From Barriers to Ballots

Now on view at the Arlington Historical Museum, From Barriers to Ballots explores the long and ongoing struggle for voting rights in Virginia.

1670 Map

This map was created in 1670; while not as detailed as John Smith’s map, it includes the English settlements that had started to emerge since the beginning of the English colonization.

Virginia Map-1606

In 1606, explorer John Smith created one of the first maps made of what would become Virginia. Smith was famous for his interactions with the Powhatan Indians, helping to foster trade relations with them,

1791 Map

This map was created in 1791-1793 by Andrew Elliot, a surveyor, a mentor of Lewis, who, alongside Clark, was tasked by President Jefferson to travel to the West Coast.

1760 Map

This map, created by Beth Mitchell in 1987 for Fairfax County, shows property lines, owners, and the number of slaves for each farm/property in 1760 northern Virginia.

Ceramics and History

For thousands of years, artists have used ceramics to document history. At the Arlington Historical Society bookstore, you can see a modern example of this tradition in the artwork created by AHS board member Jessica Kaplan.

John Boston

By late 1861, US troops had completed the construction of numerous fortifications in Arlington to defend Washington DC.  While the forts had a military purpose, they also became beacons of freedom to  thousands of refugees fleeing slavery.

Wish Wall

As we approach America’s 250th birthday in 2026, we invite you to reflect on what kind of future you hope to see for our country.

Population Growth Map 2020

This map shows the population growth in Arlington specifically between 2000 and 2020. Like in the 20th century, most of the population increase is centered around the metro stations.

Arlington County Map Logo 2021

The Arlington County logo changed in 2021 from a representation of Arlington House to a map of the original D.C. borders, with Arlington County shaded a dark blue.

Support

The Arlington Historical Society relies solely on membership dues and donations to support the Arlington Historical Museum and Ball-Sellers House.

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The Arlington Historical Museum
1805 S Arlington Ridge Rd, Arlington, VA 22202
703-892-4204 ext. 800
Open Saturday 10 am-4 pm, Sunday 1-4 pm
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The Ball-Sellers House
5620 3rd St S, Arlington, VA 22204
703-892-4204 ext. 800
Open Saturday 1-4 pm, April-October
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Contact Us

E-mail us: info@arlingtonhistoricalsociety.org
Call us: 703-892-4204 ext. 800

Arlington Historical Society
P.O. Box 100402
Arlington, Virginia 22210-3402

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