The Arlington Beach and Amusement Park opened on May 30, 1923, on the Potomac River near the Long Bridge (the old Fourteenth Street Bridge). This whites-only beach flourished until 1929, when the Washington Airport Corporation bought it to provide additional landing space for Washington-Hoover Airport.
The beach was an immensely popular Arlington spot, with crowds of up to 12,000 during the most sweltering days. A white sandy beach with bath houses, a merry-go-round, a Ferris wheel, a roller coaster called “The Whip” that cost ten cents a ride, and many other amusement park features made this a fun playground in Arlington for young and old. Folks could swim in the Potomac or rent a canoe at Yoakam’s. Swimmers could use the beach’s diving board—a two or three-tiered wooden float in the river–and swim at night under searchlights. An arcade had games and eateries.
Dancing in the open-air dance pavilion was advertised as one of the chief attractions in the opening season. Arlington Beach served as a recreational site for many civic and church organizations that held annual picnics—live orchestras such as the Washington Jazz Orchestra performed there nightly. In line with the rising car culture of the early 20th century, the park also advertised extensive parking facilities – essential to draw customers from around the region.
Although located near predominantly African American neighborhoods, including East Arlington and Queen City, Arlington Beach was segregated for the duration of its existence.
In 1925, next to the amusement area was a small airport called Hoover Field (where the Pentagon is now located). Hoover was known as one of the most dangerous airfields in the country in those early days of aviation, with many obstructions surrounding the airstrip. Beachgoers all too often witnessed airplane accidents and fatalities. In 1929, the airport bought the beach to add to the landing airfield. The U.S. Department of War later purchased the former beach grounds and became part of the Pentagon.
