Columbia Pike

Stretching from Arlington to the Fairfax County line, Columbia Pike has been a vital roadway for more than two centuries. First chartered in 1808 as the Columbia Turnpike, it carried travelers, wagons, and livestock between the new federal capital and Virginia’s interior. Over time, it became a corridor where Arlington’s communities took shape. Farms, churches, Civil War forts, Freedman’s Village, and later streetcar suburbs and shopping centers all rose along its path, leaving a layered history still visible today.

Long celebrated as one of the most diverse corridors in the Washington metropolitan area, Columbia Pike reflects Arlington’s story of transformation. From its turnpike beginnings to its role as a cultural crossroads of shops, restaurants, and neighborhoods, the Pike continues to embody change and resilience. This exhibit explores its evolution through history, community, and culture, tracing how one road became Arlington’s “Main Street.”