How the Arlington Historical Society Saved the Hume School
When the Arlington Historical Society was founded in 1956, its members had no museum, no permanent headquarters, and few financial resources. Within just four years, however, the fledgling organization accomplished one of the most significant preservation victories in Arlington County’s history: saving the historic Hume School from possible demolition and transforming it into the Arlington Historical Museum.
Today, the Queen Anne-style Hume School, built in 1891, is recognized as Arlington’s oldest surviving public school building. Its preservation was neither inevitable nor easy. Instead, it resulted from community advocacy, legal ingenuity, and years of volunteer dedication.
A Historic School Without a Future
Designed by Washington architect B. Stanley Simmons, the Hume School opened in 1891 to serve the growing community along Arlington Ridge Road. Named for businessman, philanthropist, and civic leader Frank Hume, the school educated Arlington children for more than six decades before closing in 1956 as newer and larger schools replaced it. (Arlington County)
Once the building became vacant, county officials faced the question of what to do with the aging structure. Like many obsolete public buildings of the era, demolition was a real possibility.
Margaret Cooke Birge’s Vision
The idea that ultimately saved the building came from Margaret Cooke Birge, Frank Hume’s granddaughter and an active member of the newly formed Arlington Historical Society.
Birge proposed converting the former school into a museum dedicated to preserving Arlington’s history. Her proposal offered an elegant solution because Frank Hume had placed deed restrictions on portions of the property requiring that it continue to serve an educational purpose. A local history museum would satisfy that requirement while preserving one of Arlington’s architectural landmarks. (Arlington Historical Society)
Birge then persuaded Frank Hume’s surviving children to donate their interest in part of the property if the Historical Society could obtain the school building itself—a critical first step in making the project possible. (Arlington Historical Society)
Building Community Support
The Arlington Historical Society knew it could not succeed without broad public backing.
Members organized an exhibit of Arlington history at the Hecht Company department store, where visitors were invited to sign petitions supporting the creation of a county history museum in the Hume School. Volunteers carried additional petitions to civic associations, PTAs, professional organizations, and service clubs throughout Arlington.
By the time the campaign concluded, more than 2,000 residents had signed petitions urging the Arlington County Board to preserve the building for public use. Several local organizations also adopted formal resolutions endorsing the proposal. (Arlington Historical Society)
Navigating Legal Obstacles
Acquiring the Hume School required far more than public enthusiasm.
Because the Arlington School Board lacked legal authority to donate the property directly to a nonprofit organization, an alternative solution had to be crafted. After negotiations among the School Board, the County Board, the Hume family, and the Arlington Historical Society, the County agreed to purchase the building from the School Board and immediately transfer ownership to the Society.
The transaction also required court approval because of the property’s deed restrictions and the interests of the Hume heirs. After months of legal work, the transfer was completed in the fall of 1960, making the Arlington Historical Society the owner of both the building and its grounds. (Arlington Historical Society)
Restoring a Neglected Landmark
Ownership brought new challenges.
Years of deferred maintenance had left the former school in poor condition. Society members estimated that approximately $45,000 would be needed to rehabilitate the building—an enormous sum for a volunteer organization with only a few hundred members.
Undeterred, the Society launched an ambitious fundraising campaign. Members solicited donations, organized community events, secured contributions from supporters, and donated thousands of volunteer hours. Their efforts raised enough money to begin restoration in September 1962.
The renovation preserved the building’s historic character while adapting it for museum use. The basement was expanded for exhibit space, a historic classroom was recreated on the second floor, and modern visitor facilities were added. In May 1963, the Hume School Historical Museum officially opened to the public. (Arlington Historical Society)
A Lasting Preservation Legacy
The successful preservation of the Hume School transformed the Arlington Historical Society from a small historical organization into one of the county’s leading preservation advocates. It demonstrated that local citizens could save important landmarks through determination, public support, and collaboration with county government.
More than sixty years later, the Hume School continues to fulfill Frank Hume’s original vision of serving an educational purpose. As the Arlington Historical Museum, it welcomes thousands of visitors each year, preserving and interpreting Arlington County’s history while standing as a monument to one of the Society’s earliest and greatest achievements. (Arlington Historical Society)
Sources
- Andrew Marshall, Building History of Hume School, Arlington Historical Magazine, Vol. 17, No. 1 (2021). (Arlington Historical Society)
- Laszlo L. Ecker-Racz, “How the Hume School Historical Museum Happened,” Arlington Historical Magazine, Vol. 2, No. 3 (1963). (Arlington Historical Society)
- Arlington County, Hume School. (Arlington County)
- Arlington Historical Society, Hume School. (Arlington Historical Society)
