Arlington Historical Society

Butterfield's Brigade at Mount Olivet Church
2026-02-22 15:00 - 16:30 (America/New_York) | Mt. Olivet. United Methodist Church, 1500 North Glebe Road, Arlington, VA, 22207, United States
Completed just before the Civil War, by the end of the conflict’s first year Mount Olivet Church’s original structure was reduced to its foundations, variously used and abused by the United States Army as – possibly– a hospital, storehouse, picket post, and stable. Cherrydale neighbor and local historian Michael Schaffner will explore the likely actual uses of the building before focusing on the soldiers camped nearby from September 1861 till May 1862. Their story reveals surprising connections to some of the war’s great battles, the United States Colored Troops, and the Army’s early efforts at graves registration.
This is an in-person only event at Mount Olivet Methodist Church. Please let us know you are coming so we know how big a room to prepare: HERE or cut and paste the following link into your browser: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeWynNI1kDWyguZzFcue16H7E3XrPXj-vLLwa3pXbzfM14CQg/viewform?usp=dialog
This is a free event. Parking is plentiful and also free.
The Arlington Historical Society is proud to partner with Mount Olivet Church, Arlington’s oldest church and to help share their rich history with the community as part of the county’s commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
Image: Oliver Willcox Norton of the 83rd Pennsylvania (camped near the church) in the fancy French uniform the regiment received for their performance on the drill ground. He would soon become brigade bugler, later help General Butterfield compose “Taps,” and ultimately receive a commission in the 8th USCT.

Feel the Heritage Festival
2026-02-21 12:00 - 17:00 | Charles Drew Community Center, 3500 23rd Street, South, Arlington, VA, 22206, United States
The Arlington Historical Society is participating in the county’s Feel the Heritage Festival. This is a vibrant gathering for all ages to celebrate history, culture, and community together! The festival welcomes hundreds each year to learn about the Arlington’s historically African-American neighborhoods while enjoying live entertainment, delicious food and dozens of vendors. This festival brings together live performances of music and dance, local vendors, food, interactive family-friendly activities, engaging cultural experience designed for the whole family, and plenty of opportunities to connect and reflect on the stories that unite us. This year’s festival will celebrate the 2026 national Black History Month theme, ‘”A Century of Black History Commemoration.”
Visit our table focused on Memorializing the Enslaved of Arlington, a joint project with the Black Heritage Museum of Arlington. The project brings our county’s African American history to light. Research into local records has revealed the fortitude and resilience of the local enslaved community and honors the lives and contributions of Arlington’s once enslaved people by placing memorial plaques throughout the county at sites of enslavement.
Visit our table to learn more about who the enslaved were and where they lived and toiled in Arlington County.

Commemorative Plans for the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence
2026-02-21 02:30 - 16:00 | Glencarlyn Library, 300 S. Kensington Street, Arlington, VA, 22204, United States
Glencarlyn Library will host Arlington History Society President Peter Vaselopulos for a special presentation about upcoming Arlington County events to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution.
Highlighting what will be a multi-month program of commemoration activities will be Arlington HistoryFest 250, a free, one-day outdoor festival that will take place on Saturday, May 9 at Kenmore Middle School. The History Fest will include live re-enactments, musical performances, historical storytelling, children’s activities, local food vendors, and local history of all sorts!
The Arlington VA250 Committee has announced plans for Arlington HistoryFest 250, a free, one-day outdoor festival commemorating the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. It will be held on Saturday, May 9, 2026, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. at Kenmore Middle School.

“We’re proud to welcome visitors and residents to experience the living legacy of Arlington’s role in America’s founding,” said Peter Vaselopulos, President of the Arlington Historical Society and Chair of the Arlington VA250 Committee. “Arlington HistoryFest 250 is great fun for the whole family. It kicks off a multi-month commemoration, connecting our county’s roots to the modern day, showcasing how Arlington is a place where history lives.”
Seating at the Glencarlyn Library is limited so please register to attend: HERE or cut and post this link into your browser: https://arlingtonva.libcal.com/event/16190905
The Arlington Historical Society is proud to partner with the Glencarlyn Civic Association and the Glencarlyn Public Library for this event. If you would like AHS to talk to your group about plans for the 250th or host a local historian to talk about another local history topic, please email: info@arlingtonhistoricalsociety.org

Memorializing the Enslaved in Arlington: What's It All About?
2026-02-17 19:00 - 20:30 | Woman’s Club of Arlington, 700 South Buchana Street, Arlington, VA, 22204, United States
Memorializing the Enslaved in Arlington leaders, Jessica Kaplan (Arlington Historical Society) and Scott Taylor (Director of the Black Heritage Museum of Arlington) will discuss the project, its goals, history, successes, and challenges.
Hosted by the Woman’s Club of Arlington as part of their celebration of Black History Month.
Since the late 1700s, African Americans made important contributions to the development of Arlington County. Until recently, histories of Arlington often excluded or misrepresented their stories.
Memorializing the Enslaved in Arlington (MEA), a project sponsored by the Arlington Historical Society and the Black Heritage Museum of Arlington, brings our county’s African American history to light. Research into local records uncovers the brutal truth of enslavement in Arlington and the human cost for all involved. Most importantly, it reveals the fortitude and resilience of the local enslaved community.
MEA honors the lives and contributions of Arlington’s once enslaved people by placing memorial plaques throughout the county at sites of enslavement.

Zane Killgo Artist Talk: A Different Look from a Different View
2026-02-15 14:00 - 14:30 | Arlington Historical Museum, 1805 South Arlington Ridge Road, Arlington, 22207, United States
Experience the vibrant, story-filled work of artist Zane Killgo, an Arlington County visual artist whose bold use of color and mixed media explores community, identity, and the changing urban landscape.
Killgo’s paintings and multimedia works reflect the narratives of local neighborhoods in transition, focusing on gentrification, resilience, and the lived experiences of the people who shape our cities. His dynamic style blends acrylic paint, textiles, photography, printmaking, and digital media, creating powerful visual statements that bridge tradition and contemporary culture.
Zane Killgo is a longtime resident of Hall’s Hill/High View Park and his art is inspired by the people, the community, and its transitions.

Sunday, February 15, 2 PM, Artist Talk
Saturday, March 28, Closing Reception, light refreshments served

Unbroken Genius: The Life and Legacy of Dr. Charles R. Drew
2026-02-12 19:00 - 20:30 | Reinsch Library Auditorium, Marymount University, 2807 North Glebe Road, Arlington
“Genius Unbroken” is the first comprehensive biography to bring the extraordinary life of Dr. Charles Drew, the “Father of the Blood Bank,” into focus. Born into Washington D.C.’s vibrant African American community at the turn of the 20th century, Drew rose on the strength of extraordinary physical and intellectual talents to become a groundbreaking medical research scientist. He lived in Arlington and he and his wife raised their children here. He pioneered methods of blood and plasma storage, leading America’s first large-scale blood bank: innovations that continue to save lives around the world. A gifted surgeon and educator, Drew also became an eloquent and powerful advocate of civil rights, especially equal health care, for African Americans. Tragically, while still a young man, he lost his life while travelling to a medical conference that provided free care to indigent patients.
Researched and developed through a close collaboration with Drew’s daughter, Dr. Charlene Drew Jarvis, Miller encapsulates the life of Dr. Drew in a profound exploration of one man’s challenge to institutional barriers in creating lasting change. The story of Dr. Drew’s seminal and life-saving work while his life offers an enduring lesson in resilience, intellectual triumph, and the transformative power of unwavering determination.
Craig A. Miller, MD is a vascular surgeon educated at Northwestern University, Ohio State, and the University of California in San Francisco. He is the author of four books focused on the history of medicine and science. He has received many awards and accolades for his work in research and clinical medicine, as well as in scientific history and biography. He is an attending vascular surgeon with the United States Veterans Administration and lives in Ohio.
Charlene Drew Jarvis is the daughter of Dr. Charles Drew, was the noted blood bank pioneer. She earned her B.A. from Oberlin College, her masters at Howard University and he Ph.D. from the University of Maryland. She was a research scientist at the National Institute of Mental Health, then was elected to the City Council of the District of Columbia, where she served for 21 years. There, she introduced legislation that brought in the Convention Center and the MCI Center to the city. In 1996, Jarvis was named president of Southeastern University in Washington, D.C., the first woman to hold the position. She gave up her seat on the City Council in 2000 to devote her energies solely to the university. Jarvis has received numerous honors for community service and she is a past chair of the DC Chamber of Commerce.
BOOK FOR SALE. This book is available for purchase in the AHS online Museum Store. If you order it after February 5 and want to have it at the Feb 12 event, save your receipt and pick up the book at the event. We’ll reimburse you the shipping fee at the event. You can also buy the book at the Arlington Historical Society Museum Shop (1805 South Arlington Ridge Road, Saturdays from 10-4 and Sundays 1-4 PM). Versions for children and teens are also available.

Children’s version: “Charles Drew: The Doctor Who Got the World Pumped Up to Donate Blood” by Mike Venezia
Teen version: “The Life of Dr. Charles Drew: Blood Bank Innovator” by Anne Schraf

This February 2026 event will be held at the Marymount University Library Auditorium and via Zoom.
DRIVING DIRECTIONS and FREE PARKING: Attendees planning to attend the event in-person should enter the Marymount University campus at the library gate on N. 26th Street. From Glebe Road going north, take a right onto 26th Street. Pass the intersection with Yorktown Road and then enter the campus through the next gate on your left. The library is to your left as you enter the campus. Free garage parking is just past the library at the bottom of the small incline. (Handicapped parking is immediately to your right as you enter through the gate onto campus.)

If the university has lowered the garage gates, push the button and let them know you’re here for an Arlington Historical Society event in the library. To leave, push the button and they’ll raise the gate.

ZOOM AVAILABLE: If you can’t be there in person, you can zoom in, but you must register by the end of Wednesday, February 11, 2026 to get the zoom information. Click here to register: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfNUc-hv8mbWr61aOhTZy3dMbVRO2E7E5Srn1FKf7JhD6j_3g/viewform
You’ll get an email on the morning of the event (Feb 12, 2026) with Zoom details.
This event is in celebration of Black History Month and is one of the monthly series of free public programs sponsored by the Arlington Historical Society. This event is hosted courtesy of the Marymount University politics program’s American Heritage Initiative. For more information, please email: info@arlingtonhistoricalsociety.org.

A Different Look from a Different View Artist Exhibit: Opening Reception
2026-02-08 13:00 - 16:00 | Arlington Historical Museum, 1805 South Arlington Ridge Road, Arlington, 22207, United States
Experience the vibrant, story-filled work of artist Zane Killgo, an Arlington County visual artist whose bold use of color and mixed media explores community, identity, and the changing urban landscape.
Killgo’s paintings and multimedia works reflect the narratives of local neighborhoods in transition, focusing on gentrification, resilience, and the lived experiences of the people who shape our cities. His dynamic style blends acrylic paint, textiles, photography, printmaking, and digital media, creating powerful visual statements that bridge tradition and contemporary culture.
Zane Killgo is a longtime resident of Hall’s Hill and his art is inspired by the people, the community and its transitions.

Sunday, February 8, 1-4 PM, for the opening reception to meet the artist. light refreshments served
Sunday, February 15, 2 PM, Artist Talk
Saturday, March 28, Closing Reception, light refreshments served

15-Minute History: 1961 Arlington Transportation Planning with David Pearson
2026-01-18 14:00 - 14:30 | Arlington Historical Museum, 1805 South Arlington Ridge Road, Arlington, 22207, United States
Join David Pearson, former AHS president, to learn about how Arlington County planned transportation in the early 1960s and what we now have as a result. Our speaker will use the maps in the current Map Exhibit on the second floor to explain the first General Land Use Plan (GLUP), show what was built, paths not taken, and a bridge too far.
FREE! Come for the talk, stay to tour the museum.
2nd floor, Arlington Historical Museum

15-Minute History: Two Very Different Local Elections with John Milliken
2026-01-11 14:00 - 14:30 | Arlington Historical Museum, 1805 South Arlington Ridge Road, Arlington, 22207, United States
Join us for a 15-Minute History with local author John Milliken, who will compare two Virginia elections—separated by a generation—to reveal how shifting demographics, economic trends, and legal changes have shaped both the Commonwealth and Arlington over time.
FREE! Come for the talk and tour the museum.
2nd floor, Arlington Historical Museum

1946 Arlington: The First Crack in the Byrd Machine
2026-01-08 19:00 - 20:30 | Reinsch Library Auditorium, Marymount University, 2807 North Glebe Road, Arlington
In 1946, after four years of a world war, the citizens of Arlington focused on local challenges, highlighted in the fall by an aggressive County Board campaign from a political newcomer who challenged the local Byrd Machine in Arlington. The story includes a controversy over our governance structure, extreme unhappiness with the school system, and an election that eventually led to the creation of a new non-partisan political machine that would control Arlington politics for decades.
This is a timely topic as the county board discusses changes in its governance structure. Find out for yourself, its historical foundations.
Bill Fogarty is a retired attorney who has lived and worked in Arlington for more than 40 years. 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 also writes the weekly “Our Man in Arlington” column for the Falls Church News Press.
We are back this month at the Marymount University Library Auditorium.
DRIVING DIRECTIONS and FREE PARKING: Attendees planning to attend the event in-person should enter the Marymount University campus at the library gate on N. 26th Street. From Glebe Road going north, take a right onto 26th Street. Pass the intersection with Yorktown Road and then enter the campus through the next gate on your left. The library is to your left as you enter the campus. Free garage parking is just past the library at the bottom of the small incline. (Handicapped parking is immediately to your right as you enter through the gate onto campus.)

If the university has lowered the garage gates, push the button and let them know you’re here for an Arlington Historical Society event in the library. To leave, push the button and they’ll raise the gate.

ZOOM AVAILABLE: If you can’t be there in person, you can zoom in, but you must register by the end of Wednesday, January 7, 2026 to get the zoom information. Click here to register: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe4GrBjd3h9nX94KQJI8PGVvJIMWQo9CD7RrKUn_-MeiH_lsQ/viewform You’ll get an email on the morning of the event (Jan 8, 2026) with Zoom details.
This event is one of the monthly series of free public programs sponsored by the Arlington Historical Society. This event is hosted courtesy of the Marymount University politics program’s American Heritage Initiative. For more information, please email: info@arlingtonhistoricalsociety.org.

Women of the Ball-Sellers House
2025-12-28 15:00 - 16:30 | Pohick Regional Library, 6450 Sydenstricker Rd, Burke, VA 22015, Burke, VA, 22015, United States
The Ball-Sellers House (in Arlington) was originally in Fairfax County when Lord Fairfax established the county for King George II in 1742. The Arlington Historical Society will share stories of the exceptional women who owned this farmhouse throughout its 280-year history. We’ll learn about Elizabeth Payne Ball, the wife of the builder who took a man to court to sue for her inheritance; Irene Young, a suffragist and divorcee’ when society viewed divorce as ALWAYS being the woman’s fault; and Julia Powell, one of the first women who enlisted in the US Navy in WWI. We can’t help but also talk about Marian Sellers, her life and her legacy at the house. Join us for a unique look at special women in our shared county history on the eve of the 250th Commemoration of the Declaration of Independence. This is a free event and open to the public. Our speaker is Annette Benbow, the director of the Ball-Sellers House Museum since 2012.

Museum Store Sunday: Shop with Purpose this Holiday Season
2025-11-30 13:00 - 16:00 | VA
Consider shopping small this season and visit the Arlington Historical Museum shop on Museum Store Sunday. Every purchase supports our mission to strengthen our community by building a better understanding of local history. We have unique gift ideas made by local artisans, as well as gift memberships to the Arlington Historical Society and books about Arlington history.
Local Ceramic Artist Jessica Kaplan’s work will be available for purchase. Hope to see you at the museum!

15 Minute History: "Where did the name come from?" Let's Talk About Clarendon
2025-11-23 14:00 - 15:00 | Arlington Historical Museum, 1805 South Arlington Ridge Road, Arlington, 22207, United States
Sean Denniston, AHS Vice President, will talk about the history of Clarendon, one of Arlington’s most interesting neighborhoods. He’ll talk about its start as a development of six streets, its dash for independence, growth as a commercial center, and today’s mixed use, walkable, and transit friendly neighborhood. And what’s with the name??

Special Exhibit: Maps From the Archives
2025-11-22 10:00 - 2026-01-19 16:00 | Arlington Historical Museum, 1805 South Arlington Ridge Road, Arlington, 22207, United States
Step into Arlington’s past through the lines, labels, and landscapes that shaped our community. Our new temporary exhibit features rarely seen maps from the Arlington Historical Society archives, from early 20th-century planning maps to aerial views.
Discover how roads were named, how neighborhoods grew, and how Arlington transformed from farmland and trolley suburbs into the vibrant county we know today. Each map tells a story and together, they reveal a century of change.
Come explore Arlington through a different lens!

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.

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 )

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

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 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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.
