Alert

Operations Alert: Elevator is Available on G1, Central Library More Info

Arlington Public Library

Homepage

Funeral Programs: A Genealogical Treasure

Newly Digitized Resource for Historians and Researchers

The Center for Local History’s online collection now includes over 100 documents from funerals of Black community members, donated by Arlington residents Birdie and Mable Alston. These materials will be an important resource for historians and genealogical researchers.

FUNERAL PROGRAMS FROM THE BIRDIE AND MABLE ALSTON COLLECTION

Using Funeral Programs

For African-Americans doing genealogical research, information such as exact dates of birth and death, past residences, place of burial, and maiden names are often difficult to find in the South due to slavery and segregation laws.

According to the Georgia Public Library Service, “The records of many in these communities were often either destroyed, kept in private hands, or never created in the first place.”

These gaps in information can often be found in funeral programs. They may often give valuable personal information about the deceased’s life including hobbies, friends, relatives, and community involvement.

Funeral Program for Evelyn Syphax, 2000, CLH Collections

Obituaries can also give context to a person’s life beyond genealogical information and provide insight to researchers that might not be available elsewhere.

In addition, large groups of obituaries give a broader view of a community's makeup and show larger local historical trends.

Funeral Program for Dr. Nathaniel R. Richardson, 1966, CLH Collections

Funeral Program for Mrs. Viola P. Chase, 1968, CLH Collections

Funeral Program for Lillian Brooks Williams, 1973, CLH Collections

Birdie and Mable Alston

Birdie (1919-2020) and Mable (née Shirley) Alston (1920-2017) were married neighborhood activists and prominent community members in the Halls Hill/Highview Park area. The Alston’s came to Arlington in 1944 and settled in Halls Hill in 1947. Both were heavily involved with the Langston Civic Association and the NAACP.

CLH Staff recently finished digitizing Series 1: Funeral Programs of RG338, Birdie and Mable Alston Collection. This includes over 100 programs from funerals of the area’s Black community members spanning from 1961-2011. Each program contains information about the deceased’s life and family, with many including photographs.

Funeral Program for Clifton Randolph Brown, 1993, CLH Collections

Obituary for Clifton Randolph Brown, 1993, CLH Collections

About the Birdie and Mable Alston Collection

Upon Birdie Alston’s death in 2017, his estate donated much of his personal files, photographs, and other materials to the Center for Local History. The materials relate to the various community organizations that the Alston’s were involved with, such as the NAACP, Langston Civic Association, Halls Hill (High View Park) Neighborhood Preservation Plan, and Calloway United Methodist Church. The material dates from 1905-2019, making it an important resource for documenting the changes in Arlington’s Black community.

Related Collections in the CLH

For other collections of active Black citizens in Arlington, see RG 11, Papers of Edmond C. Fleet, and see RG 349, Dorothy Hamm Personal Papers. There are also several oral history interviews detailing life in the Halls Hill/Highview Park neighborhood, including one from Birdie Alston in 1991. RG 48, Records of the NAACP, Arlington Branch, has more detail on this group where the Alston’s were members.

Help Build Arlington's Community History

The Center for Local History (CLH) collects, preserves, and shares resources that illustrate Arlington County’s history, diversity and communities. Learn how you can play an active role in documenting Arlington's history by donating physical and/or digital materials for the Center for Local History’s permanent collection.

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

Share Your Story

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

Black History Month: Come Celebrate With Us!

National Black History Month has its origins in 1915, when historian and author Dr. Carter G. Woodson founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History. This organization is now known as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History.

We have curated a terrific lineup of programs to celebrate Black culture and stories. Acclaimed food author and culinary historian Michael W. Twitty returns! Bright Star Touring Theatre and Uncle Devin will delight young and old audiences alike with their action-packed and fun performances. With help from the Library of Congress, we will learn about the stories of formerly enslaved Virginians. And we will discover local history and learn about Roberta Flack’s career and the Green Valley Pharmacy. Come join us!

Talk by Michael Twitty, Author of “Koshersoul: The Faith and Food Journey of an African American Jew”

Thursday, Feb. 16, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Central Library

Twitty returns! Join us for an author talk with the acclaimed author of “Koshersoul” as we honor Black History Month. The talk will be followed by an audience Q&A and a book signing. 

In person and live streamed. RSVP to receive a live stream link and an event reminder.

RSVP

Black History Heroes, Soldiers and Spies

Wednesday, Feb. 8, 4:30-5:30 p.m. 
Central Library

History is filled with Black American heroes! In this Bright Star Touring Theatre production, audiences learn the stories of some of the most amazing figures like Colonel Charles Young of the Buffalo Soldiers, the Tuskegee Airmen as they take flight to help achieve victory in World War II, and Mary Elizabeth Bowser, whose work as a spy helped the Union during the Civil War. An exciting and interactive production that is sure to intrigue young and old alike! 

Children Grades K-5. RSVP for an event reminder.

RSVP

Virtual Program: Narratives of Enslaved Virginians

Thursday, Feb. 9, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. 
Online

Researching can be perilous, but even more so for Black historians during the Jim Crow era. In the 1930s, Federal Writers’ Project researchers with the Works Progress Administration interviewed formerly enslaved Virginians to preserve their stories. Special presentation by the Library of Congress.

Adults, registration required for Zoom link

RSVP

Roberta Flack Documentary at Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse

Sunday, Feb. 19, 7-9 p.m.
Arlington Cinema and Drafthouse
2903 Columbia Pike, Arlington, VA 22204

Join Arlington Public Library at Arlington Cinema and Drafthouse to enjoy a new PBS Documentary, “American Masters: Roberta Flack.” It provides an intimate look into Flack’s artistry, life and triumphs over racism and sexism within and outside of the recording industry. This film screening is offered courtesy of PBS, American Masters, and The WNET Group, in partnership with WETA and The Black Heritage Museum of Arlington.

Adults, registration required

RSVP

Green Valley Pharmacy: A Community Gathering Place

Thursday, Feb. 23, 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Shirlington Library

Join us in exploring local African American history with Portia A. Clark President of the Green Valley Civic Association, for a special presentation on Arlington's landmark Green Valley Pharmacy. The longest-operating African American pharmacy in Arlington County and likely the first African American owned pharmacy in the county, the Green Valley Pharmacy has helped shape and define the local community for over 60 years. 

Adults and teens Grade 9+, registration required

RSVP

Two Live Performances with Uncle Devin, ABC’s of Percussion

Tuesday, Feb. 28
ABC's of Percussion Storytime: 10:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m., Central Library
Uncle Devin Live Show: 6-7 p.m., Columbia Pike


Both events are good for families.
Join us for an interactive, musical storytime at Central Library where children can hear and see the percussion instruments mentioned in the book, The ABC's of Percussion Children's Book by Uncle Devin.

RSVP

For the live performance at Columbia Pike, The Uncle Devin Live Show uses original songs, funky grooves, and the DC tradition of call-and-response to have children and families experience the infectious energy of a live Go-Go that does not stop. Children will have an opportunity to hear and see some of the percussion instruments.

RSVP

Amina Luqman-Dawson Wins Two Prestigious National Awards

First Woman to Win Both the John Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Book Award

On January 30, the American Library Association (ALA) awarded Arlington-based author Amina Luqman-Dawson the John Newbery Medal and the Coretta Scott King (Author) Book Award for her novel “Freewater.”

The Newbery Medal is a literary award given by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the author of “the most distinguished contributions to American literature for children.” The Coretta Scott King Book Award recognizes an African American author and illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults.

ALA announced the top books, digital media, videos, and audiobooks for children and young adults—including the Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Newbery, and Printz awards—at ALA’s 2023 LibLearnX conference in New Orleans.

“We are beyond happy for Amina Luqman-Dawson and her extraordinary achievement,” said Library Director Diane Kresh. “Freewater" is an important story and deserves to be read by every middle school student.”

Set in the Great Dismal Swamp, “Freewater” is a middle-grade novel about a secret community of formerly enslaved people. “Freewater” is published by JIMMY Patterson/Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

Luqman-Dawson is the first woman to win both the John Newbery Medal and the Coretta Scott King Award.

Several female authors have received the Newbery Honor and Coretta Scott King Award in the same year including Renee Watson for “Piecing Me Together” (2018), Jacqueline Woodson for “Brown Girl Dreaming” (2015), Rita Williams-Garcia for “P.S. Be Eleven” (2014) and “One Crazy Summer” (2011). The Honor books are those that were not the first place of the year but deserve honorable mention.

Angela Johnson won the Coretta Scott King Award and the Printz for “The First Part Last” (2004).

“On the eve of Black History Month, congratulations to our talented Arlington author. Thank you for sharing your voice,” said Kresh.

Arlington Public Library Director Diane Kresh with local author Amina Luqman-Dawson.

Local author Amina Luqman-Dawson and Library Director Diane Kresh during a Juneteenth program hosted by Arlington Public Library on June 22, 2022.  

Arlington’s Autorailer Experiment

1936-1939

Since the first trolley began running in 1896 - from Rosslyn to Fort Myer, just outside of Arlington National Cemetery - public transportation has been an important aspect of Arlington’s identity and development.

Autorailer picking up passengers c. 1938; CLH Collections

Having easy access to public transportation was an integral part of the growth and development of Arlington. The 1930s in Arlington saw a massive rise in population thanks to the government’s New Deal Programs, which brought thousands of government jobs into Arlington. Many workers were forced to live farther and farther away from D.C. as there were few housing options left close to the city. Even though half of American families owned a car by 1930, many still relied on companies like the Washington-Virginia Railway to get them to and from work.

When the Washington-Virginia railway went bankrupt in 1927, local community members and businesses gathered to form their own company, the Arlington & Fairfax Railway Company. By purchasing the former tracks, the new company was able to continue service between Fairfax City and Rosslyn. It also promoted tourism and vacations among D.C. residents, allowing them to travel to local landmarks like Mount Vernon, Great Falls, the National Cemetery, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

The company, under Vice President G. Hall Roosevelt, nephew of Theodore Roosevelt and youngest brother of Elenanor Roosevelt, operated at a loss for 9 years until deteriorating infrastructure, competition from cars, and the loss of tracks into DC threatened to shut down the line for good.

Detroit Investment

In June of 1936, the Arlington & Fairfax Railway was saved by an investor from Detroit, The Evans Product Company. Evans was looking to break into the streetcar market and chose the D.C. area to promote their new innovation, the Autorailer - a hybrid streetcar and motorbus that was able to travel on both railroad tracks and paved roads, seamlessly transitioning at railroad crossings with the push of a lever.

Life Magazine Ad for Autorailers, August 1936. Photo courtesy of The Old Motor

In exchange for 51% of the company, The Evans Company invested $30,000 to rehabilitate the infrastructure, and supplied six autorailers for immediate use. Between December 1936 and January 1937, Evans spent over $125,000 to replace Arlington's remaining streetcars with the autorailers. To highlight the new technology, they renamed the company “Arlington & Fairfax Auto Railway."

Promotional newsreel made by Chevrolet in 1935 containing the "Evans Auto-Railer," an automobile that runs down railroad tracks in Jackson, Michigan. Prelinger Archives; Public Domain.

"Dual-Purpose and Streamlined"

The Autorailer was designed as a combination trolley streetcar and motor bus, with rubber tires for the road, and flanged wheels that could be set down to ride along the electric railroad tracks. Each vehicle typically had 4 wheels, a Chevrolet or Ford engine, and could carry 20-27 passengers. A rear compartment also allowed for the transport of mail and luggage.

The Arlington & Fairfax Auto Railway Company operated two lines out of Rosslyn starting in December 1936. The Main line went from Rosslyn to Fairfax, via Clarendon, Falls Church, and Vienna. The Arlington Line traveled from Rosslyn to Ft. Myer, via Green Valley and Arlington Cemetery. The Autorailer ran every twenty minutes for 15 cents each way, and commuters could get from Rosslyn to Fort Myer in just under an hour.

Although newspapers at the time claimed that “comparatively little mechanical trouble has been experienced, despite the newness of the vehicle” (Transit Journal, March 1937), contemporary analysis of the autorailer by John E. Merriken in "Old Dominion Trolley Too: A History of the Mount Vernon Line" deemed them, “Relatively primitive vehicles noticeably inferior to both the railcars they replaced and to contemporary motor buses”

AutoRailer1

Autorailer, January 1939; CLH collections

Autorailer's flanged wheel and rubber tire, c. 1935; Photo courtesy of The Prelinger Archives

AutoRailer4

Autorailers going to Arlington Cemetery and West Falls Church c. 1938; photo from CLH Collections

Crossing the Potomac Into DC

Previous trolleys had been able to travel across the Long Bridge to provide service into Washington D.C. This line was abandoned in 1930 when the station was destroyed for the construction of the Federal Triangle.

One of the immediate goals of the Arlington & Fairfax Auto Railway was to regain service into D.C. The company repeatedly petitioned to obtain permission to enter the city over the Key Bridge and resume service down Pennsylvania Avenue, filing at least two applications in 1937.

Although the application was finally granted in November 1938, it isn’t clear whether any autorailers ever crossed over the Potomac River, as two months later the Capital Transit Company successfully defended their right to a monopoly on passenger service in Washington, and the Arlington & Fairfax Auto Railway was barred from using the Key Bridge.

Return to Bankruptcy, and to County Roadways

The loss of service into D.C. was the final nail in the coffin for the Arlington & Fairfax Auto Railway, and by September of 1939, the company was once again bankrupt. With no investors to save them this time, they began to liquidate their stock of autorailers.

While much of the fleet was sold across the country, four remained in Arlington and were sold to the Washington and Old Dominion Railroad. Three were used for general maintenance and repairs and one was converted to do repair work on the overhead electric lines for the tracks until 1944. Most of the railroad tracks were released to the County to be used for roads and highways, including Fairfax Drive, Clarendon Blvd, and Electric Avenue.

Trolley service would continue in Arlington County until the early 1960s, when the last of the railroad tracks were sold for the construction of I-66 and the Metro.

Regarding Public Transportation and Segregation in Virginia

In 1904, the Virginia General Assembly gave streetcar companies the power to segregate passengers by race. Two years later, the Assembly enacted legislation that required racial segregation on Virginia streetcars. In 1946, forced segregation on interstate buses was declared unconstitutional after Irene Morgan appealed her case to the U.S. Supreme Court. And in 1960, another Supreme Court case, Boynton v. Virginia, banned segregation by race on any type of public transportation. Learn more about this topic at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture.

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

Share Your Story

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

New January Releases

Get Your Hands On These New And Upcoming Titles

Fiction readers will be drawn to the story of Geeta — a woman who didn’t kill her husband, but everyone thinks she did, so other women in troubled marriages start turning to her for help in "The Bandit Queens" by Parini Shroff. An all-Black town in Alabama is divided over calls for integration in 1957 in Jamila Minnicks’ award-winning debut, "Moonrise Over New Jessup."

Nonfiction readers will be captivated by the story of Ana Montes, one of the most dangerous American spies, who recently finished her prison sentence. Jim Popkin details her story in "Code Name Blue Wren." Explore the Chinese diaspora and the role of food by following Cheuk Kwan’s journey to interview workers at Chinese restaurants from Canada to Kenya in "Have You Eaten Yet?"

Younger readers will be excited to learn about animation pioneer Lottie Reiniger in the picture book biography, "Cut!" by C.E. Winters and illustrated by Matt Schu.

For teen readers, Crystal Simone Smith’s "Dark Testament" uses visually arresting blackout poetry to explore resistance against erasure in her poems about Black lives lost to violence.

Place Your Holds Now!

More Book Lists To Explore

Looking for something to pick up while waiting for your hold on "Spare" or after you’ve finished reading it? Check out these books!

Read-Alikes for "Spare"

Two Laser Cutters, Twice the Power

The Glowforge laser cutters can etch and cut multiple materials easily, including acrylic, leather, paper, rubber and wood.

For 2023, The Shop now offers twice the availability for our Glowforge laser cutters.

Our makerspace is equipped with the Glowforge "Basic" and "Plus" laser cutters which provide the same size cutting area and “superhero powers” so you can easily design and create your own masterpieces.

With the additional equipment, The Shop can accommodate more shop time and reservation availability to artisans and makers.

Both laser cutters can be used to make personalized gifts, enhance your next art project, boost your crafty merchandise store and experiment with laser engraving and cutting.

To use the Glowforge laser cutters, you must take the certification class. Once you are certified, reserve up to two hours per day at The Shop.

Don’t delay your next project! Reserve today, get to know other makers, exchange artist ideas and make things.

Reserve Now

The Library Director’s 2022 Reading List.

“Every reader his or her book. Every book its reader.”
— S.R. Ranganathan

If you have space in your life to read one more year-end list, I made one too. Books that will stay with me and I will recommend to others. Books that changed my thinking. Books by authors I had never heard of and could not believe I had not. The books I wanted to go on and on and on, the best kind of books. Here’s my list.

2022 Reading List

My tastes are eclectic.  

My guilty pleasure is the police procedural (the more noir, the better) followed closely by the coming-of-age novel. I read both fiction and non — have a fondness for memoir — although not biography.

I read “classics” I believe I should have read. I read author debuts. I am an occasional completist (Elizabeth Strout and Ann Patchett). Reading fantasy novels are still on my to-do list (Octavia Butler is on my bookshelf but has not yet made it into my hands) and authors from outside the United States. I am discovering Graphic Novels (“Black Hole” by Charles Burns is on my nightstand). I have occasionally judged a book by its cover (“Lessons in Chemistry” by Bonnie Garmus) and been pleasantly surprised – in a good way. 

Is reading one of your resolutions for 2023? Have you ever been a reluctant reader but want to read more?  

Here are some tips for creating and sustaining a reading habit. 

  • Try an eAudiobook. I’ve become an avid audiobook consumer which has the additional benefit that your listening skills improve as well.  
  • Ask a friend, coworker, family member or neighbor, “What are you reading?” It’s a great conversation starter. 
  • Frequent our Friends of Arlington Public Library bookstores, each purchase supports the library. 
  • Join a Library book club or the Winter Reading Challenge. 
  • And my favorite tip from Ron Charles, Book Critic at The Washington Post, “Dedicate this year to reading only works in translation. You’ll permanently expand your horizons.” 

If you are like me and have recommitted to a year of reading more, my final tip: there is no harm in setting aside a book and not finishing it. The library has the next one just for you.

Keep reading.

Signatue of Library Director Diane Kresh.

Diane Kresh
Director, Arlington Public Library

Great Books You Might Have Missed in 2022

Looking for a Great Book? We're Here to Help!

2022 saw many new exciting books being published. Colleen Hoover’s books have been everywhere, as well as great memoirs by stars like Jeanette McCurdy and Matthew Perry – even one by Michelle Obama!

With so much information around us it’s easy to miss a new release. We have put together a curated list from our 2022 catalog of gems we believe should be on everybody’s reading list. All of these books received rave reviews, but flew beneath Arlington’s radar.

These books are sorted into five subcategories: fiction, nonfiction, teen, elementary/middle grade, and picture books/early readers. And much like browsing the library’s shelves in person, you're sure to find something unexpected and delightful here!

To see which books Arlington readers checked out the most this year, click here.

Browse Full Lists in the Library Catalog

Complete List
Fiction List
Nonfiction List
Picture Books / Early Readers List
Elementary / Middle Grade List
Teen List

Arlington’s Top 25 Reads in 2022

Composite of 8 book covers with the top Arlington reads of 2022.

Are you curious what books our Arlington readers checked out the most this year?

It’s no secret that Arlington is a community of readers. Here is a breakdown of combined adult eBook, eAudiobooks and print checkouts that made the top 25 list this year.

In 2022, we saw six titles rising above the 2,000-checkout mark starting with “Cloud Cuckoo Land” by Anthony Doerr; “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” by Taylor Jenkins Reid; "The Paris Apartment" by Lucy Foley; "Malibu Rising" by Taylor Jenkins Reid; “The Last Thing He Told Me" by Laura Dave; and our most in-demand title, "The Lincoln Highway" by Amor Towles.

Arlington loves books by Taylor Jenkins Reid and Emily Henry and both adults and teens can’t get enough of Sarah J. Maas.

“The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” by Suzanne Collins made our young adult readers #1 spot for the most checked-out book in 2022 and our young readers continued to get mesmerized by J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series.

As we look forward to many new, wonderful releases in 2023, from big titles like Prince Harry’s “Spare” to exciting debuts like “Moonlight Over New Jessup” by Jamila Minnicks, we are grateful for the opportunity to continue to serve you — with our exciting book services, programs and diverse collections.

Curious which releases you might have missed this year? We have put together a curated list from our 2022 catalog of gems we believe should be on everybody’s reading list.

Always free. Always open. Always books!

Books You Might Have Missed

Adult Top 2022 Circulated Titles (eBook, eAudiobooks, print)

  1. The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles
  2. The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave
  3. Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
  4. The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley
  5. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
  6. Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
  7. Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
  8. Book Lovers by Emily Henry
  9. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab
  10. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
  11. Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
  12. Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty
  13. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
  14. People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
  15. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
  16. The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
  17. The Maid by Nita Prose
  18. It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover
  19. The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
  20. The Guest List by Lucy Foley
  21. Atomic Habits: Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear
  22. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
  23. Verity by Colleen Hoover
  24. The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller
  25. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

Young Adult, ages 11-18, Top 2022 Circulated Titles (all formats)

  1. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
  2. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
  3. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
  4. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
  5. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Children, ages 2-10, Top 2022 Circulated Titles (all formats) 

  1. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling
  2. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J. K. Rowling
  3. Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
  4. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J. K. Rowling
  5. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules by Jeff Kinney

 

The USS Arlington

Arlington's Naval Voyage Through the 20th Century

The first USS Arlington, c. 1947;
Photo Courtesy of Naval History and Heritage Command

World War Two

The first United States Navy Ship to be named Arlington was a general cargo ship that was converted into a troop transport in 1944 for World War Two. Capable of carrying over 1,000 soldiers, the Arlington acted as a training vessel for sailors on the West Coast. It then became a troop transport at the end of the war.

The Arlington was decommissioned in 1946 and remained in the Navy’s reserve fleet until it was sold for scrap in the 1960s.

The second USS Arlington after conversion, c. 1960s;
Photo from CLH collections

Cold War Communications

As the technology of the Cold War advanced, need arose for a powerful communications ship that could relay messages anywhere across the world. In 1967, the former aircraft carrier USS SAIPAN was converted into a Communication Relay Ship and officially commissioned as the USS Arlington in honor of the Arlington Radio Towers, which had been the site of the first trans-Atlantic voice communication in 1915.

At a length of 684 feet, a crew of about 1,000 men, and a top speed of 33 knots, the Arlington was the ideal choice to act as a communication relay hub. After beating the USS Boston in a race to Guantanamo Bay, the USS Arlington earned a reputation as one of the fastest ships in the Navy’s fleet. Upon winning the race, the ship adopted the nickname the “Road Runner,” and its crew displayed a flag of the television cartoon character when entering port or pulled alongside another ship for refueling or to provide assistance. They also played the character’s theme song whenever the flag was raised.

After participating in NATO training exercises across Europe, the Arlington acted as communication support for US troops in Vietnam, most notably at the Gulf of Tonkin incident in August 1967.

President Nixon aboard the USS Arlington with Captain Murphree before the Apollo 11 landing, 1969;
Photo courtesy of NavSource.

Assisting the Space Race

Thanks to its advanced radio and communication capabilities, the USS Arlington assisted in the return of several Apollo spaceships. In December, 1968, it served as the primary communication ship for the recovery of Apollo 8, and in May, 1969, it assisted in the recovery of Apollo 10.

Because the USS Arlington was stationed near the landing zone, it was chosen as one of the main ships in assisting in the recovery of the Apollo 11 astronauts after they reached the moon in July 1969. The role of the USS Arlington was classified, and not revealed to the public until years after the landings.

The USS Arlington’s contribution to the Apollo missions would be its last for the US Navy. The Arlington returned to the United States in January of 1970 to be decommissioned and was officially sold as scrap in 1976.

Although the ship was only formally active for 4 years, it was awarded 7 campaign stars for its efforts in Vietnam.

The third USS Arlington participates in recovery training of the Orion capsule, 2013;
Photo courtesy of NASA

USS Arlington Today

In 2004, the US Navy decided to name 3 of the Navy’s new ships in honor of the 9/11 attacks. The USS Arlington was launched in 2010, along with the sister ships USS New York and USS Somerset.

In 2013, the new USS Arlington helped NASA in stationary recovery training of the Orion spacecraft.

The USS Arlington honors the 184 victims and thousands of emergency, fire and rescue personnel of Arlington Country and localities in the National Capital Region who provided critical emergency assistance after the attack. The ship was built with a museum to honor the victims of the Pentagon which includes pieces of steel from the Pentagon 9-11 crash site. To read more about the USS Arlington, visit https://www.arlingtonva.us/Government/Topics/ussarlington

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

Share Your Story

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

Facebook. Twitter. Instagram. YouTube. Flickr. Newsletters.

download appDownload the Library App