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Happy Birthday to Smokey Bear!
Read about Smokey Bear and a prominent local artist.
Swimming Away The Dog Days
Learn about Stuart Paine and swimming in Arlington County.
Learn about former Arlington County board member, Jay Fisette.
May is Local History Month
Celebrate Local History Month with Us!
Lessons From Nature
Learn about two Arlington women who advocated for environmental education.
Life of an Arlington Hall Student
Learn about Paula Strother, a student at Arlington Hall Junior College for Women.
Then and Now: Chinn Funeral Service
Learn about the Chinn Funeral Service.
Inner Ear Studio
Learn about the origins of Inner Ear Studio.
Snow Days Gone By
Learn about past snow days in Arlington.
Remembering Thomas Oxendine
Remembering the first Native American Navy Pilot.
A tribute to a friend of Arlington Public Library.
Halloween in Hall’s Hill
Read how trick or treating was in Arlington.
Arlington residents marched in the 2nd National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights, 1987.
A Taste of Arlington History
Documenting the history of Virginia cuisine from the 17th century to present day.
Parkington
Parkington was the largest shopping center on the East Coast and one of the first major shopping malls in the...
Read moreAirport and A Movie
The “Airport Drive-In” operated from 1947-1963 just behind National Airport.
Oral History: Anhthu Lu
Interview with Anthu Lu.
Plane Crash at Bishop O’Connell High School
“A plane has just crashed on the football field…”
Union Army Balloon Corp
Learn how hot air balloon reconnaissance began in Arlington.
Orville Wright Takes Flight at Ft. Myer
Orville Wright conducted flight tests for the Army at Ft. Myer in 1908 and 1909.
Dawson House
The Dawson House is the only surviving stone structure in the county dating to the 18th or 19th century
Fire Battalion Chief Judith Brewer
Arlington’s First Female Firefighter
Pelham Town
One of Arlington’s lesser known Black communities founded by the Pelham Family
Funeral Programs: A Genealogical Treasure
A newly digitized resource for historians and researchers.
Arlington’s Autorailer Experiment
1936-1939
The USS Arlington
Arlington’s Naval Voyage Through the 20th Century.
Lustron Steel Homes in Arlington
A Slice of American Architectural History
Marking Arlington’s Border in Stone
Some of the country’s oldest federal monuments.
Video: History of the American Nazi Party in Arlington
With Local Author and Historian Charlie Clark.
At the young age of 12, Ron Deskins played a crucial role in integrating Virginia public schools.
Green Valley, Dunbar Housing Community and Work at the White House
Oral History: Gertrude “Trudy” Ensign
Intelligence analyst for the United States Army during World War II.
The Henry Louis Holmes Library, 1940-1949
Created by Arlington’s Black residents, to serve their community during segregation.
Oral History: Rayfield Barber
A lifetime at the center of Arlington’s airport history.
The Activists who Desegregated Arlington’s Movie Theaters
“The Price of a Ticket at the Cost of Your Conscience”
Marionne Walls-Fort discusses Dr. King’s visit to Lomax AME Zion Church.
WETA’s Arlington History: “It is the Programming that Counts”
An iconic institution, capturing and broadcasting the news for more than a half-century.
Oral History: Mary Cook Hackman
Politics, Parks and the Law
Shirlington’s Cinematic Past
Shirlington’s cinema through the years.
Arlington’s Courthouse: A Tale in Three Acts
A Central Landmark of Local Government.
Oral History: Don Tenoso
Arlington-based Native American artist and educator.
Oral History: J. Walter Tejada
In 2003 Tejada became the first person of Latin American heritage to be elected to the County Board, or to...
Read moreRemembering September 11 with Photos of First Responders
Images from the Records Related to the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks on the Pentagon collection.
Oral History: Buckingham Florist
Interview with Neil Bassin
Washington Golf and Country Club
The Washington Golf and Country Club is considered the oldest golf club in Virginia, and its course now comprises 88...
Read moreOral History: Public Shoe Store
Interview with Dr. Sholom “Doc” Friedman and Karen Widmayer
An (Un)familiar Tune: Arlington’s Song
Though many may not know the words to this reverential tune, Arlington has had an official song for more than...
Read moreNews Release: Discover Arlington’s history and browse newspaper content online from 1935 to 1978.
Joan Cooper: Taking a Stand
Joan Cooper (1940-2014) was an African-American Arlington social and civic activist, community leader, and passionate anti-drug campaigner.
In 1997, Jay Fisette became the first openly LGBTQ+ person elected to office in the state of Virginia when he...
Read moreDorothy Hamm: Speaking Out
Dorothy Hamm was at the forefront of the civil rights movement in Arlington, and lead efforts to successfully desegregate Arlington’s...
Read moreThe History of Arlington’s Logo and Seal
Learn more about our County iconography.
The Arlington Council on Human Relations was to improve the economic, civic, and racial conditions in Arlington County.
Cycling Through Arlington’s History
May is National Biking Month, and to celebrate, let’s take a look at Arlington’s decades-long history of bicycle enthusiasm!
Joan Trumpauer Mulholland: Taking a Stand
Civil rights activist, educator, and founder of the Joan Trumpauer Mulholland Foundation.
Oral History: West Brothers Brick Company
Interview with Rayfield Barber
Barbara Marx: Speaking Out
Marx was involved with civil rights activities and the NAACP, Arlingtonians for a Better County, the Arlington Community Action Committee,...
Read moreArlington’s Signature Soda: Cherry Smash
Did you know that Arlington was once home to one of the country’s most popular sodas?
Dr. Charles Drew: Taking a Stand
Dr. Charles Richard Drew (1904-1950) was a surgeon and a pioneer in the field of blood plasma preservation, storage, and...
Read moreOral History: Bob & Edith’s Diner
Interview with Gregory Bolton
William A. Rowe: Taking a Stand
William Augustus Rowe (1834-1907) was a pivotal figure in the early development of the Green Valley community.
Roberta Flack’s Arlington Roots
Arlington native Roberta Flack is known worldwide for her voice, songwriting, and musical ability.
Nguyen Ngoc Bich: Speaking Out
Nguyen Ngoc Bich (1937-2016) was a pivotal Arlingtonian in commercial and community affairs alike.
Oral History: Margaret Troxell
Margaret Troxell (1909-2002) was a pioneering local journalist who helped found the Northern Virginia Sun.
William T. Syphax: Taking a Stand
Native Arlingtonian William Thomas Syphax (1920-1989) was a prominent Black business entrepreneur, philanthropist, and advocate for the Black community in...
Read moreCenter for Local History to Curate 2020 Time Capsule
A snapshot of today, as well as a gift for the future.
Arlington’s First Black Legislators
Some of Arlington’s first black legislators include George Lewis Seaton, John B. Syphax, and Alfred William Harris.
Edmund Campbell: Speaking Out
Edmund Douglas Campbell (1899–1995) was a lawyer, social activist, and Arlington County Board member who advocated for civil rights, school...
Read morePoetry by Earlene Green Evans
Earlene Green Evans grew up and attended public schools in Arlington, Virginia, graduating from Hoffman-Boston High School. She received a...
Read moreInterviews with Lance Newman and Michael Jones
George Melvin Richardson: Taking a Stand
George Melvin Richardson (1913-2015) was an African-American educator, school principal, WW II U.S. Army officer, and civic leader.
John Robinson: Taking a Stand
A dedicated community activist who chose to stay and work in the Green Valley neighborhood where he was born and...
Read moreNotes on the Arlington Symphony
Over its 60-year run, the Arlington Symphony performed a wide variety of music across the County and was one of...
Read moreKathryn Stone: Speaking Out
Kathryn Stone was one of a small minority of voices in Virginia that courageously fought against the state’s policy of...
Read moreLeonard “Doc” Muse: Taking a Stand
Leonard “Doc” Muse (1923-2017), was an African-American pharmacist and social activist, and the owner of Green Valley Pharmacy.
Arlington’s Own Fast and Furious
Arlington was home to a racetrack that drew thrill-seekers and daredevils.
Fire Station #8: Taking a Stand
Hall’s Hill Volunteer Fire Department
Oral History: The Arlington Food Assistance Center
Interviews with Ann Rudd and Andy Lee
Charles Rinker: Speaking Out
“Tireless proponent for fair and affordable housing in Arlington County.”
Voting in Arlington: Then & Now
Take a look at how voting in Arlington has changed over the years.
The Center for Local History (CLH) collects, preserves, and shares historical documents that tell the history of Arlington County, its citizens, organizations, businesses, and social issues.
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