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Category: Arlington History

Planning Commission to Consider Wilson School Designation April 6

Planning Commission to Consider Wilson School Designation April 6

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Arlington’s Planning Commission will consider the Historic District Designation for the original 1910 section of the Wilson School and a portion of its property at their April 6 Public Hearing. It is the first item on their agenda, which begins at 7 PM. Click here for a copy of the agenda is available online. The Planning Commission provides a recommendation to the County Board. The County Board will hold a hearing on this designation on April 18. Options: Speak at…

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House History Workshop: May 13

House History Workshop: May 13

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Due to the incredible popularity of this workshop, Preservation Arlington is teaming with the Arlington County Historic Preservation Office, Arlington Central Library – Center for Local History, and the Arlington Historical Society to host a workshop on researching the history of your Arlington home. Participants who attend the workshop will: Learn how to research the history of their own home or any historic property of interest in Arlington Use the collection of maps, building permit data, photo archives, and other…

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County Manager Convenes
Arlington History Task Force

County Manager Convenes
Arlington History Task Force

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County Manager Barbara Donnellan started off 2015 with the establishment of an Arlington History Task Force. Co-chairs of the Task Force are Jack Belcher, director, Department of Technology Services, and Diane Kresh, director, Department of Libraries. Preservation Arlington and the Arlington Historical Society both accepted requests to be members of the Task Force. This group will make recommendations on how Arlington can capture, digitally preserve, and provide online access to our community’s rich history. Other members include County staff and…

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I Love My Historic Neighborhood: Kim in Aurora Highlands

I Love My Historic Neighborhood: Kim in Aurora Highlands

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We have expanded our “I Love My Historic House” series to invite homeowners to answer five short questions about living in a historic Arlington neighborhood. Our first entry in this new, related series comes from Kim O’Connell, who has lived in the Aurora Highlands neighborhood for 15 years. The neighborhood was recently featured in The Washington Post and is included in the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district. Q: Briefly describe your house. My family and I…

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“Nod to History”
County New Tax Decal

“Nod to History”
County New Tax Decal

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On January 27, the County Board announced the winner of the eleventh annual Decal Design Competition — an enhanced photograph of the redeveloped Bob Peck Chevrolet site at 800 North Glebe Road. Arlington County residents chose Tommy Casey’s design, which he called “A Nod to History,” over three other finalists. Casey’s design will appear on the windshields of more than 160,000 vehicles in Arlington County. For more information, read the Arlington County press release on the winning design. Preservation Arlington…

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Unitarian Universalist Church Listed on National Register

Unitarian Universalist Church Listed on National Register

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The Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington (UUCA) is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places — in recognition of its mid-century architectural importance and the fact that it was designed by a renowned architect of the time, Charles M. Goodman. Arlington has more than 60 sites on the National Register. Preservation Arlington applauds the recognition of this building, its design and history as being important to this story of Arlington and Virginia. From the County Press Release: The…

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Recording Vietnamese Voices in Arlington

Recording Vietnamese Voices in Arlington

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As we’ve reported, Preservation Arlington has been proud to sponsor an ongoing project by master’s degree students from Virginia Tech’s Department of Urban Affairs and Planning (National Capital Region) to collect and preserve Vietnamese heritage in Arlington. The students have now completed the first phase of this project, which involved collecting stories, photos and artifacts from Vietnamese community members who immigrated to, shopped at or owned businesses in Arlington’s Clarendon neighborhood when it was known as “Little Saigon” during the…

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Collecting and Preserving Arlington’s Vietnamese Heritage

Collecting and Preserving Arlington’s Vietnamese Heritage

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In the late 1970s and early 1980s, after the fall of Saigon and the end of the Vietnam War, the arrival of thousands of Vietnamese refugees and immigrants in the Washington, D.C., area led to the creation of a Vietnamese enclave in Clarendon. This community became widely known as “Little Saigon.” Department stores, restaurants, fabric and furniture stores, and other establishments filled the Clarendon strip, revitalizing an area that was, at the time, disrupted by Metro construction. The Clarendon metro…

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Etched in Stone:
Urban Archaeology

Etched in Stone:
Urban Archaeology

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What is urban archaeology? It’s the process of discovering the material past of towns and cities. Today, all major construction projects are required to recycle their building materials. For efficiency, this usually involves moving materials offsite to be ground, combined or otherwise destroyed to become the base of a new material. But in the old days, many items were re-used on site. Re-use is a form of recycling, and it’s now allowing us an intriguing glimpse into a long-forgotten story…

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I Love My Historic House: Patrick in Aurora Hills

I Love My Historic House: Patrick in Aurora Hills

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In this series, homeowners answer five short questions about living in an older or historic Arlington home. Our latest entry in this series comes from Aurora Hills resident Patrick Johnson, who has maintained his Sears catalog house’s historic features while updating it for modern comfort — and adding one recognizable “creature” in the front yard. Q: Briefly describe your house. What style is it, what year was it built, and what neighborhood is it in? A: My house was built…

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