A recent map of Arlington’s neighborhoods. Some of the names correlate with farms or businesses that were once prominent in the area- such as North-Rosslyn being named for Rosslyn Farms or grew from humble beginnings such as Clarendon which started as a small community dominated by farmland but turned into a thriving place of business and a major population center. Much of modern day Clarendon was once owned by George Mason, one of the Founding Fathers, highlighting how interconnected Arlington is with American history. Besides the urbanization that has occurred over the decades, it is important to note that several names- of both streets and buildings- were changed, such as Washington-Lee High School being renamed Washington-Liberty and Lee Highway to Langston Boulevard. The two changes mentioned were to stop honoring Confederate General Robert E. Lee, and in the latter case it was meant to honor John Mercer Langston, the first black Virginian representative of Congress. Arlington is not stagnant, yet it simultaneously honors its past. Despite modern Arlington being unrecognizable from how it appeared a century ago, the names that once donated farms and scattered communities persist in the various neighborhoods that make up the county. The past is honored even as Arlington grows and progresses.
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