Wilson Boulevard
From its origins as a vital wagon road to its role as Arlington's bustling downtown artery, Wilson Boulevard has shaped and reflected the evolving story of Northern Virginia.
Dead Man's Hallow, Crandal Mackey, and the Good Citizens League of Rosslyn
In the 1890's Rosslyn was well known for its gambling halls, saloons, and other establishments of ill-repute. Two race tracks provided thoroughbred racing throughout most of the year; one was on Alexander's Island, and the other, the St. Asaph's track, was located in what is now the…
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Arlington Courthouse
Arlington’s first courthouse was technically not even in Arlington: from 1847 to 1920, Arlington was a part of Alexandria, and the Alexandria Courthouse (which served what is now the Arlington area) was located at North Columbus Street and Queen Street.
However, due to the long distances people…
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The Roots of Clarendon
Clarendon has a connection with a number of prominent land owners. George Mason, one of America’s founding fathers, and his son John owned much of what is now lower Clarendon until 1830.
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Clarendon Trolley Car and Station
The Clarendon train station was located at the hub of commercial Clarendon, at the intersection of Fairfax Drive and Wilson Boulevard. The station building still stands today at Clarendon Circle.
The Washington-Virginia Railway and the Washington & Old Dominion Railway traversed Northern…
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The American Legion War Memorial at Clarendon
The American Legion War Memorial was erected on November 11, 1931 by the American Legion and designed by Adolph Thelander. While it was made for those lives lost during the Great War (WWI), it has since had plaques added to honor other Arlington citizens who lost their lives in the service of the…
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Parkington: Arlington's First Shopping Mall
Before it was known as the Ballston Quarter, Parkington was the largest shopping center on the East Coast
Before it was known as the Ballston Quarter, Parkington was the largest shopping center on the East Coast and one of the first major shopping malls in the Washington D.C. area. Located at the historic "Balls Crossroads" intersection of Wilson Boulevard and Glebe Road, the Parkington Shopping Center…
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Ball's Crossroads Skirmish
During the Civil War, the area near Ball's Crossroads and Upton Hill hosted tens of thousands of Union and Confederate troops. From June to October of 1861, Arlington's Four Mile Run witnessed several Civil War skirmishes. One of the largest occurred on the afternoon of August 27,…
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Camp Upton
Located near the bridge at the intersection of Four Mile Run and Wilson Boulevard, is a woody area that once was an early Civil War camp for Union troops from Ohio.
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The Assassination of an Arlington Nazi
The political ringleader who had achieved national notoriety was seen doing his own wash at a coin-operated laundromat on Wilson Boulevard. Just before noon on Friday, August 25, 1967, George Lincoln Rockwell, the founder of the American Nazi Party, whose presence for nearly a decade had been an…
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