industry so such accidents were not uncommon.

The beach also served as a recreational site for many organizations holding annual picnics, etc. At one such event it was decided, as a “lark,” to “burn” someone at the stake. When the fire got out of hand, and the seat of the victim’s pants actually caught on fire, he was quickly untied and beat a hasty retreat to the river where he doused himself to put out the flames. In spite of this incident it was later reported in the newspaper that all had a very good time!

 

What About You?

Do you remember Arlington Beach? What other things did you do during the summer in Arlington? Let us hear from you!

 

Everything Under the Sun

Ayers’ Variety & Hardware in Westover is a unique store; their specialty is everything. From screws to toys to lawn decorations to fishing line, if you need it, you can probably find it at Ayers’.

Ayers’ Hardware, as it is known to locals, was established by John W. Ayers, a World War II veteran from Georgia. He relocated to the Washington area while working for Woolworth’s in 1924, but opened up J. W. Ayers Five and Ten Cents Store in 1948. Ayers was known as the Mayor of Westover, handing out candy to neighborhood children, providing materials to classrooms in nearby elementary and middle schools, and becoming active in several civic groups in Arlington such as the Kiwanis Club and the Arlington Chamber of Commerce. He was active in the community by working for sidewalks and streetlights, and overseeing the Westover Christmas tree, Halloween dances and “Westover Days.” Ayers was a lynchpin of the community even after he turned over the store to his 32 employees in a profit-sharing plan in 1968.

Many were worried when Ayers died in 1976 that the store would disappear and the community spirit of Westover would fade. However, the Kaplan family bought Ayers Variety & Hardware in 1977 from the Ayers estate and has continued to stock it’s shelves with quirky and practical items at good prices. It still serves as an anchor for the small stretch of stores on Washington Boulevard near Walter Reed school, and is a distinctive part of the Arlington business landscape.

What About You?
What do you remember about J. W. Ayers or his store? Let us hear from you!

Life During Wartime

On May 24, 1861, Union troops came over the river to Arlington. At the time, Alonzo Hayes, Jr., lived with his widowed mother, Malvina, his two attractive older sisters, Annie and Mary, and his brother, William, in a two-story house at Sunnyside Farm, two miles from Aqueduct Bridge.

Company L, Second New York Artillery, at Fort C. F. Smith in August, 1865.

Sunnyside farm was adjacent to six Union forts protecting Washington and was occupied by a succession of Union troops. Fences and timber were removed to build forts and corduroy roads and for firewood. A stable with over 1,000 horses was built on their property and Union soldiers boarded in their home.

According to a 1975 Oral History interview by his granddaughter Mrs. Janet Hayes Baldwin, twelve-year-old Alonzo was hit in the heel by a stray shell from a Union fort across the river and limped for the rest of his days. Alonzo also caught smallpox from the troops but survived with no scarring. The family would entertain soldier visitors who were well-behaved but seemed to be homesick, but the widowed mother would sometimes send her daughters upstairs during those visits.

The site of Sunnyside Farm is now the Arlington Science Focus School and children still play on the lawn of Emily Hayes Park, which was donated to Arlington County by Janet Baldwin’s maiden aunt Emily Hayes.

The photograph above was marked for publication, and shows Company L, Second New York Artillery, at Fort C. F. Smith in August, 1865. The original is owned by the Library of Congress.

What About You?
Do you know about Civil War events in Arlington? Is there evidence of the war on your property? Let us hear from you!



Download the Library App