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Center for Local History Blog

Dedicated to collecting, preserving and sharing the history of the community.

The Weenie Beenie

Published: July 25, 2006

Did you know that the Weenie Beenie hotdog stand, located at the intersection of Shirlington Road and S. Four Mile Run Drive, was originally owned by pool hustler William "Weenie Beenie" Staton, who died in 2006?

WeenieBeenie restaurant

Bill Staton was a world-renowned pool player and an inaugural member of the One Pocket Hall of Fame. The start-up money for the purchase of the first hotdog stand was the result of a gambling trip to Arkansas. In 1960, Staton won $27,000, which in turn became the seed money for this Arlington institution. Originally one of several, the Arlington site is the only one remaining. The stand was notable enough to be the title of a song by the Foo Fighters, fronted by Dave Grohl, who recorded his first solo album “Pocketwatch” in Arlington in 1990-91 and later completed 2 Foo Fighters songs at Geoff Turner’s WGNS Arlington recording studio in 1997.

Staton performed trick shots in several movies, including "The Color of Money," and is also credited with giving "Minnesota Fats" his name. When he appeared on the television show "I've Got a Secret" his secret was that he could sink all balls on the table with one shot, considered quite a feat in the early 1960s. Staton also started Jack & Jill Cue Clubs, family-oriented pool establishments, one of which operated 24 hours a day in Arlington for 14 years until Bill retired to Myrtle Beach, SC in 1981.

What About You?

What do you remember about going to the Weenie Beenie at Shirlington Road? Do you remember the other locations? How about playing pool in Arlington, especially at the Jack& Jill Cue Club? If you remember, let us know!

July 25, 2006 by Web Editor Filed Under: News Archive, Our Back Pages, Unboxed

A Generous Donation

Published: July 18, 2006

The Virginia Room recently received a wonderful donation of two 1936 Sanborn atlases of Arlington.

Thanks to the generosity of Eric Dobson and two other anonymous donors, these maps are now available to visitors to the Virginia Room:

Sanborn maps are greatly prized by researchers.

As they were originally designed for fire insurance assessment, they are color-coded and relate the location and use of buildings, as well as the materials employed in their construction. In addition, they indicate which city/county utilities, such as water and fire service, were available, the width and names of streets, and house and block numbers. As such they are a wonderful source of information regarding the structure and use of buildings in American communities.

The Virginia Room is greatly indebted to these three generous benefactors!

To see these as well as numerous other maps: topographic, street, survey, neighborhood, etc. visit the Virginia Room at the Central Library.

What About You?

Do you or any of your family members own old maps of Arlington? Do you remember when your house got new utilities, or if you changed addresses without moving your home? If you do, let us know!

 

July 18, 2006 by Web Editor Filed Under: News Archive, Our Back Pages, Unboxed Tagged With: local history news

Riding Shoot the Chutes at Luna Park

Published: July 11, 2006

Luna Park was an amusement park that opened in Arlington (then known as Alexandria County) in 1906.

It was situated along Four Mile Run at South Glebe Road and South Eads St., where the county’s water pollution plant is now located. Brochures described it as “A Fairyland of Amusement Overlooking the Beautiful Potomac” and “an architectural fashion plate.” It offered many attractions, including rides, a “shoot the chutes,” a ballroom, band stand, a Temple of Mystery, moving picture theater, and even slot machines!

The exact date the park closed is not known, but some years later a fire did extensive damage to the park, and the owner dismantled it around 1915.

The Virginia Room owns a Sanborn fire insurance map (see detail above) of Luna Park, which shows the locations and sizes of its buildings. There are also several photographs in the Community Archives of Luna Park’s attractions.

 

What About You?

What kinds of fairs and amusement parks have you attended in Arlington? Has a family member ever told you about their trip to Luna Park? If so, let us know!

 

July 11, 2006 by Web Editor Filed Under: News Archive, Our Back Pages, Unboxed

LET’S PLAY BALL!!!

Published: June 30, 2006

This is a 13-and-under boys baseball team sponsored by Arlington County’s Negro Recreation Section.

From 1948 to 1962, the Department of Recreation and Parks had a Negro Recreation Section headed by Earnest C. Johnson. The section sponsored sports teams, classes in dance and other arts, and put on children’s theater performances. It also held pageants, parades and other all-ages events.

In 1962, the county’s recreational activities and parks desegregated, but Johnson stayed with the department for many years afterwards. Johnson collected photographs of his time leading the Negro Recreation Section, and they were donated to the Virginia Room in 2001.

 

What About You?

Did you participate in any of the activities sponsored by the Negro Recreation Section? Do you remember Earnest Johnson? If you did, let us know!

 

June 30, 2006 by Web Editor Filed Under: Our Back Pages, Unboxed

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