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Home > Charlie Clark Center for Local History > Charlie Clark Center for Local History Blog

Charlie Clark Center for Local History Blog

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  • CLH News (13)
  • Oral History (39)
  • Taking a Stand / Speaking Out (18)
  • Throwback Thursday (87)
  • Unboxed (34)
May 8, 2025

Appreciating Arlington Educator Katherine Mosley Ross

Learn about Arlington educator Katherine Mosley Ross.

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April 23, 2025

Sharing the Love: Edmond and Alice Fleet

Edmond and Alice Fleet forged successful careers facing barriers.

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April 16, 2025

Ellen M. Bozman at 100

April 21, 2025, marks Ellen M. Bozman’s 100th birthday

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March 11, 2025

Glencarlyn Library’s 101st Birthday

Stories from patrons lifelong and new.

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February 27, 2025

The Friendly Cab Company

Learn about Ralph Collins and the cab company he started.

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January 30, 2025

Sharing the Love: Elizabeth and Edmund Campbell

Read about Elizabeth and Edmund Campbell’s contributions to Arlington.

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November 25, 2024

Our Lady Queen of Peace

Read about Arlington’s historic Black Catholic church.

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October 11, 2024

Edu-Futuro: Preserving Latino Culture in Arlington

Read about Arlington’s Latino Culture.

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August 29, 2024

Happy Birthday to Smokey Bear!

Read about Smokey Bear and a prominent local artist.

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July 24, 2024

Swimming Away The Dog Days

Learn about Stuart Paine and swimming in Arlington County.

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June 27, 2024

Pride Month Collection Spotlight: The Jay Fisette Papers

Learn about former Arlington County board member, Jay Fisette.

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April 22, 2024

Lessons From Nature

Learn about two Arlington women who advocated for environmental education.

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March 25, 2024

Life of an Arlington Hall Student

Learn about Paula Strother, a student at Arlington Hall Junior College for Women.

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February 21, 2024

Then and Now: Chinn Funeral Service

Learn about the Chinn Funeral Service.

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February 5, 2024

Inner Ear Studio

Learn about the origins of Inner Ear Studio.

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December 21, 2023

Snow Days Gone By

Learn about past snow days in Arlington.

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November 29, 2023

Remembering Thomas Oxendine

Remembering the first Native American Navy Pilot.

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November 17, 2023

Charlie Clark, “Our Man in Arlington” and a Friend to the Library, died Nov. 15

A tribute to a friend of Arlington Public Library.

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October 31, 2023

Halloween in Hall’s Hill

Read how trick or treating was in Arlington.

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October 10, 2023

Celebrate National Coming Out Day with Arlington’s LGBTQ+ History

Arlington residents marched in the 2nd National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights, 1987.

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September 28, 2023

A Taste of Arlington History

Documenting the history of Virginia cuisine from the 17th century to present day.

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August 18, 2023

Parkington

Parkington was the largest shopping center on the East Coast and one of the first major shopping malls in the...

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July 6, 2023

Airport and A Movie

The “Airport Drive-In” operated from 1947-1963 just behind National Airport.

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June 21, 2023

Oral History: Anhthu Lu

Interview with Anthu Lu.

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June 9, 2023

Plane Crash at Bishop O’Connell High School

“A plane has just crashed on the football field…”

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May 24, 2023

Union Army Balloon Corp

Learn how hot air balloon reconnaissance began in Arlington.

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April 26, 2023

Orville Wright Takes Flight at Ft. Myer

Orville Wright conducted flight tests for the Army at Ft. Myer in 1908 and 1909.

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March 29, 2023

Dawson House

The Dawson House is the only surviving stone structure in the county dating to the 18th or 19th century

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March 23, 2023

Fire Battalion Chief Judith Brewer

Arlington’s First Female Firefighter

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February 28, 2023

Pelham Town

One of Arlington’s lesser known Black communities founded by the Pelham Family

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February 15, 2023

Funeral Programs: A Genealogical Treasure

A newly digitized resource for historians and researchers.

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January 24, 2023

Arlington’s Autorailer Experiment

1936-1939

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December 19, 2022

The USS Arlington

Arlington’s Naval Voyage Through the 20th Century.

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December 9, 2022

Lustron Steel Homes in Arlington

A Slice of American Architectural History

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November 22, 2022

Marking Arlington’s Border in Stone

Some of the country’s oldest federal monuments.

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November 3, 2022

Video: History of the American Nazi Party in Arlington

With Local Author and Historian Charlie Clark.

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June 23, 2022

Ronald (Ron) Deskins: A Quiet Pioneer for Civil Rights

At the young age of 12, Ron Deskins played a crucial role in integrating Virginia public schools.

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June 2, 2022

Milton Rowe: Dedication to Country, Community and Family

Green Valley, Dunbar Housing Community and Work at the White House

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May 12, 2022

Oral History: Gertrude “Trudy” Ensign

Intelligence analyst for the United States Army during World War II.

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February 17, 2022

The Henry Louis Holmes Library, 1940-1949

Created by Arlington’s Black residents, to serve their community during segregation.

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February 10, 2022

Oral History: Rayfield Barber

A lifetime at the center of Arlington’s airport history.

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February 2, 2022

The Activists who Desegregated Arlington’s Movie Theaters

“The Price of a Ticket at the Cost of Your Conscience”

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January 14, 2022

Oral History: Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in Arlington

Marionne Walls-Fort discusses Dr. King’s visit to Lomax AME Zion Church.

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December 21, 2021

WETA’s Arlington History: “It is the Programming that Counts”

An iconic institution, capturing and broadcasting the news for more than a half-century.

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December 15, 2021

Oral History: Mary Cook Hackman

Politics, Parks and the Law

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December 2, 2021

Shirlington’s Cinematic Past

Shirlington’s cinema through the years.

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November 18, 2021

Arlington’s Courthouse: A Tale in Three Acts

A Central Landmark of Local Government.

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October 14, 2021

Oral History: Don Tenoso

Arlington-based Native American artist and educator.

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September 23, 2021

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...

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September 9, 2021

Remembering September 11 with Photos of First Responders

Images from the Records Related to the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks on the Pentagon collection.

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August 19, 2021

Oral History: Buckingham Florist

Interview with Neil Bassin

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August 12, 2021

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...

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July 15, 2021

Oral History: Public Shoe Store

Interview with Dr. Sholom “Doc” Friedman and Karen Widmayer

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July 1, 2021

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...

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June 21, 2021

Search Thousands of Historic Arlington Papers Online for Free

News Release: Discover Arlington’s history and browse newspaper content online from 1935 to 1978.

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June 17, 2021

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.

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June 10, 2021

Oral History: Arlington’s First Openly LGBTQ Elected Official

In 1997, Jay Fisette became the first openly LGBTQ+ person elected to office in the state of Virginia when he...

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June 3, 2021

Dorothy Hamm: Speaking Out

Dorothy Hamm was at the forefront of the civil rights movement in Arlington, and lead efforts to successfully desegregate Arlington’s...

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May 27, 2021

The History of Arlington’s Logo and Seal

Learn more about our County iconography.

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May 20, 2021

Arlington Council on Human Relations: Speaking Out

The Arlington Council on Human Relations was to improve the economic, civic, and racial conditions in Arlington County.

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May 13, 2021

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!

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May 6, 2021

Joan Trumpauer Mulholland: Taking a Stand

Civil rights activist, educator, and founder of the Joan Trumpauer Mulholland Foundation.

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April 29, 2021

Oral History: West Brothers Brick Company

Interview with Rayfield Barber

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April 21, 2021

Barbara Marx: Speaking Out

Marx was involved with civil rights activities and the NAACP, Arlingtonians for a Better County, the Arlington Community Action Committee,...

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April 15, 2021

Arlington’s Signature Soda: Cherry Smash

Did you know that Arlington was once home to one of the country’s most popular sodas?

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April 8, 2021

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...

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April 1, 2021

Oral History: Bob & Edith’s Diner

Interview with Gregory Bolton

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March 25, 2021

William A. Rowe: Taking a Stand

William Augustus Rowe (1834-1907) was a pivotal figure in the early development of the Green Valley community.

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March 18, 2021

Roberta Flack’s Arlington Roots

Arlington native Roberta Flack is known worldwide for her voice, songwriting, and musical ability.

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March 11, 2021

Nguyen Ngoc Bich: Speaking Out

Nguyen Ngoc Bich (1937-2016) was a pivotal Arlingtonian in commercial and community affairs alike.

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March 4, 2021

Oral History: Margaret Troxell

Margaret Troxell (1909-2002) was a pioneering local journalist who helped found the Northern Virginia Sun.

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February 25, 2021

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...

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February 18, 2021

Arlington’s First Black Legislators

Some of Arlington’s first black legislators include George Lewis Seaton, John B. Syphax, and Alfred William Harris.

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February 11, 2021

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...

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February 10, 2021

Poetry 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...

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February 4, 2021

Oral History: The First Students to Desegregate Arlington Public Schools

Interviews with Lance Newman and Michael Jones

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January 28, 2021

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.

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January 14, 2021

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...

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January 7, 2021

Notes 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...

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December 31, 2020

Kathryn Stone: Speaking Out

Kathryn Stone was one of a small minority of voices in Virginia that courageously fought against the state’s policy of...

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Charlie Clark Center for Local History

The Charlie Clark Center for Local History (CCCLH) collects, preserves, and shares historical documents that tell the history of Arlington County, its citizens, organizations, businesses, and social issues.

Charlie Clark Center for Local History: Where Stories Live

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