On this day in Arlington history: October 29, 1907: The Alexandria Gazette advertises a sale to begin on October 31st at 9:30 A.M.
At the turn of the last century, Arlington was transforming from a rural farming area into a suburb of Washington, DC. The railroads and public transit like trolleys were making the journey from DC to northern Virginia in minutes rather than hours and people liked the commute. Even better they liked the green of northern Virginia and its small-town communities. The ad shows us what a farm family could sell and gives us a glimpse of what farming in the Arlington area was like.
“Having decided to discontinue farming and dairy business, we will sell at public auction our farm known as the GORDON FARM, situated ½ mile from Bailey’s Cross Roads, and 1 and ½ miles from Glencarlyn Station. All our stock consisting of feed, farming implements, machinery, and household goods. Livestock – Three horses, 21 good cows, 1 good stock bull, 2 brood sows and 8 pigs, two months old.
The Gordon family was selling everything, including household and kitchen furniture such as the cook stove, coal heater, and many other articles too numerous to mention. This is likely to have been an estate sale, where the family was selling everything. It’s clear, the Gordons were not going to be farming here anymore.
