Local History

Tomb Raiders in Arlington

Arlington's once-grand Abbey Mausoleum was demolished after falling victim to vandals. But its treasures live on.

When Arlington Banned School Dances

A statewide attempt to stymie desegregation in the wake of Brown v. Board of Ed didn't stop local teens from finding their groove.

Weird History: A Plane Crash at Bishop O’Connell

Remembering the day a pilot ran out of fuel and narrowly averted disaster in an Arlington schoolyard. 🛩️

It Was One of the Better Senior Pranks in Arlington’s History

That time a Bob's Big Boy mascot ended up on the roof of Wakefield High School...and other memorable acts of mischief.

A Place for Homegoing During Segregation

Chinn-Baker Funeral Service started out serving Arlington's Black community when others would not. It's still in business today.

Who Were the Rosslyn Mountain Boys?

During the disco era, this local country band made an ironic name for itself, sharing bills with Emmylou Harris and Jerry Lee Lewis.

They Lived in Arlington. They Were Enslaved.

Local historians are unearthing important details about the lives of enslaved people who called Arlington home.

12 Ways to Commemorate Black History Month

Visit historic sites, celebrate Black culture and learn about important African Americans who shaped our communities.
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Searching for Selina Gray, Keeper of Arlington House

A cemetery near Mount Vernon may be the final resting place of the enslaved woman who held the keys to the Custis-Lee estate during the Civil War.

Remembering Arlington’s ‘Experiment in Free-Form Education’

Half a century ago, this short-lived experiment in student-directed learning was a precursor to the creation of H-B Woodlawn.

Beyond the Beautiful Earth

Astronaut David M. Brown was as down-to-earth as he was starry-eyed. He perished on the space shuttle Columbia.

It Was One of the Deadliest Building Collapses in D.C.-Area History

Fifty years ago, the Skyline Plaza construction disaster emitted a dust cloud so thick that it filled the stadium of Wakefield High School.