This postcard from 1905 depicts the Arlington mansion and Temple of Fame. | Photo from The Library of Congress
What’s in a name? In Arlington’s case, quite a bit of drama, as the county hasn’t always been known as such — and its history contains more twists and turns than an episode of “The Real Housewives of Potomac.”
Here’s the timeline of Arlington’s origin story.
1801: Present-day Arlington and a portion of the City of Alexandria are known as Alexandria County, District of Columbia.
1847: Alexandria County is given back to Virginia.
1870: Alexandria County and the City of Alexandria formally separate — no divorce lawyer needed.
1920: Alexandria County is renamed Arlington County to eliminate confusion between the city and the county. The name “Arlington” is chosen because Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s home of that name is located in the county.
1922: The Virginia Supreme Court holds that Arlington “is a continuous, contiguous and homogeneous entity which cannot be subdivided nor can any portion be annexed by neighboring jurisdictions.” To put it simply, Arlington County contains no cities or towns, and its government exercises both city and county functions — making it one of the few urban unitary governments in the US.
1932: Arlington becomes the first county in the US to choose the County Manager plan as its form of government.
Know a fun fact about Arlington’s history or name that we missed? Name drop us a line.
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Mystery Novel Book Club | 4:30-5:30 p.m. | Reston Regional Library, Reston | Free | Join fellow mystery lovers and discuss the book “Death on the Tiber” by Lindsey Davis.
Friday, July 11
Flower Arrangement Workshop | 2:30-4:30 p.m. | Central Library, Arlington | Free | Learn the basics of floral arranging while helping prepare for the Library Wedding.
Saturday, July 12
A Festival of Rosé | 12-4 p.m. | Chain Bridge Cellars, McLean | Price of purchase | Taste 15 rosés from around the globe and enjoy exclusive savings on each one.
Sunday, July 13
Jamestown Park Invasive Plant Removal | 1-3 p.m. | Jamestown Park, Arlington | Free | Meet at the tennis courts at the end of Dickerson Street and make a difference in the great outdoors.
Tuesday, July 15
Iron + Wine | I’m With Her | 8 p.m. | Filene Center, Vienna | $51+ | Listen to these bands at this lovely outdoor venue.
The new Shake Shack location in Reston Town Center will officially open on Wednesday, July 16. On opening day, the restaurant will give a $1 donation to the local nonprofit Cornerstones for every sandwich sold. (FFXnow)
Try This
Columbia Pike Movie nights are back at two outdoor plazas beginning this weekend. Fridays will take place at Arlington Mill Community Center, and Saturdays will be at Penrose Square Apartments. (ARLnow)
Eat
The burger chain Z-Burger has opened near Reston Town Center. This new location at 12100 Sunset Hills Rd. is now one of almost 20 locations in the DC area. (FFXnow)
Closing
Woodlawn Press Winery, located at 8733-B Cooper Rd. in Alexandria, will be closing its doors on Saturday, July 26. The husband-and-wife team behind the winery is relocating to Pittsburgh to join a family wine business. (ALXnow)
Sports
Check out this conceptual rendering of the new Commanders stadium — a $3.8 billion project, projected to open in 2030. The plan includes a 65,000-seat, glass-domed stadium, new housing, green space, and a community sportsplex.
Ranked
No. 5. This is where Alexandria ranks among the top U.S. travel destinations. With its proximity to DC and vibrant coastal charm, voters placed it high on their lists. People also praised the colonial architecture and growing food scene, andwe couldn’t agree more.
Answered
As Frank Sinatra once said, “Come Fly With Me.” After polling our readers, we found that 61% most commonly use Dulles International Airport, 24% use Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, and 15% of you regularly use both.
Edu
Since 1999, the Virginia Lottery has generated more than $12 billion for Virginia K-12 public education — including $867 million in Fiscal Year 2023 alone. It’s more than a game: It’s a mission to support students, recognize teachers, and invest in the future of every classroom. Learn more.*
An Instagram post about a new, interactive art installation in National Landing.
Have you checked out the new interactive installation in National Landing? Los Trompos was created by the Mexican design duo Esrawe + Cadena and will be on display through Sunday, July 27.
It’s day two of Amazon Prime Day. Shop standout deals that just went live:
⚡ The 40 oz. Stanley Quencher — aka the world’s most popular water bottle — is usually $45, but today you can get it for $27.
⚡ Sony’s $348 noise-cancelling headphones are marked down to $183.
⚡ Make football season bigger and better with 50% off Sony’s 65-inch 4K Ultra HD TV — saving you over $1,800.
⚡ Philips’ espresso machine + milk frother will look cute in your kitchen, make high-quality espresso drinks, and save you $150 with today’s deal.
⚡ Stock up on a good iPhone charger cord while it’s marked down to $9.99, the lowest price of the year.
The fun doesn’t have to end here. After reading the newsletter, head over to our games page. Games refresh with new challenges every day at 6 a.m. from crossword puzzle to Sudoku to themed word search.
I might be late to the party, but I finally tried Hawkers Asian Street Food in Arlington the other day — and it did not disappoint. I’m a sucker for a classic Pad Thai, and theirs hit all the right notes. I also snacked on some edamame and cooled off with their Yuzu Spritz — just what you need on a hot day.
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