AMAZING ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA

“For our elders and ancestors, whose voices were silenced but whose courage created us.”

The earliest recorded documentation on the area that is now Arlington, Virginia was recorded by Captain John Smith in June 1608. Smith painstakingly described the geography and indigenous villages, approximately 200, he encountered while in command of a 30-foot-long shallop manned by 14 men. The land was traditionally the ancestral home and hunting ground of the Doeg, Pamunkey, Piscataway and Tauxenent tribes. To date, greater than twelve prehistoric Native American sites have been located within the county. #allinarlington

Gulf Branch Nature Center, located in the Gulf Branch Stream Valley, was a Native American fish camp. The 19th-century log cabin’s main exhibit showcases park artifacts, Woodland Indian information, pottery and a replicated version of Smith’s 1608 map. 

By the end of the 17th-century there were a few colonists and remaining natives in Arlington. In 1841 it was ceded to the government to become part of the Federal District of Columbia, the nation’s new capital. In 1847 it was retroceded to Virginia and became Arlington County. At 26-square-miles It is the smallest self-governing county in the US. Petite though it may be, Arlington County has so much to offer that it is a destination in itself as well as a convenient hub for daytrips to the surrounding area. 

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) has 11 stations in Arlington, one of which, Rosslyn Metro Station, houses one of the world’s longest continuous escalators. The ride is 194-feet, 8-inches and takes more than 2-minutes. For those preferring to see Arlington in several different ways there are 10 walkable, eclectic neighborhoods to investigate, 1,100-acres of parks to explore and 75-miles of multi-use trails. Arlington earned the title of Fittest City in America 2018 to 2023 from The American College of Sports Medicine. No matter what your transportation options the menu of sites and attractions will leave you in awe. 

Arlington, because of its location, has always played a significant role in US history. There are 34 sites on the Black Heritage Trail, showcasing their history from the colonial to the modern era. 

Benjamin Banneker was a free man who surveyed Washington, DC. He was an astronomer, mathematician, clockmaker, writer of his own almanac and abolitionist. An original 1-foot-square Benjamin Banneker Boundary Stone marked on the north side with 1791 is situated in a fenced in area in Benjamin Banneker Park. 

Dr. Charles Drew ‘s childhood home is a National Historic Site viewable from outside only. His research in blood transfusions led to the ability to develop blood banks, saving thousands of lives, in WWII. In 1941 he was named Director of the first American Red Cross Blood Bank.

The Ball-Sellers House is the oldest extant house in Arlington. John Ball, the original owner, built the house on 166-acres in 1742. The Carlin family moved into the house after Ball’s death and owned at least 3 slaves, who worked inside the home, Nancy and two unnamed men. Bronze markers, inscribed in remembrance, have been placed on the lawn. These “stumbling stones” are the first dedicated in the state.

The most visited sites in the 640-acre Arlington National Cemetery, the second largest in the country, are those of the heroes who are interred there, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, John and Robert Kennedy, Joe Louis, Medgar Evers, Thurgood Marshall, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and the Changing of the Guard. The best way to tour the cemetery is by tram with narration and 6 tour stops. 

Arlington Cemetery sits on land that was once the plantation of Robert E. Lee. The estate was confiscated by the Union in May 1861 to build forts and establish headquarters because of its proximity to southern lines. Fleeing African Americans settled there to be safe and eventually Freedman’s Village, more a campsite, was established there in 1863. In 1865 the Freedman’s Bureau took over and founded a real village with homes, shops and schools.

On May 13, 1864 Brig, Gen Montgomery C. Meigs began burials on the grounds to ensure that the Lee’s never lived there again. Mrs. Lee left the grounds in 1861, leaving the house and Washington relics in the care of her enslaved housekeeper, Selena Gray. Selena protected the property to such an extent that the George Washington items were cataloged and taken to the Smithsonian and 33% of the furniture on the

tour is original to the mansion, saved by Selena.

James Parks was born on Arlington Plantation in 1843. When they took control he joined the Union and became the first gravedigger. Prior to his death in 1929 he requested to be buried there. According to the law he was not military and could not be interred there. The government passed a special act to permit his burial with full military honors and he rests in Sec. 15, Grave 2. President Truman desegregated Arlington in 1948.

The 1802 Greek Revival mansion sat on 1,100-acres overlooking DC. The Lees wed in the parlor. Tours are available. The plantation had as many as 200 enslaved and 2 restored slave quarters are on view in the rear of the house. The quarters were those of the house workers and are original.

The free Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Museum ‘s mission is to relate the history of drug use, explore the i

mpact of drugs on the individual and society and interpret the role of DEA agents. Featured exhibits are a Pablo Escobar death mask and a prison suit and two gold and diamond-encrusted guns owned by El Chapo. @stayarlington

Residence Inn Arlington Rosslyn is perfectly located to access all the activities in Arlington and Washington. It offers all of the bedroom amenities and a full kitchen, fitness center and full breakfast. 

Be amazed in Arlington!