15-Minute History: Vice on the Virginia Shore
2025-09-28 14:00 - 14:30 (America/New_York) | Arlington Historical Museum, 1805 South Arlington Ridge Road, Arlington, 22207, United States
Join us for a brief talk by the author of “Shootout at Jackson City,” George Axiotis, as he describes what life was like living outside the law in Rosslyn and Jackson City at the turn of the previous century, how it came to an end, and what its legacy is in our county today. Stop in for his talk and tour the newly refurbished exhibits throughout the Arlington Historical Museum.

Mt. Olivet Cemetery Tour
2025-09-28 15:00 - 18:00 | Mt. Olivet. United Methodist Church, 1500 North Glebe Road, Arlington, VA, 22207, United States
The cemetery of the oldest church in the county is a museum with no walls. Each of the interred has a story and AHS is partnering with Mt. Olivert United Methodist Church to portray key figures buried in the cemetery. This tour is an opportunity to pause and reflect on the rich history of Arlington, the perseverance of our forebears, and the preserved beauty of this piece of land. Learn about the tussle over land that the church resolved, the role the church played during the Civil War, and key people who were some of Arlington’s early residents, from enslavers to heroes and entrepreneurs.
This event begins with an overview of the history of the church, an introduction to role of slavery in the county, and the Civil War and its impact on the church. Light refreshments will be served during the presentation, courtesy Mt. Olivet Church.
Then go into the cemetery and meet some of the interred. AHS and Mt. Olivet volunteers will portray some of those who are buried in the cemetery and introduce you to some well known and not-so-well-known Arlingtonians. Tombstone rubbings and scavenger hunt for the children makes this a perfect family Sunday afternoon outing.

Webinar: Memorializing the Enslaved of Arlington
2025-09-29 15:00 - 16:30 | VA
The lives of Margaret Hyson and her children George and Charlotte – three people enslaved in what is now the Yorktown neighborhood in the 1800s – had previously been unknown. But now, this family’s story will be told to a broader community. Through a partnership between the Arlington Historical Society and the Black Heritage Museum of Arlington, stumbling stones, six-inch round bronze plaques, engraved with their names and dates of their births and deaths, have been embedded into the sidewalks near the locations where they were enslaved. Many more stumbling stones will be installed throughout the county. Currently, the names of 1,100 enslaved individuals have been identified.
Join us as Jessica Kaplan of the Arlington Historical Society tells us about the origin of this initiative, the research being done, the work of Arlington Tech students to recreate some of the plaques, the response of the community and where to find already embedded stumbling stones.
Advance registration is not required, and this free event is open to all. You may be prompted to enter your name and email address before being admitted to the webinar. Please know that we do not share your information, and we adhere to the library’s privacy policy: https://encorelearning.net/privacy-policy/

This is an Encore Learning Presents event, co-sponsored with the Arlington Public Library. Connect to the presentation online via Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84268052749
Or dial in by phone (for audio only): 301-715-8592Meeting ID: 842 6805 2749
This event does not require registration. Simply connect to Zoom just before the event begins. We look forward to seeing you all online! Please email questions to info@encorelearning.net.

Deadline: October 3: Tickets for Annual AHS Banquet
2025-10-03 | VA
Friday, October 3: Deadline for Buying AHS Banquet Tickets
Honoring America’s Story and Local History
Time is running out to buy your tickets for the AHS Banquet at the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington. Our keynote speaker is Benjamin Filene, PhD, Deputy Director of Public History at Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. Tickets are $130 each for members and $150 each for non-members. Sponsorships available. Order your tickets at arlhist.org/annual-banquet/
Banquet Contact: Cathy Hix at apscathy@gmail.com.

15-Minute History: Spotlight on the Ball-Sellers House
2025-10-05 14:00 - 14:30 | Arlington Historical Museum, 1805 South Arlington Ridge Road, Arlington, 22207, United States
The Ball-Sellers House is wrapping up its 50th Anniversary season as a museum at the end of October, so we thought we’d remind folks what’s so unique about this c. 1750 farmhouse and still give you plenty of time to visit before the season ends at the end of the month. Annette Benbow, (Chair of the Ball-Sellers House Committee since 2013) will talk about why this structure is so unique in our county (and the DC region!) and why it’s historically relevant to us all today.

AHS is at Causes & Cocktails
2025-10-07 17:30 - 19:00 | Westin Crystal City Reagan National Airport, 1800 Richmond Highway, Arlington, VA, 22202, United States
Join us on October 7 from 5:30–7:00 p.m. at the Westin Crystal City for Volunteer Arlington’s Causes & Cocktails! This fun and meaningful networking event brings together civic-minded individuals and community partners who want to be a part of future solutions. The featured cause is education. Come connect and get inspired.
The keynote speaker is: Paula Fynboh, CEO, Aspire Afterschool Learning
Causes & Cocktails is a series of events uniting individuals who care about creating positive change in our community. Attendees can discover important local causes, meet Volunteer Arlington’s partners driving impact, and connect with others who are committed to making a difference.

The events are free to attend. We ask that you register in advance for planning purposes. Register here: https://connect.volunteerarlington.org/event/detail/?event_id=111737
Nonprofit Partners:

Arlington Historical Society
Arlington Public Schools
Aspire Afterschool Learning
Center for Youth & Family Advocacy
Educational Theatre Company
English Empowerment Center
Read Early and Daily (R.E.A.D.)
RISE Mentoring
Rosie Riveters

Supporting Sponsor: National Landing Business Improvement District

Arlington's American Legion Post 194 and Dorie Miller
2025-10-09 19:00 - 20:30 | Aurora Hills Community Center, 735 18th Street, South, Arlington, 22202, United States
In 1946, a group of determined and like-minded individuals set out to establish the American Legion Dorie Miller Post 194 & Auxiliary Unit in Arlington. Their courage to start a new post speaks volumes about who they were and the man the post honors.
The Arlington Historical Society welcomes Former Post Commander Kenneth Powell and Secretary of the Auxiliary, Marjorie Strother of this American Legion Post Auxiliary as they tell the story of how Dorie Miller’s heroic actions aboard the USS West Virginia on December 7, 1941 inspired African American veterans to establish a post honoring the Black Navy Messman even before the US military was desegregated in 1947.
In 2022, Arlington County proclaimed October 12, Dorie Miller Day. The proclamation reads in part:
“Arlington County recognizes the American Legion Dorie Miller Post 194 as an organization of veterans who have dedicated themselves to the service of community, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and our nation; and Whereas, American Legion Post 194 is named after Doris “Dorie” Miller, a U.S. Navy Messman aboard the USS West Virginia during World War II who selflessly and without any hesitation acted heroically during the attack on his vessel at Pearl Harbor in 1941, for which he was awarded the Navy Cross.”
Help us honor the man and the men and women of Post 194 as a prelude to Dorie Miller Day celebrated this year on October 13, 2025 at the Bozman Center (1-3 PM)
NEW LOCATION
AHS is trying out some new locations. This month we will be at the Aurora Hills Community Center located at 735 18th Street, South in Arlington, (zip code: 22202). Parking is still free. Free overflow parking is at the parking lot at Virginia Highlands Park (1600 South Hayes Street) connected by a short sidewalk. Pentagon City Metro is your best public transit bet.
ZOOM REGISTRATION
Zoom Registration: Please register for Zoom access by Wednesday, Oct 8. Click here to register: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfP4UD91sqrLLw5W9Rk6MOxPQn7qiTqiW8rP4AMZYJ_UE9rLA/viewform or cut and paste the link into your browser to complete your registration. On Thursday morning, October 9, the day of the event, AHS volunteer, Martin Suydam, will send you the Zoom registration information in an email, so be on the lookout for it.

New Exhibit: Community Ofrenda/Ofrenda Comunitaria
2025-10-11 10:00 - 2025-11-08 16:00 | Arlington Historical Museum, 1805 South Arlington Ridge Road, Arlington, 22207, United States
Community Ofrenda at the Arlington Historical Museum
Join us in honoring loved ones during this season of remembrance. Our community ofrenda (altar) celebrates the Central and South American traditions of Día de los Difuntos and Día de los Muertos — times to remember, reflect, and celebrate those who came before us.
Únase al Museo Histórico de Arlington y agregue su foto o pequeño recuerdo a nuestra Ofrenda Comunitaria, que celebra las tradiciones del Día de los Muertos de América Central y del Sur.
Visitors are invited to bring a photo of a loved one or small memento to add to the altar. Together, we’ll build a shared space of memory and connection that reflects the many cultures that make up Arlington today.
Juntos recordamos a quienes han partido y celebramos las historias que nos unen.
Free and open to all. Gratis y abierto a todo público
The Community Ofrenda exhibit is open Saturdays 10-4 and Sundays 1-4 through November 7. Photos and mementoes can be picked up on November 8 and 9.

15-Minute History: The Ups and Downs of Standing Up for Your Rights in Arlington
2025-10-12 14:00 - 14:30 | Arlington Historical Museum, 1805 South Arlington Ridge Road, Arlington, 22207, United States
Bill Fogarty (Our Man in Arlington for the Falls Church News Press) spotlights protests in Arlington, a review of the civil rights struggles in Arlington in the 1950s followed by a discussion on how these “echoes from the past” might inform civil rights issues today. (2nd Floor, Arlington Historical Museum, 1805 South Arlington Ridge Road)
Bill Fogarty is a retired attorney who has lived and worked in Arlington for more than 40 years and currently serves as a board member for the Leadership Center of Arlington. He has taken up a new avocation of writing and teaching about Arlington history, contributing to the Arlington Historical Society both as a presenter and writer. Bill has taught two Arlington history classes for Encore Learning, and this fall will be teaching another on Arlington history from 1900 to 1930. Bill also writes the weekly “Our Man in Arlington” column for the Falls Church News Press.

Annual AHS Banquet: Honoring America's Past, Celebrating Arlington's Legacy
2025-10-14 18:00 | Army Navy Country Club, 1700 Army Navy Drive, Arlington, VA, 22202, United States
On the eve of the nation’s 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the Arlington Historical Society will host its annual banquet on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, at the Army Navy Country Club. The evening will bring together historians, AHS members, community leaders, and Arlington residents to reflect on how both local and national museums are telling America’s story.
Keynote Speaker
The evening’s featured guest speaker will be Dr. Benjamin Filene, Deputy Director for Public History at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. Dr. Filene will talk about how museums across the country are engaging the public in new and meaningful conversations about the 250th Anniversary of the United States and our shared heritage.
During the banquet, the society will present the Cornelia B. Rose, Jr. Award to Stephen Hammond, who has been instrumental in forming a Family Circle of descendants connected to Arlington House and its history. This includes the Custis/Lee and once enslaved families. Their goal is “to work on healing and repair.”
“This year’s banquet is especially meaningful as we approach America’s Semiquincentennial,” said Peter Vaselopulos, AHS president. “By honoring national voices like Dr. Filene and local historians like Stephen Hammond, we highlight the vital work being done to preserve and share stories that shape our collective history.”
Tickets
The public is cordially invited to the gala. Tickets can be purchased through October 3rd at arlhist.org/annual-banquet/ or contact the Arlington Historical Society banquet coordinator at apscathy@gmail.com.

Memorializing the Enslaved Stumbling Stone Dedication: The Johnson Family
2025-10-18 10:00 - 23:00 | Arlington View Park, 1105 South Queen Street, Arlington, VA, 22204, United States
The Arlington Historical Society and the Black Heritage Museum of Arlington invite you to the unveiling of “Stumbling Stones.” These bronze markers commemorate the lives of the enslaved people who helped build our county (and our country). The markers are placed in the sidewalk at the last known location where these enslaved people lived. Memorializing the Enslaved in Arlington’s research has revealed over 2750 enslaved people and identified 1050 by name.
Please join us for the Dedication Ceremony honoring three once enslaved individuals

Ann Brooks Johnson: born circa 1830
Margaret Johnson: born circa 1849
Frank W. Johnson: born November 1856, died 1916

Their Story
In the late 1850s, Ann Brooks Johnson and her children Margaret and Frank were enslaved by Sarah and John R. Johnston in what is now the Arlington View/Johnson’s Hill neighborhood. Before moving to Arlington, they labored on a farm in Fairfax County, enslaved by Sarah and her first husband, Mr. Stone (first name is unknown).
Ann had 9 children, 8 of whom were born into enslavement, Margaret in 1849 and Frank in 1856. The name of Anne’s husband remains unclear, though in the 1870 census she was listed as married to Peter Johnson. All her children also had the surname Johnson.
According to the 1860 census, John R. Johnston enslaved 15 people just before the Civil War, at least half were Johnsons. The Emancipation Proclamation brought freedom to the clan and to the enslaved people living in Arlington on January 1, 1863. The family remained on the Johnston farm as sharecroppers to make ends meet. Ann and her husband Peter resided in the Johnson’s Hill area their entire lives as did Frank and his family. Margaret and many of her siblings lived in the District of Columbia.
Join us as we celebrate and honor Ann, Margaret, and Frank and gain a greater understanding of Arlington’s complicated past. Brief remarks will be offered.
Memorializing the Enslaved in Arlington seeks to shed light upon these early Americans who contributed so much to the economic, social, and cultural development of our county. For more information, please contact Jessica Kaplan from the Arlington Historical Society at ahsedlink@gmail.com.

AHS is at the Pike Fest
2025-10-18 12:00 - 17:00 | Penrose Square, 2597 Columbia Pike, Arlington, VA, 22204, United States
The Arlington Historical Society is excited to be a part of this year’s Pike Fest! We’ll be there sharing history of the Pike and historical info on the MANY diverse communities who live in, on, or near it! Find our table and test your knowledge about Pike history. Find out what events we have coming up and what cool new exhibits will be featured at our Arlington Historical Museum.
Enjoy local food and drinks, music, family-friendly activities, and pike photos, all designed to showcase and uplift the businesses that make the Pike special. Can’t wait to see you there!
Parking Information
Parking is available at the Penrose Square Parking Garage (located at Giant), 2501 9th Road S, Arlington, VA 22204. For this event the garage entrance is accessible from S. Adams Street. First hour of parking is free.

Arlington's Political Structure in the 20th Century
2025-10-21 19:00 - 20:00 | Glencarlyn Library, 300 S. Kensington Street, Arlington, VA, 22204, United States
Join the Glencarlyn Library and “Our Man in Arlington,” Bill Fogarty, to learn about the evolution of Arlington’s governance structure and its political parties.
Bill Fogarty is a retired attorney who has lived and worked in Arlington for more than 40 years and currently serves as a board member for the Leadership Center of Arlington. He has taken up a new avocation of writing and teaching about Arlington history, contributing to the Arlington Historical Society both as a presenter and writer. Bill has taught two Arlington history classes for Encore Learning, and this fall will be teaching another on Arlington history from 1900 to 1930. Bill also writes the weekly “Our Man in Arlington” column for the Falls Church News Press.
Co-sponsored by the Arlington Historical Society and the Glencarlyn Civic Association.

The Arlington Historical Museum Store is at the Arlington Women's Club Bazaar
2025-10-25 09:00 - 15:00 | Arlington Women’s Club, 700 S Buchanan Street, Arlington, Virginia, 22204
The Arlington Historical Museum Store is excited to once again be a part of the Arlington Women’s Club Annual Bazaar. Visit our table to buy unique books for kids and adults alike, history-based toys and games, keepsakes, and even jewelry!
Every purchase at our table helps support the AHS mission to strengthen our community by improving the understanding of local history.
Cash, check, or charge!

Memorializing the Enslaved of Arlington: Dedication in Lyon Village
2025-10-26 16:00 - 17:00 | 1412 North Highland Street, 1412 North Highland Street, Arlington, VA, 22201, United States
The Arlington Historical Society and the Black Heritage Museum of Arlington invite you to the unveiling of a “Stumbling Stone.” This bronze marker commemorates the life of an enslaved woman who helped build our county (and our country). Each marker is placed in the sidewalk at the last known location where the enslaved person lived. Memorializing the Enslaved in Arlington’s research has revealed over 2750 enslaved people and identified 1050 by name.
Please join us for the Dedication Ceremony honoring an enslaved individual whose name is unknown but that know was born in approximately 1835.
Her Story
A girl around the age of 15, whose name we cannot ascertain, was enslaved by Robert and Catherine Cruit and later their heir, Susan Cruit. According to tax and census records, from 1850 to 1860, the Cruit’s enslaved two to six other people during this period. We have honored two of them, Humphrey Alfred and Priscilla Willis, in the past and others will be honored in the future.
Robert Cruit, a Georgetown resident, bought property in what is now Arlington in 1847 as a second home. The Cruit farmhouse still stands today at 1614 North Highland Street. Robert used enslaved laborers to operate his dairy farming operation. It is very likely that the young woman we are honoring worked as a dairymaid, milking cows and tending to their needs. She may also have fed and tended other livestock.
In May of 1853, an enslaved female named Matilda fled the Cruit household. She was apprehended by the law and spent three days in the DC “Blue Jug” Jail before being returned to the Cruit’s. This might be the young woman we are honoring, but there is no way to verify this.
Enslaved people in Arlington remained in bondage until the passage of the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. Perhaps this young woman was freed then.
Join us as we celebrate and honor an unknown woman and gain a greater understanding of Arlington’s complicated past. Brief remarks will be offered.
Memorializing the Enslaved in Arlington seeks to shed light upon these early Americans who contributed so much to the economic, social, and cultural development of our county.
For more information, please contact Jessica Kaplan from the Arlington Historical Society at ahsedlink@gmail.com.

Bolivian Mast'aku for Dia de Todo Santos
2025-11-01 10:00 - 2025-11-02 16:00 | Arlington Historical Museum, 1805 South Arlington Ridge Road, Arlington, 22207, United States
We are excited to welcome Julia Garcia to the museum to share the Bolivian traditions of Day of the Dead with a traditional mast’aku (quecha, or ceremonial) table. The table will be set with all of the traditional elements of Bolivia’s Dia de Todos Santos (The Day of All Saints). Learn about tantawawas – bread dolls that are always present and why there are three levels to each table. Ms. Garcia will also share how these traditions are still continued in the Bolivian community in Arlington today. Join us and bring a picture or memento of your loved ones to add to our community ofrenda.

Free and open to all. Gratis y abierto a todo publico.

The mast’aku will be open Saturday 11/1 from 10-4 and Sunday 11/2 from 1-4pm.

Memorializing the Enslaved Stumbling Stone Dedications in November
2025-11-01 15:00 - 2025-11-15 00:00 | VA
The Black Heritage Museum of Arlington and AHS invite you to the unveiling of “Stumbling Stones.” These bronze markers commemorate the lives of the enslaved people who helped build our county (and our country). The markers are placed in the sidewalk at the last known location where these enslaved people lived. Memorializing the Enslaved in Arlington’s research has revealed over 2700 enslaved people and identified 1050 by name.
In November we will be dedicating four “Stumbling Stones.”

November 1 @ 3 PM North Highlands/Dawson Terrace: North Taft and 21 Street
November 8 @ 4 PM Douglas Park: South Quincy and 16th Streets
November 9 @ 1 PM Green Valley: Lomax AME Zion Church, 2704 South 24th Road
November 15 @ 10 AM Lyon Park: North Garfield and 4th Street

Come and learn their stories and commemorate their contributions to build our county and our country.
Learn more at https://enslavedarl.org/s/memorializing-the-enslaved-in-arlington/page/about

Members Only Event: Arlington Historical Magazine Release Party
2025-11-06 18:00 - 20:00 | Arlington Historical Museum, 1805 South Arlington Ridge Road, Arlington, 22207, United States
Are you a member of the Arlington Historical Society? Then this is the PARTY for you! AHS is celebrating the release of the 2025 edition of the Arlington Historical Magazine.
We are inviting all the authors of this year’s magazine to join us and chat with you about their love of history, their research, and share details of local history.
You should receive the 2025 edition in the USPS mail. AHS is continuing to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Marian Sellers’ donation of the John Ball house by using a photo of the c. 1750 farmhouse on the magazine cover. In it you’ll find:

Zachary Newkirk’s article “Julia Robert’s Freedom Suit: One Enslaved Woman’s Path to the Supreme Court and Emancipation”
Janine DeWitt and Kristin Neun’s article “The Color Lines of Racially Restrictive Covenant: Segregation Walls on Record”
Bill Fogarty’s article “1946 Arlington: The First Crack in the Byrd Machine”
Ciro Taddeo’s article “The Tea House Tower of Arlington”
Malia Humphries-Do 2024 student award-winning article “Remembering Little Saigon: The Story of Arlington’s Vietnamese Community”

Please let us know you plan to come so we can have plenty of light refreshments and libations on hand through this EVENTBRITE LINK: (https://www.eventbrite.com/e/arlington-historical-society-2025-magazine-launch-party-tickets-1761128074479?aff=oddtdtcreator )

Documenting Exclusion and Resilience: Exploring Racially Restrictive Covenants in Arlington: 1900-1968
2025-11-13 19:00 - 20:30 | Aurora HIlls Library/Community Center, 735 18th Street, South, Arlington, VA, 22202, United States
This presentation will dive into the extensive research conducted to date and mapped by Documenting Exclusion and Resilience, the collaborative web-based project created in part to explore the scope and context of racially restrictive covenant use in Arlington County and other parts of Northern Virginia. Kristin M Neun, a Documenting Exclusion’s team member, will provide a brief overview of national and regional developments that were a backdrop to racial covenant use in Arlington. She will also use the project’s interactive web map to explore the scope and way covenants were used to define Arlington’s suburban growth.
Kristin M. Neun is a retired attorney who now devotes her legal skills and interest in history to contribute to the work of the Documenting Exclusion and Resilience project’s fellow team members: Janine DeWitt, Ph.D. and Matt Baker, Ph.D. (Marymount University) and Krystyn Moon, Ph.D. (University of Mary Washington). For 30 years Ms. Neun worked on legal transactions and public policy issues related to federal and locally financed affordable housing, community development and health care facilities nationwide. A member of the Maryland and District of Columbia bars, Kristin received her J.D. from The American University and an M.Ed. from Marymount University. Kristin is a 40-year resident of Arlington County, 17 of which have been in the Glen Carlyn community.
NEW LOCATION: Aurora Hills Library/Community Center
AHS is trying out some new locations. This event will be at the Aurora Hills Library/Community Center at 735 18th Street, South in Arlington, (zip code: 22202). Parking is still free. Pentagon City Metro is your best public transit bet. Additional free parking is plentiful at the Virginia Highlands Park
ZOOM REGISTRATION: Deadline November 12
Please register for Zoom access by Wednesday, November 12. Click here to register: https://forms.gle/VCJ1zoUarP1hDrxU7 or cut and paste the link into your browser to complete your registration. On Thursday morning, November 13, the day of the event, AHS volunteer, Martin Suydam, will send you the Zoom registration information in an email, so be on the lookout for it.
