Alert

COVID-19 Related Library Service News and Updates More Info

Arlington Public Library

Throwback Thursday

Arlington’s First Black Legislators

On March 30, 1870, the 15th Amendment was ratified, extending the right to vote to all male citizens - regardless of race or if they had previously been enslaved. All of the nation, African-Americans took to the polls, and many became engaged in the political process as elected officials at all levels of government.

Arlington – which until 1920 was known as Alexandria County – was included in this political renaissance, and had a number of prominent Black politicians who won elected office and served as leaders following the Civil War.

However, African-American political organization in the County predates Reconstruction. Freedman’s Village was an epicenter of politics starting in 1865, when community members held a mass meeting that petitioned the military governor to guarantee equal rights. Months later, a group at Freedman’s Village held the first statewide political convention for African-Americans.

Freedman’s Village, pictured above in 1862, was a center of political activity in Arlington both before and after the Civil War. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.

George Lewis Seaton

In 1869, George Lewis Seaton was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates representing Alexandria.

According to the records of the House, Seaton was the first African American person to hold this position in Alexandria. While in office, Seaton voted to ratify both the 14th and 15th amendments. He was also one of six African American men appointed to the grand jury of the United States Circuit Court for Virginia – likely the first interracial jury in the state. This group indicted several Confederate officials for high treason.

Prior to holding office, Seaton worked as a carpenter and also helped establish a local branch of the Freedman’s Savings Bank and Trust Company.

The George Lewis Seaton House on South Royal Street in Alexandria. Image courtesy of Encyclopedia Virginia.

In the May 19, 1868, edition of the Alexandria Gazette, George Seaton advertised his carpentry business. Image courtesy of Virginia Chronicle.

John B. Syphax

John B. Syphax was another Black legislator in Alexandria County. The son of Charles and Maria Syphax, he was born a free person on the Parke-Custis Estate in 1835.

Syphax served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1874 to 1875, as the County’s treasurer from 1875 to 1879, and as a justice of the peace and county clerk.

John B. Syphax, date unknown. Image from “Arlington County, Virginia: A History,” by C.B. Rose.

Alfred William Harris

At the age of only 20, Alfred William Harris was elected to the Alexandria common council. Born enslaved in Fairfax County, Harris later moved to Alexandria and attended a school organized by the Freedman’s Bureau.

After holding office in Alexandria, Harris went on to serve four consecutive terms in the Virginia House of Delegates, representing Dinwiddie County. His accomplishments while there included introducing the bill that chartered what is now Virginia State University.

Alfred W. Harris, date unknown. 

Alfred W. Harris photo caption reads: “House of Delegates 1881-1888, Author of the House Bill to establish the Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute, Able Debater in Defense of his Race, Faithful Worker in the Readjuster Party.” Image courtesy of the Virginia General Assembly.

Learn more: The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial Commission of the Virginia General Assembly has compiled a database of all the African American legislators elected to the General Assembly during the 20th and 21st centuries.

The Long Post-Reconstruction and Jim Crow Era

Black residents of Alexandria/Arlington County eventually held council seats and offices including treasurer, clerk, commissioner of revenue, sheriff, superintendent of roads, and overseer of the poor. H. L. Holmes was one notable officeholder, serving as commissioner of revenue from 1875 to 1903.

But following the initial prominence of Black legislators following the Civil War, for most of the 20th century, Arlington’s government was dominated by white legislators as many of the post-war resources and promises of equality quickly fell by the wayside nationwide. Reconstruction, which lasted from 1866-1877, was the Congressional attempt to reorganize the Southern states and offer support to formerly enslaved individuals. During this time, there was a brief period where African Americans were protected in their right to vote and participate in the political process. This progress was reflected nationally: at one point, there was an African American majority in the South Carolina government, and several African American men were elected to the Senate.

But even during Reconstruction, there were attempts by opponents to undermine support given to African Americans and undo the progress that had been made. Jim Crow law and “black codes” began to emerge during this time – discriminatory laws at the state and local level that systematically denied Black individuals from public accommodations suppressed their right to vote and prevented them from holding public office. Jim Crow laws could be seen in the County as early as 1868 when the Washington and Alexandria Railroad established segregated seating. Groups resembling the Ku Klux Klan also emerged in Northern Virginia during this time, and measures such as the poll tax and dual registration were implemented as early as 1876 in the County to disenfranchise African American voters.

When Reconstruction formally ended in 1877, all of these measures amounted to a systemic suppression of Black Americans’ right to vote and limitation on political power that would last well into the 20th century.

Leaders in the 20th Century & Judge William T. Newman, Jr.

In 1932, Arlington adopted a new form of County government, allowing for an elected, rather than appointed, County Board. According to research conducted by Wilma Jones, Dr. Edward T. Morton was one of the Black community members to run for office under this new system of government. Dr. Morton was a longtime Hall’s Hill resident and the community’s first Black physician, operating a practice on Lee Highway. He ran for a County Board seat in 1931, and while he lost the election, he remained active in the community and civic life.

Learn more: "My Hall’s Hill Family," by Wilma Jones; Washington Post article announcing Dr. Edward T. Morton’s candidacy.

In 1987, William T. Newman, Jr., became the first Black member of the Arlington County Board. On the Board, one of his signature policies was establishing the County’s Human Rights Commission, and he was known for advocating for public safety and resources for drug abuse. In 1990, he was elected as Chairman of the County Board, becoming the first Black person to hold the position in the 20th century.

Newman grew up in the Nauck community of Arlington and attended Hoffman-Boston until the school closed in 1964 following desegregation. He trained and worked as both a lawyer and an actor, and has performed in soap operas, film, and theater performances. In 1993, Newman was appointed as a judge in the 17th judicial circuit court, covering Arlington County and the city of Falls Church. In 2003, he became chief judge of the County Circuit Court, where he continues to serve today.

Since Newman’s tenure, there have been two African American members of the County Board. Charles P. Monroe was elected to the Board in 1999 and served until his death in 2003. He had begun his first turn as Board chair at the time of his death. Christian Dorsey was elected to the County Board in 2015 and is currently serving his second term in office. He served as Board chair in 2019.

Chief Judge William T. Newman, Jr., performs in the 14th Annual Arena Stage Benefit for Community Engagement in “The Pundit Whodunit: The Case of the Political Puzzle,” on March 6, 2006. Image courtesy of C-SPAN.

Note: This article features only a sampling of the many African American community members who have held positions at the local level and who engaged in civic life. If you know of African-American individuals who have run for or held office in Arlington, and who should be included in this article, please let us know using the form below.

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.

  • Share Your Story

Notes on the Arlington Symphony

Between 1945 and 2005, Arlington County was home to the renowned Arlington Symphony, organized and maintained as a volunteer effort by members of the community.

Over its 60-year run, the symphony performed a wide variety of music across the County and was one of Arlington's first, and longest-running, arts organizations.

Excerpt from the Washington Post’s 40th-anniversary feature on the Arlington Symphony. Image courtesy of the Washington Post.

First Movement

The Arlington Symphony was organized in the years following World War II, providing a source of respite from the turmoil of the wartime years.

Van Lier Lanning – an Arlington resident – was the leader of these initial organizing efforts. Lanning had also organized and directed the War Production Board orchestra during WWII. Lanning’s vision was to establish a suburban orchestra. This dream materialized in late 1945 as local citizens began to sign on to establish what was called a “civic orchestra.”

A volunteer group of Arlingtonians formed a Steering Committee and recruited players, who also chipped in $10 apiece for the purchase of sheet music. Ellis Chasens, former concertmaster of the War Production Board Orchestra, signed on as the Arlington Symphony’s first concertmaster.

Opening Night

Program excerpts from the Arlington Symphony’s first concert on April 3, 1946.

The premiere concert took place on Friday, April 3, 1946, at Washington-Lee High School (now Washington-Liberty). This opening night featured baritone soloist Paul Hume,  who went on to serve as the Washington Post’s music critic. The evening was a resounding success, and a second performance followed the next evening. Another performance in June followed, and by fall 1946, plans for a full program were underway.

A program of eight concerts was approved for the following year: four of them would be evening, adults-only, concerts and four would be Sunday afternoon children’s concerts, followed by performances of a youth orchestra. This set the pattern for the orchestra’s early schedules.

Tickets in this first program year were 75 cents for the adult concerts and 30 cents for the children’s concerts. From 1951-1968, programming was free, but tickets were reinstated in later years to accommodate for budgeting gaps.

Numerous conductors served in these early years, but by the 1954-1955 season, the position went unoccupied due to insufficient funds for the part-time work. Later that year, John Wigent signed on to the job. Wigent, a trained clarinetist and double bassist, had previously served as Harry Truman’s pianist and as an organ player at the Arlington Temple in Rosslyn. Karl Rucht signed on as the next director, where he served for more than 15 years. Rucht was known for his drama, flare, and “spectaculars” – including full concert versions of operas, special soloists, and concerts with more than 300 performers on stage.

Karl Rucht, the Arlington Symphony’s Music Director from 1960-1985.

Style and Substance

One of the Symphony’s signature elements was solo performers, who were featured in the hundreds over the course of the symphony’s seasons. The soloist program was not only a chance to highlight talent, but it also broadened the scope of the Symphony, as they included performers from across the nation and abroad. One of the Symphony’s most popular soloists was Evelyn Swartout, who performed four consecutive years in a row.

The soloist program was also a way to incorporate younger members of the Arlington community, who were sometimes selected from the Association’s scholarship program. In the 1940s, public education in music was limited, and the Symphony filled this gap with its musical programming, even as the move toward public music courses increased in later decades.

Organization and Funding

The Symphony Association, County government, and other civic and social groups often worked together to help support the group’s artistic efforts. Spaces for rehearsals and concerts were provided by the School Board for no or reduced fees, and in 1966, members of the Association met with County Manager Bert Johnson, who provided $3,600 in funding from the County budget. This arrangement lasted for much of the symphony’s lifetime, increasing over the years due to inflation. Other fees were supplemented by Association fundraising and external grants.

The Association’s Board of Directors was incorporated in 1966 and consisted of 26 to 30 members. The group was augmented and supported by a Women’s Committee for the Symphony, as well, which consisted of 114 members by 1980.

 

Music preference poll sent out by the Arlington Civic Symphony Association in April 1961.

In 1980, March was designated as “Arlington Symphony Month” by the Arlington County Board.

In 1985, the Arlington Symphony celebrated its 40th anniversary – among its members that season was a 40-year veteran of the symphony, Caurine Easterling. A write-up on the event in the Washington Post notes the symphony’s range of ages – from teenagers to octogenarians – and also notes that this was the final season Karl Rucht served as musical director.

Photo of the Arlington Symphony, from “The Story of the Arlington Symphony Association: Trials and Triumphs of a Volunteer Effort,” published in 1980.

Final Act

The Arlington Symphony came to a close in 2005 after declaring bankruptcy. Its final music director was Ruben Vartanyan, who served with the symphony for 13 years. In 2006, a group of former Symphony members joined together as the Arlington Philharmonic, and Vartanyan directed the new group’s inaugural concert, leading a performance of Tchaikovsky's Serenade for Strings, Op. 48.

Arlington is still home to the Arlington Philharmonic, as well as the Arlington Concert Band and many other classically-focused musical groups and other musical organizations.

Program for a 1983 Youth Scholarship Concert held by the Arlington Symphony.

Advertisement for the Arlington Symphony’s 1999 “Swing into Summer” benefit concert.

Want to learn more? Arlington’s Center for Local History holds records of the Arlington Symphony in RG 54, and documents related to the Arlington Symphony are also available in RG 57, the personal papers of Hugh Johnson, who served as one of the Symphony’s presidents.

CLH also has an oral history interview in its collections with Theodore and Jean Taylor, where the couple describes the early days of the symphony and their involvement in the group, including Jean Taylor’s role as president of the Women’s Committee.

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.

  • Share Your Story

Arlington’s Own Fast and Furious

Virginia has a long history of horse and car racing, and Arlington County has had a role in both of these historically popular pastimes.

Beginning in the 1890s, Arlington (then known as Alexandria County) was home to a half-mile-long racetrack that drew thrill-seekers and daredevils from the County and beyond. The track, located on the grounds of what would become the Washington Airport next to the Hoover Airport, was on the land south of 14th Street bridge now occupied by the Pentagon.

Racing venues like Alexander Island in Arlington, and the St. Asaph Racetrack in Alexandria also became the focus of nationwide anti-gambling measures around the turn of the century.

Winners in “Old Number 4” at the Arlington racetrack, circa the early 1920s. According to the note on the photo, the 5-mile race on the half-mile-long track was covered in 6 minutes and 7 seconds – meaning the amateur driver nearly overcame the 50-mile-an-hour speed barrier.

A Racetrack for Arlington’s “Miniature Monte Carlo”

Arlington’s racetrack has its origins in the controversial history of the now extinct Jackson City neighborhood, and its then twin, Rosslyn. In the late 19th century, the two areas were considered hubs of criminality, associated with betting, gambling, and other unsavory activities.

Jackson City was even referred to as a “Miniature Monte Carlo.” Following the post-Civil War ban on gambling in Washington, D.C., the neighborhoods drew customers across the Potomac to Rosslyn, conveniently located by the Aqueduct Bridge, and to Jackson City at the Long Bridge.

An article from the Washington, D.C., Evening Star on January 30, 1892, alludes to the controversial nature of the Jackson City area in Arlington. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.

In the 1890s, Virginia lawmakers attempted to control the gambling that had overtaken the state, but corrupt legislators slipped in a loophole to allow an exemption for driving clubs, agricultural organizations, and grange organizations. Thanks to this provision, the Jones family in Arlington was able to secure a charter from the Grange Camp Association of Virginia and began investing in a racetrack in Jackson City.

Over the years, the racetrack would sometimes be referred to as the “Alexander Island” racetrack, referring to the also-controversial piece of land it sat on, which was considered Virginia at low tide and Washington, D.C., at high tide.

When a judge ruled the racetrack could stand, this set the precedent for the area formerly being considered part of Virginia – as horse betting was illegal in the District. This decision was later reversed in the 1930s, but Alexander Island ultimately came under the Pentagon’s jurisdiction a decade later and is now the present-day site of the Connector Parking Lot.

The City of Alexandria’s Racetrack Rises

Around the same time the Arlington racetrack got its start, investors in the city of Alexandria were also capitalizing on the loose gambling laws. A Gentlemen’s Driving Club was chartered in 1888, and by 1894 this would materialize into the St. Asaph Racetrack – the more notorious track in the Northern Virginia region.

This track was backed by the Hill family and other numerous high-profile investors, among them Virginia Senator George Mushback, who had helped pass legislation allowing for gambling to continue.

Photo from the Northern Virginia Sun, October 8, 1970, for an article titled “Arlington-- Yesterday and Today.” Though the caption and title suggest this was the Arlington racetrack, this photo is of the St. Asaph grandstand.

Located in the Del Rey neighborhood, the St. Asaph racetrack was extremely popular, drawing in thousands of dollars on its racing days. The operation made an estimated $150,000 per year – bolstered by its poolroom, where gamblers could stay connected and bet on other races via the establishment’s telegraph wires. The track was ¾ miles long and was frequently noted for the beauty of the landscape and architecture.

By 1895, the competing Arlington and city of Alexandria tracks and their investors had reached an agreement to race on alternate days, keeping both in business. In 1897, horse racing was outlawed outright by the state, though betting for out-of-state races at St. Asaph continued with the racetrack’s extensive telegraph setup. In 1898, during the Spanish-American War, St. Asaph’s was also used by the U.S. Army as a mobilization camp.

Maps from July 6, 1927, Airway Bulletin (No. 124) show Arlington’s racetrack adjacent to Hoover Field. Image courtesy of the University of California.

Drama, Debauchery, and Depositions

The scale of the St. Asaph’s track eventually made it a target for Crandal Mackey, who after being elected the commonwealth’s attorney in 1903, set his sights on eliminating crime in the region. Mackey had become a prominent figure in both Rosslyn and Jackson City, shutting down the area’s illegal bars, bordellos, and casinos over his tenure, and the racetrack was next on his list.

After Mushback’s death, Mackey swooped in to take down the racetrack and its not-so-savory reputation. In May of 1904, he staged a dramatic raid on the track, backed by a posse with sledgehammers and axes who destroyed slot machines and other equipment.

However, the track soon resumed business as usual. Mackey would eventually obtain 19 warrants against the track’s owners, igniting an extended courtroom battle against some of the region’s richest and most prominent figures. Mackey was ultimately successful in 1905 when the St. Asaph racetrack shut down for good.

“Flood with racetrack in the background,” Image of the abandoned St. Asaph Racetrack, 1924, with the Arlington radio towers in the background. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.

Memories of the Arlington Racetrack

It’s unclear why the Jackson City racetrack eluded Mackey’s “shotgun justice,” but it managed to disassociate itself from the historical notoriety of its Alexandria counterpart.

In the early 1900s, the Arlington racetrack remained a place for spectators to take in the thrills of the burgeoning sport of car racing. It was also near another popular spot for Arlingtonians to pass the time, the Arlington Beach, which featured a dance hall and amusement park rides.

Want to learn more about early 20th Arlington? Check out “Shotgun Justice: One Prosecutor’s Crusade Against Crime and Corruption in Alexandria & Arlington,” available at the 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.

  • Share Your Story

Voting in Arlington: Then & Now

November 3 is fast approaching and voting this year has taken an unprecedented turn in the wake of the pandemic, with thousands of Arlingtonians voting early or sending in absentee ballots. The voting process in Arlington and beyond has historically been anything but static – here’s a look at how the voting process has changed over the years.

“People standing around a voting booth,” Arlington County, 1968. PG 214

Sign that says “Vote for the Library Bond, November 4.” Arlington County, 1959. RG 29

Arlington’s First Elections

According to historian C.B. Rose, no one living in what is now Arlington would have been able to vote until these early settlements were incorporated around 1645. Voting likely increased when the land of present-day Arlington was established as Fairfax County and received its own Court House in the town of Alexandria in 1752. At this point in time, all voting had to take place at a Court House, which limited eligible voters who lived far away from these buildings.

The first American elections were conducted by voice vote, or with paper ballots also known as “party tickets.” Unlike the “Australian” or “blanket ballots” that were used in the latter half of the 19th century, these early ballots only carried the name of candidates from a single party. These ballots would then be counted by local party and election officials.

In 1869, a change to the Constitution meant that “secret” ballots were now required and required voters to register prior to elections. A registrar was assigned for 1,000 voters along with an accompanying polling place – an early version of the precinct system.

The Struggle for Women’s Suffrage

“Votes for first time at 79. Arlington, VA, Oct. 15. This is Mrs. O'Leary (not the Mrs. O'Leary who kissed the cow who kicked over the lantern to start the Chicago fire) but Mrs. Lucy O'Leary of this town who will cast her first vote on November 3 at age 79, for Gov. Landon. She now lives on small government pension with the aid of a small garden.” Arlington County, October 15, 1936. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.

In these early elections, only a fraction of the population was permitted to vote, initially granting the right solely to propertied white men. Because of these limitations, throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, women’s suffrage was a major reform issue nationwide.

Gertrude Crocker was among those on the front lines fighting for women’s right to vote, and would later become a prominent Arlington citizen, owning and operating the Little Tea House. Crocker was among the “Silent Sentinels,” who, on January 10, 1917, participated in the first picket protest outside of the White House.

The 19th Amendment was adopted on August 18, 1920, after decades of advocacy. But after the milestone of women’s suffrage came another portion of the journey for equal voting rights for all. Though women had achieved the right to vote, large portions of the country’s non-white population were still disenfranchised.

Read our series on important figures and events leading up to the passage of the 19th Amendment.

“Citizens at the Wilson High School waiting to vote in the national presidential election. The election started at 7:45 a.m., and a continuous stream of people, mostly men, came in. The women came later in the day.” Arlington County, November 7, 1944. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.

Fighting Discrimination and Voter Suppression

Though the legal milestones of the 15th and 19th were achieved, in practice, African American voters faced innumerable barriers to voting – from Jim Crow laws, voter suppression tactics, and overt violence.

Shortly after the passage of the 15th amendment, Virginia instituted a poll tax to restrict African American men from voting in 1876. This law was repealed in 1882, but in 1901 the state’s General Assembly called for a new constitution granted suffrage solely to white men.

A new constitution passed in 1902 and required voters to pay a tax of $1.50 six months prior to an election for each of the three years preceding an election. This disenfranchised approximately 90% of the state’s African American voting population and nearly 50% of the white men who had previously been registered to vote in Virginia. The 1902 constitution also created an administrative structure that was difficult for any average citizen to navigate. Virginia maintained poll taxes until 1966.

Read more about voter suppression and how local activists responded to these policies in Arlington in “If You Don’t Vote, You Don’t Count”

Local activists and groups such as the Arlington chapter of the NAACP worked tirelessly to combat voter suppression, instituting outreach campaigns and legal challenges to the poll tax. In a suit from Arlingtonian Portia Haskins against the Virginia Board of Elections and the Arlington County general registrar, the court ruled in her favor in 1966, determining that “[t]he provisions of Virginia’s dual voter registration…which treat persons who are registered only for federal elections differently from persons registered for all elections violate the equal protection laws of the 14th Amendment.”

Poll Tax Month: a 1956 Virginia Poll Tax Flyer created by the NAACP, explaining what the poll tax was and how it related to being able to vote in both local and federal elections. View item information in Project DAPS.

The Modern Age of Voting

The last century has also seen technological developments in how we place our votes. From paper ballots, voting machines were introduced in the mid-20th century to modernize the voting process. Today, further developments, such as digital scanners introduced in 2015, continue to streamline how we vote and how our votes are counted.

Arlington County has also seen incredible growth from its humble electoral beginnings. The County now has 54 voter precincts and accompanying polling places. Almost every aspect of voting has changed in the centuries since the County’s beginnings: from who had the right to vote, to how voting was carried out. Be sure to cast your ballot on November 3!

An early mention of the use of voting machines in Arlington. From the Northern Virginia Sun, January 5, 1940.

An early opportunity for voter to try out a voting machine. From the Northern Virginia Sun, October 18, 1951.

For more information on the history of Arlington voting, see the Arlington Historical Society’s Virtual Exhibit: A Short History of Voting in Arlington.

Election day 2020 is on November 3! Early voting will be taking place until October 31, and all mail-in ballots must be postmarked by November 3 or returned in person by November 3 at 7 p.m. Ballot drop-offs are available throughout the County. Information about in-person voting locations and other voter information in Arlington can be found through the County’s elections website.

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.

  • Share Your Story

Delve Into Arlington’s History Through The 1920 Census

It has been 100 years since Arlington took on its name – changing from “Alexandria County” to the more distinct “Arlington” to avoid confusion with the nearby city of Alexandria. But how else has Arlington changed since then?

Sheet 3A from the Arlington Magisterial District, covering Veitch Avenue and Reston Avenue. Image courtesy of the National Archives.

New County resources show the vast changes Arlington has experienced over the last century, as it shifted from a mostly rural cluster of farms and a few small businesses to the bustling urban region we know today. Using data from the 1920 Census (made available through the Census Bureau’s “72-year rule,” which allows Census data to go into historical record after 72 years), along with local archival material, a rich picture of Arlington’s past has been revealed.

Read about how the 1920 Census project came to be from County Manager Mark Schwartz.

The project’s StoryMap shows an interactive view of the County’s history, highlighting the five enumeration districts within then-Alexandria County that are part of present-day Arlington. The Map looks at the notable people and places within each district that made up the vibrant communities of their day.

After scrolling through the various neighborhoods and citizens of 1920 Arlington, you can also view directly how present-day Arlington looks compared to 1920 – seeing how your home, school, or favorite spots around the County looked 100 years ago.

The Arlington Central Library (and Quincy Park) today, along with what the rest of the area looked like in 1920. Image taken from the 1920 Census StoryMap.

Watch: A Peek at the Census – Celebrating Arlington Then and Now (1920-2020)

View: Slideshow presentation from A Peek at the Census

Among these County resources also include the direct data from the 1920 Census. This data was taken from both the Census itself and augmented with information from death certificates, enlistments forms for World War I draftees, and the 1910 and 1930 censuses. These supplemental sources helped to fill in gaps where data from the 1920 Census was obscured, illegible, or missing.

With these additional materials, the 1920 Census tells us who was living in Arlington, where they lived, where they worked, and other important details that show what life was like at this point in time.

Taken all together, these resources show a vastly different Arlington, from its very population (going from 16,040 in 1920 to an estimated 228,400 in 2020), its demographic makeup, and even the street names that Arlingtonians traversed. Dive into these newly released resources to learn more about just how much the County has changed in the last 100 years.

A 1920 map of Arlington County rural delivery routes gestures to the largely rural composition of the County 100 years ago. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.

Headline from the Alexandria Gazette from September 25, 1919, signaling the County’s move to change its name. Image courtesy of the Alexandria Gazette.

Interested in learning more?

  • You can find national census records from 1790-1940 online through the National Archives.
  • Additional Arlington-related enumeration data going back to 1782 is available through the Center for Local History.
  • Do you have a question, feedback, or contributions to the 1920 Census Project? Email census1920@arlingtonva.us

Don’t forget: there’s still time to take the 2020 Census! Complete your form online at my2020census.gov

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.

  • Share Your Story

America’s First All-Women Swing Band Lived in Arlington

In the first half of the 20th century, only a handful of women were able to make it as successful musicians. This precedent was upturned by the International Sweethearts of Rhythm – the first all-female, racially integrated swing band.

Four members of the International Sweethearts of Rhythm. Image courtesy of the National Museum of American History.

Its members took the nation by storm, fearlessly touring even as they faced discrimination, Jim Crow law, and sexism. In the 1940s, the group called Arlington home, making their mark on our local community as they toured both the nation and abroad.

Getting Their Start

The founding members of the International Sweethearts of Rhythm met as students at the Piney Woods Country Life School in central Mississippi, a boarding school for African American children. The school was known for producing musical groups, who were instructed in music and toured the country to fundraise for the school. In addition to the Sweethearts of Rhythm, the school produced the groups the Cotton Blossom Singers and The Five Blind Boys of Mississippi, both of which also toured nationally.

The Sweethearts were founded at the school in 1937, and after success touring and performing while affiliated with the school, left in April 1941 to formally become professional musicians.

Historical marker paying tribute to the International Sweethearts of Rhythm and other groups from the Piney Woods School. Image courtesy of Simpson County.

The Band Arrives in Arlington

After leaving the school to become professional musicians, the Sweethearts relocated to Arlington with financial support from a now-anonymous wealthy Virginian. While living in Arlington, the band recruited professional musicians to fill the gaps of some of the younger members who had stayed at Piney Woods to finish school. They also joined the American Federation of Musicians, Local 710, Washington D.C.’s African American union for musicians. During this time, Anne Mae Winburn also took on the role as the group’s bandleader.

The band lived in a 10-room home near Columbia Pike that was referred to as the “Sweetheart House.” In an oral history with Arlington resident Delores Downing, she recalls listening to the band practice at the home as a young girl.

Listen to Delores Downing Discuss the Sweethearts:

The “Sweetheart House,” near Columbia Pike, where members of the Sweethearts lived while they were based in Arlington. Image courtesy of Queer Music Heritage.

National and International Success

During their time in Arlington, the band toured extensively, playing famous venues such as the Apollo Theatre and Savoy Ballroom in New York, and the Howard Theatre closer to home in Washington, D.C., where they set an attendance record in August 1941, drawing 35,000 patrons over the course of a week. They often performed with other star musicians, including Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Dizzy Gillespie, and Ruby Dee. They also appeared in some short films called “soundies.” When touring, the band traveled on a customized bus call “Big Bertha” built during their Piney Woods days.

“Big Bertha,” the band’s customized tour bus. Image courtesy of the National Museum of American History.

Watch: The Sweethearts of Rhythm perform “Jump Children” led by bandleader Anna Mae Winburn.

Their popularity increased when the United States’ entered World War II when they added military bases to their performance repertoire. In July of 1945, after requests from GIs serving overseas, the Sweethearts embarked on a six-month-long tour of Europe, sponsored by the USO. During their tour, the band performed in Paris, and in occupied Germany, including the cities of Heidelberg, Stuttgart, Munich, and Mannheim.

"The Sweethearts ready to depart for Europe on Liberty ship,” July 1945. Image courtesy of the National Museum of American History.

Confronting Discrimination

The Sweethearts were known both for being all-female, which was a rarity in big bands at the time, and because the group was multi-racial, which was even rarer. Members of the group included women of African American, Chinese, Mexican, and Native American descent, along with a few white members in their later years.

Because the group toured nationally, their multiracial composition brought them hostility, particularly in the segregated south, where some members had to hide or wear makeup to appear lighter or darker in skin tone. Additionally, when the group went abroad to perform for U.S. soldiers, they often played to segregated audiences where African-American GIs were asked to sit separately.

Performance in St. Louis in 1944. Bandleader and vocalist Anna Mae Winburn vocalist (right); Tiny Davis (front); Willie Mae Wong (second from left); Roz Cron (third from left). Image courtesy of the National Museum of American History.

The Sweethearts Gradually Disband

After successful tours both domestically and abroad, the original band broke up in 1949 amid changing tides in the jazz sound and performance demands. The group had a reunion in 1980 at the Third Annual Women’s Jazz Festival in Kansas City.

Leaving a Powerful Legacy

The Sweethearts are often left out of mainstream discussion of the jazz and swing greats, but their legacy as a pioneering interracial, and all-female band has left an indelible mark on American music.

In 2012, their record “International Sweethearts of Rhythm: Hottest Women’s Band of the 1940s” was added to the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress. It featured recordings from 1944-1946, including commercial tracks and excerpts from an appearance on the Armed Forces radio service program “Jubilee.” It was released in 1984 by Rosetta Records – a label that exclusively released reissued performances by female blues and jazz artists.

Promotional photo for the International Sweethearts of Rhythm featuring members of the saxophone section. Image courtesy of the National Museum of American History.

Photo of trombonist Helen Jones, one of the original members of the Sweethearts and the daughter of Piney Woods founder Laurence C. Jones. Jones passed away early last month. Image courtesy of the New York Times, where you can read her obituary.

International Sweethearts of Rhythm album cover, Rosetta Records. Published in 1984 and recorded between 1945-1946. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.

Children’s books about the International Sweethearts of Rhythm available at the Library:

Want to learn more? The National Museum of American History has extensive photo records of the Sweethearts, which are available to the public online.

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.

  • Share Your Story

The Early History of Arlington’s Libraries

Arlington’s Libraries have been a mainstay of the county landscape for generations – but how did the library system as we know it come to be?

Construction signage for Arlington’s Central Library, February 1960.

Before the year 1936, Arlington County had been served by five independent libraries: Glencarlyn, Cherrydale, Clarendon, Aurora Hills, and Arlington/Columbia Pike. These were volunteer-led efforts run independently rather than as a unilateral system, and that individually received limited financial support from the County. These locations were largely established and managed by women members of the Arlington community.

In 1936 however, the Public Library system changed forever. A group of citizens and representatives from those five libraries joined together to form a collective Countywide system and to appeal for increased County financial support. Four delegates from each branch as well as four delegates at large met to discuss the possibility of a cohesive, singular library system and what that would entail.

Articles from the Northern Virginia Sun describing the early efforts of Eleanor Leonard and the Arlington County Library Association. From September 17, 1937 (L), and November 11, 1937 (R).

A year later, in 1937, the newly formed Arlington County Library Association began work to establish Arlington’s first library system. In its early days, the Association completed a survey of the County’s libraries, population and resources to help guide their planning process. The group also conducted an “educate-your-county-officials” campaign, and eventually won their support. The County Manager at the time, Frank Hanrahan, agreed to their proposal under the condition that the proposed branches would need to meet ALA standards.

The group also voted unanimously to hire a professional librarian to oversee the formation of the library system. The County government later designated $3,500 to the libraries', $3,000 of which was for operational costs and $500 to pay the salary of the hired librarian.

The Aurora Hills branch of the Arlington Public Library, July 1969.

In July of 1937, Eleanor Leonard was hired for the librarian position. Among her efforts to standardize and streamline the library system, she discarded damaged material, cataloged the library’s holdings, and trained volunteers in all aspects of library work. By the fall of 1939, the five libraries had been standardized, while the daily work of running the libraries continued to be done by volunteers. By July 1938, 11,328 books had been reclassified and cataloged according to American Library Association standards.

Architectural plans for the Columbia Pike Library, date unknown.

About a decade later, in 1949, eight branches were in operation, among them: Aurora Hills, Cherrydale, Clarendon, Columbia Pike, Glen Carlyn, Holmes, Shirlington (formerly Fairlington), and Westover branches.

The Holmes branch closed in 1949, and the Clarendon location became the Central Library, while the rest of the branches continue to stand where they are today, ready to serve their respective local communities again once the pandemic is over.

Cherrydale Library opening celebration, 1961.

Front side of the Cherrydale Library at 4006 Lee Highway, where it operated from 1946-1961.

This post is a condensed version of the “Libraries” section of the Library’s Women’s Work project, featuring materials from RG 29: Arlington County Public Library Department Records.

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.

  • Share Your Story

Celebrating Dark Star Park

One of the reflecting pools at Dark Star Park. Image courtesy of Camryn Bell.

Embedded between the office buildings, businesses, and roadways of Rosslyn is a unique piece of public art - Dark Star Park. Each summer, at approximately 9:30 a.m. on August 1, morning light strikes the group of large spheres that make up the sculpture to create an eclipse-like effect, which lasts - much like a real eclipse - only for a few minutes.

How did this unusual public sculpture come to be?

View from one of the tunnels at Dark Star Park. Image courtesy of Camryn Bell.

Dark Star Park 35th Anniversary Celebration – this Arlington TV feature showcases the August 1st, 2019, alignment of light and shadow at the park, and is accompanied by an original score from local artists Janel and Anthony.

Built in 1984, Dark Star Park is the entry to the Rosslyn neighborhood, at a triangle formed by the intersection of North Fort Myer Drive, North Lynn Street, and N. Meade Street. It was constructed on the site of a former gas station, occupies 0.4 acres of land, and was designed to commemorate the anniversary of the purchase of the land by William Henry Ross, which would later become Rosslyn (Ross served as the neighborhood's namesake).

Aerial view of Dark Star Park. Image courtesy of Arlington County.

Artist Nancy Holt (1938-2014), who was chosen to helm the project in 1979, was somewhat apprehensive about the project upon entering Rosslyn, in part because the site was a vacant lot overrun with trash. In a 1988 documentary on the park, she said, “I was overwhelmed with how cold and distant a place Rosslyn was … It’s a concrete network here with very little thought about human beings, human scale, human maneuverability.”

Nancy Holt designing Dark Star Park. Image courtesy of the Holt/Smithson Foundation via DCist.

Dark Star Park combines elements of landscape architecture, sculpture, and astronomy. The piece is comprised of five gunite (air-placed concrete) spheres resembling fallen, extinguished stars, as well as two pools, four steel poles, and two tunnels.

Dark Star Park was commissioned by Arlington County during a transitional time in Rosslyn -  the Metro had recently arrived in Arlington, and development was still on the rise. The County funded the project with $200,000 from public and private sources, as well as a National Endowment for the Arts grant. (DCist, July 30, 2019)

Some of the gunite spheres and steel poles at Dark Star Park. Image courtesy of Camryn Bell.

Holt oversaw every aspect of the park’s design and development, and also served as a contractor on the project. She was a preeminent member of the land art movement, which rose to recognition in the 1970s. While practitioners of this style mainly concentrated in open natural spaces – places that could easily accommodate the monumental scale of the works associated with the movement – Holt’s work in Dark Star Park was unique due to its urban setting. In terms of her design approach, Holt said,

“I feel that the need to look at the sky—at the moon and the stars—is very basic, and it is inside all of us. So when I say my work is an exteriorization of my own inner reality, I mean I am giving back to people through art what they already have in them.”

Some of Holt’s other pieces were located in much larger environments than Dark Star Park. "Sun Tunnels," 1973-1976, is located in the Great Basin Desert of Utah. Image courtesy of the Utah Museum of Fine Arts.

The creation of Dark Star Park marked a significant first for the Arlington area: it was the first work of public art produced by the County. This was prior to the establishment of the County’s formal public art program that was inaugurated with the adoption of a Public Art Policy – nearly 16 years after the creation of Dark Star Park.

In the decades since, Arlington’s public art program has become a robust part of the County landscape.

Dark Star Park itself is also one of the first national examples of “integrated public art,” meaning that the art in the public site is inseparable from its setting and is a total environment to be experienced holistically.

Excerpt from December 9, 1993, article by Mary McCoy on public art in Arlington and Dark Star Park. From the Washington Post.

Holt planned the design of Dark Star Park using miniature clay models. She worked with astrophysicists to determine placement of the spheres and poles to align with the light at exactly 9:32 a.m. on the August 1 anniversary – a time of day chosen simply because Holt enjoyed the way the light hit at that moment. The need for exactness in alignment was in part why the park underwent a renovation in 2002, allowing Holt to reorient the spheres that had shifted over the years due to the changes in the Earth’s axis.

One common mistake about Dark Star Park Day is that the August 1 alignment is meant to celebrate the birthday of Grateful Dead lead guitarist Jerry Garcia. This assumption is compounded by the coincidence of the band’s song titled “Dark Star.”

NewsMakers: Dark Star Park – an Arlington TV feature on Dark Star Park from 2009, including a speech from Nancy Holt.

Learn more:

The documentary Troublemakers – available at the Library – discusses the history of the land art movement and features Nancy Holt.

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.

  • Share Your Story

Fun in the Sun: Summers of Arlington’s Past

Arlington may not come to mind when you think of a beachy oasis, but in the 1920s, we had one of the region’s premier beaches right here.

The Arlington Beach and Amusement Park opened on May 30, 1923, on the Potomac River in the area near the Fourteenth Street Bridge (then known as Long Bridge). For nearly a decade, this was a go-to spot on a hot Arlington day.

Arlington Beach, circa 1925. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.

The beach was an immensely popular Arlington spot, with crowds of up to 12,000 during the most sweltering days, according to Arlington Magazine. The location featured both a sandy beach on the shores of the Potomac as well as bathhouses and the accompaniments of a full-scale amusement park: a merry-go-round, Ferris wheel, aerial swings, a rollercoaster called “The Whip,” and a ride called “The Dodgem.” Swimmers could use the beach’s diving board and swim at night under searchlights.

Dance pavilion, Arlington Beach. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.

The park’s dance pavilion was also one of its major draws in its opening season, providing a spot for people of all ages to spend summer evenings – the Washington Jazz Orchestra even performed here. In line with the rising car culture of the early 20th century, the park also advertised extensive parking facilities – important to draw customers from all around the region.

It’s notable that as popular as the Arlington Beach was, it was among the many segregated recreational areas in the County. Even though it was located near predominantly African American neighborhoods, including East Arlington and Queen City, the beach and amusement park were segregated for the duration of their existence.

Beachgoers at Arlington Beach, June 16, 1923. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.

According to a research project on segregation in Arlington conducted by Lindsey Bestebreurtje at George Mason University: “County resident James ‘Jimmy’ Taylor recalled that Black children swam ‘in a creek on Route 50 called Blue Man Junction.’” African American Arlingtonians were also not permitted to use public pools, and the county’s first pool to allow African American children wouldn’t open up until the 1960s.

Interview with Ruth Jones

In a 1999 oral history interview with Ingrid Kauffman, Ruth Jones described going to the beach as a teenager. Born in March of 1913, Ruth began to visit Arlington Beach around 1927. Oral histories are used to understand historical events, actors, and movements from the point of view of real people’s personal experiences.

Narrator:  Ruth Jones
Interviewer: Ingrid Kauffman
Date: March 23, 1999

Ingrid Kaufman: And so can you tell us about Arlington Beach?

Ruth Jones: Well, I was just a young girl, 14 or 15 years old and I met my husband, well, he eventually was my husband.

IK: What was his name?

RJ: Raymond Jones. And he lived in Washington. And we started going to Glen Echo and to Arlington Beach and just having a good time for kids, you know. And so they had a roller coaster, a carousel.

IK: How much did that roller coaster cost?

RJ: Ten cents. A ride at your own risk. That’s the truth, too. It was rickety. After I came to Washington, it was only there for 2 years, 2 or 3 years, then they tore it down.

IK: They tore down the roller coaster?

RJ: Everything. And shut the beach down and all, to put the airport there.

Along the waterfront, Arlington Beach, circa 1925. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.

As Jones describes, the location was eventually compromised by the construction of the nearby Hoover Airport. The traffic at the airfield grew to include both passenger and mail air service, which provided disruptive to the festivities of the beachgoers and park attendees. The Hoover airfield was also notoriously dangerous – and the aviation industry notoriously unregulated at this point – so the proximity of the beach and park also became a safety issue.

Girls from Keith’s [vaudeville circuit] at Arlington Beach, April 29, 1925. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.

In 1929, the Washington Air Corporation bought the beach property in order to expand the Washington Airport, which later merged with the Hoover Airport as the Washington-Hoover Airport. However, with the construction of the Washington National Airport (now Ronald Reagan), the Washington-Hoover Airport closed. The former beach grounds were then purchased by the U.S. Department of War and became part of the Pentagon.

Amusement park, Arlington Beach. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.

Rides at Arlington Beach. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.

This article was expanded from previous articles on Arlington Beach from 2008 and 2017.

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.

  • Share Your Story

Stories of Arlington’s Activists

Arlington has a history of dedicated community members fighting against racism, prejudice, and injustice through protests, community organizing, and legal work.

June 10, 1960, Gwendolyn Green (later Britt) and David Hartsough sit at the People’s Drug Store counter. Protests such as this happened at counters in seven locations in Arlington including two in Shirlington. DC Public Library, Star Collection, ©Washington Post. Read more about Shirlington.

Collected here are stories about some of those individuals and groups, told through documents donated to the Center for Local History. This is only a small sampling of stories that make up the history of Arlington’s activist community, and we are dedicated to telling the stories of those who have fought in Arlington’s continued struggles against inequalities.

The CLH invites you to play an active role in documenting our history by donating physical and/or digital materials for the Community Archives.

A Fight for Educational Equality: Civil Rights Activist Dorothy Hamm

Dorothy Hamm was an Arlingtonian at the forefront of the civil rights movement and leader of the efforts to desegregate the county’s schools and theaters.

Image courtesy of Carmela Hamm, from the Library of Virginia.

Excerpt:

In 1956, Hamm, along with her husband, became plaintiffs in the first civil action case filed to integrate the Arlington Public School system. When no action towards integration had been taken a year after the suit was filed, Hamm and her husband took their oldest son, Edward Leslie Jr., to enroll at Stratford Junior High School. They, and other African-American students who attempted to enroll in the still segregated Arlington schools, were denied admission that year. In September 1957, a few days after the opening of the school year, crosses were burned on the lawns of two Arlington families, and at the Calloway United Methodist Church, a central location for organizers in the effort to desegregate the schools, and a site of workshops held by ministers, lawyers, and educators preparing parents and students for school integration.

Over the course of this process, Hamm recalled in interviews many experiences with discrimination and intimidation.

Read the rest of the story.

Oral History: Desegregation of Arlington’s Public Schools

Two stories in this list chronicle the struggle to desegregate Arlington Public Schools told through oral history interviews, historical documents, and legal proceedings.

You can also learn more about the people and events that made up this historic effort in the library’s online exhibition, Project DAPS.

African American students reading in the library.

Excerpt:

In this clip from 1986, Hamm shared her experience trying to register her son for school at Stratford and her activity in lawsuits to desegregate public facilities in Arlington County.

Dorothy Hamm has been honored by the County with the naming of a new middle school in Cherrydale, the Dorothy Hamm Middle School, which opened in September 2019.

Read the rest of the story.

The Story of Arlington Public School Desegregation

Ronald Deskins, Michael Jones, Lance Newman, and Gloria Thompson walked into Stratford Junior High School on February 2, 1959.

Excerpt:

At 8:45 a.m. on February 2, 1959, four young students from the nearby Hall’s Hill neighborhood entered Stratford Junior High School in Arlington, Virginia.

When they stepped into Stratford that day, they became the first students to desegregate a public school in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Many Arlingtonians know that theirs was the first county in Virginia to desegregate. It is a point of pride. But it’s not the whole story.

Read the rest of the story.

“If You Don’t Vote, You Don’t Count”

“If You Don’t Vote, You Don’t Count” looks at the poll taxes imposed to restrict voters and prevent African Americans from voting in the county, and the actions taken by local activists to combat this voter suppression.

1951 flyer telling Arlington residents how to pay their poll tax in order to vote in the upcoming election.

Excerpt:

In 1876, after the Fifteenth Amendment granted African-Americans the right to vote, Virginia passed a poll tax to restrict African-American men from voting. Although this law was repealed in 1882, in 1901 the Virginia General Assembly called for a new constitution with the explicit purpose to secure the right of suffrage of the state's white men, and to take away the right to vote from anyone in the state who wasn't white.

The new constitution, which passed in 1902, reinstated the poll tax. This required voters to pay a tax of $1.50 six months prior to an election for each of the three years preceding an election. This disenfranchised approximately 90% of the black men and, counter to the intentions of those who had drafted the new constitution, nearly 50% of the white men who had previously been registered to vote in Virginia. The 1902 constitution also created an administrative structure that was difficult for any average citizen to navigate, further disenfranchising many poor men.

Read the rest of the story.

Our Back Pages: Arlington’s Own Declaration of Civil Rights

Next, read about efforts to continue the efforts of desegregation beyond the schools when a group of Arlington activists drafted their own Declaration of Civil Rights.

President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act of 1964 into law as various Civil Rights leaders look on, including the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. Photo courtesy of the LBJ Library, photo by Cecil Stoughton.

Excerpt:

Published just a little over a year after Arlington became the first school district in Virginia to desegregate, this document is a powerful reminder that despite those four students integrating Stratford Junior High in 1959, segregation in Arlington was still far from over. Many institutions in Arlington remained segregated, and this document specifically enumerates some of them: from sit-down restaurants and movie theaters to maternity wards, to playgrounds and pony rides for children.

Item six contains one of the leaflet’s most powerful observations: “It is the uncertainty about so many aspects of his life that is trying for a Negro in Arlington. Some years ago he knew exactly what his limitations were. He didn’t like being limited but he knew what to expect. Now he is tired of being unknowing about his status.” In the years leading up to the passage of the Civil Rights Act in 1964, this was indeed the reality for many Blacks in the South.

Read the rest of the story.

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.

  • Share Your Story

Download the Library App