What’s in a name? In Alcova Heights, the answer to that question is “a lot of local history.” The neighborhood’s name stands for Alexandria County, Virginia (AL – CO – VA), which was the original name of the county until 1920. Today, one of the neighborhood’s many older but well-maintained homes is on the market. Alcova Heights was first developed in 1921 by former Virginia State Senator J. Cloyd Byars, who bought 142 acres from the Columbia Land Company and…
A new addition to our bookshelf is the just-published We are Arlington. This collection of photographs and write-ups is a great way to learn more about Arlington and our special history. Covering 11 chapters and more than 180 pages, We are Arlington starts with a look at the history of Arlington National Cemetery and recognition of the great Americans buried there and finishes with a compilation of current photographs of Arlington businesses. In between are sections on the Civil War…
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has made available maps that cover Arlington from 1890 to 1989. And these maps are superimposed over a current map of Arlington, providing one with the ability to see how things really were here in Arlington. Of course other cities can be researched as well. This is an amazing resources now available to the general public. This article from CityLab gives you all the information you need to know. If you are a big…
The Woodbury Park affordable housing units are to be stabilized and restored as part of a $57 million tax exempt bond issuance by the Arlington County Industrial Development Authority (IDA). The County Board approved the issuance at their June 14 meeting. Industrial Development Bonds are not a liability of Arlington County. Woodbury Park is a 364-unit, seven-building garden apartment complex located on nine acres of land at the intersection of US Route 50 and North 10th Street. It was built…
The Western Rosslyn Area Planning Study (WRAPS) had its first meeting on Saturday, June 21. This kick-off meeting was held at Arlington’s historic Wilson School and included a walking tour of the study area. The charge for the group is: Western Rosslyn Area Planning Study is an opportunity for Arlington County staff, Arlington Public Schools, property owners and community members to work together. The joint effort will balance considerations for this essential site in our neighborhood and result in a…
Preservation Arlington is beginning a new series called “I Love My Historic House,” in which homeowners answer five short questions about living in an older or historic Arlington home. Our first entry in this series comes from Nancy Iacomini, a member of the Arlington County Planning Commission and a speaker at our May 13 panel discussion. She tells us about how she and her husband Dan overcame “fear at first sight” and updated their home to make it comfortable for…
On Tuesday, June 17, the Arlington County Board will hold a public hearing on a Request to Advertise (RTA) a public hearing to consider the local historic designation of Benjamin Elliott’s Coal Trestle, located at 6873 Lee Highway. This coal trestle is one of the last remnants of the East Falls Church industrial/commercial hub. It was listed on Arlington’s Most Endangered Historic Places List in both 2013 and 2014. This RTA and local historic designation will cover only the remaining…
In a decision that made headlines nationwide, the Arlington County Board unanimously voted on June 14, 2014, to approve a proposal to redevelop 1401 Wilson Boulevard, the site of the Deep Throat Garage, which will include the demolition of the iconic Watergate landmark. The owners requested a rezoning to the C-O-Rosslyn district and a site for the construction of an approximately 524,135 square foot office building with ground floor retail and a 392,005 square foot residential building with 44,409 square…
A Twitter from 1954? Another one from 1962? In all, 14 Twitters have recently been sent to the Center for Local History at Arlington’s Central Library. The Twitter was the name of the school newspaper of the former Henry Clay Elementary School in Clarendon. Recently uncovered at an estate sale at the home of a former Clay schoolteacher, this treasure trove includes school newspapers spanning nearly a decade between 1954 and 1962, as well as a half dozen class photographs…
Ever want to live in the woods on a cul-de-sac with only a few neighbors? This 1920s renovated Dutch Colonial on a half-acre lot in sought-after Arlingwood might just be that sanctuary. Sitting at the ridge above Chain Bridge, the realty listing says it has winter views of the Potomac River. In a neighborhood that has experienced numerous tear-downs and the redevelopment of several large lots, this home has been saved from that fate. Over the years it has been…