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Arlington County, Virginia

 
Arlington County, Virginia

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Arlington County, Virginia



 
 
Arlington County is an urban
Urban area

An urban area is an area with an increased Population density of human-created structures in comparison to the areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be city, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlet ....
 county
County

A county is a land area of Local government government within a larger state. A county may have city and towns within its area....
  of about 206,800 residents in the Commonwealth
Commonwealth (United States)

Four of the constituent U.S. state of the United States officially designate themselves Commonwealths: Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia....
 of Virginia
Virginia

The Commonwealth of Virginia is an United States U.S. state on the East Coast of the United States of the Southern United States. The state is known as the "Old Dominion" and sometimes as "Mother of Presidents", because it is the birthplace of Lists of United States Presidents by place of birth#By state....
. It is located directly across the Potomac River
Potomac River

The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic Ocean coast of the United States. The river is approximately 383 statute miles long, with a Drainage basin of about 14,700 square miles ....
 to the west of Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C. , formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D.C., is the Capital of the United States, founded on July 16, 1790....
  Formerly part of the District of Columbia
Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C. , formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D.C., is the Capital of the United States, founded on July 16, 1790....
, the land now composing the county was retroceded to Virginia on July 9, 1846, in an act of Congress
United States Congress

The United States Congress is the Bicameralism legislature of the Federal government of the United States of the United States of America, consisting of two houses, the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives....
 that took effect in 1847.

Despite being organized politically as a "county" in Virginia, it is considered a Central City of the Washington Metropolitan Area
Washington Metropolitan Area

The Washington Metropolitan Area, formally known as the Washington?Arlington?Alexandria, DC?VA?MD?WV MSA, is a U.S. Metropolitan Statistical Area defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget ....
 by the Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau

The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data....
, along with the adjacent cities of Washington and Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria, Virginia

Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the United States Census 2000, the city had a total population of 128,283....
.






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Encyclopedia


Arlington County is an urban
Urban area

An urban area is an area with an increased Population density of human-created structures in comparison to the areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be city, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlet ....
 county
County

A county is a land area of Local government government within a larger state. A county may have city and towns within its area....
  of about 206,800 residents in the Commonwealth
Commonwealth (United States)

Four of the constituent U.S. state of the United States officially designate themselves Commonwealths: Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia....
 of Virginia
Virginia

The Commonwealth of Virginia is an United States U.S. state on the East Coast of the United States of the Southern United States. The state is known as the "Old Dominion" and sometimes as "Mother of Presidents", because it is the birthplace of Lists of United States Presidents by place of birth#By state....
. It is located directly across the Potomac River
Potomac River

The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic Ocean coast of the United States. The river is approximately 383 statute miles long, with a Drainage basin of about 14,700 square miles ....
 to the west of Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C. , formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D.C., is the Capital of the United States, founded on July 16, 1790....
  Formerly part of the District of Columbia
Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C. , formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D.C., is the Capital of the United States, founded on July 16, 1790....
, the land now composing the county was retroceded to Virginia on July 9, 1846, in an act of Congress
United States Congress

The United States Congress is the Bicameralism legislature of the Federal government of the United States of the United States of America, consisting of two houses, the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives....
 that took effect in 1847.

Despite being organized politically as a "county" in Virginia, it is considered a Central City of the Washington Metropolitan Area
Washington Metropolitan Area

The Washington Metropolitan Area, formally known as the Washington?Arlington?Alexandria, DC?VA?MD?WV MSA, is a U.S. Metropolitan Statistical Area defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget ....
 by the Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau

The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data....
, along with the adjacent cities of Washington and Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria, Virginia

Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the United States Census 2000, the city had a total population of 128,283....
. At a land area of , it is geographically the smallest self-governing county in the United States.

In 2005 Arlington was ranked first among walkable
Walkability

Walkability is a measure of how friendly an area is to walking. Walkability has many health, environmental, and economic benefits. However, evaluating walkability is challenging because it requires the consideration of many subjective factors....
 cities in the United States by the American Podiatric Medical Association
American Podiatric Medical Association

The American Podiatric Medical Association is a professional medical organization representing Doctors of Podiatric Medicine within the United States....
. CNN Money
Money (magazine)

Money is a Time Inc. personal finance magazine. Its first issue was published in October 1972. Its articles cover the gamut of personal finance topics ranging from investing, saving, retirement and taxes to family finance issues like paying for college, credit, career and home improvement....
 ranked Arlington as the most educated city in 2006 with 35.7% of residents having held graduate degrees. In October 2008, BusinessWeek
BusinessWeek

BusinessWeek is a business magazine published by McGraw-Hill. It was first published in 1929 under the direction of Malcolm Muir, who was serving as president of the McGraw-Hill Publishing company at the time....
 ranked Arlington as the safest city in which to weather a recession, with a 49.4% share of jobs in 'strong industries'. Along with five other Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia

Northern Virginia consistsof several County and independent cities in the U.S. state of Virginia in a widespread region generally radiating southerly and westward from Washington, D.C....
 counties, Arlington ranked among the twenty U.S. counties with the highest median household income
Highest-income counties in the United States

There are 3,141 County in the United States. The source of the data is the U.S. Census Bureau and the data is current as of the indicated year....
 in 2006.

Arlington is the location of Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery

Arlington National Cemetery, in Arlington, Virginia is a United States National Cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, The Robert E....
, National Airport
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is a public airport located three miles south of the central business district of Washington, D.C., in Arlington County, Virginia, United States....
, the Pentagon
The Pentagon

The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia, Virginia. As a symbol of the Military of the United States, "the Pentagon" is often used Metonymy to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself....
, the USMC War Memorial
USMC War Memorial

The Marine Corps War Memorial also known as the Iwo Jima Memorial, is a War memorial statue located near the Arlington National Cemetery and the Netherlands Carillon in Arlington, Virginia, United States....
, the US Air Force Memorial
United States Air Force Memorial

The United States Air Force Memorial honors the service of the personnel of the United States Air Force and its predecessors. The Memorial is located in Arlington, Virginia, on the grounds of Fort Myer near The Pentagon, at the intersection of Columbia Pike and South Joyce Street....
, and numerous other monuments.

General characteristics

the Pentagon (side)
As of January 1, 2008, the estimated population was 206,800, giving the county a population density of approximately 7,995 persons per square mile. All cities within the Commonwealth of Virginia are independent
Independent city

An independent city is a city that does not form part of another general-purpose local government entity.Independent cities should not be confused with city-states , which are fully sovereign cities that are not part of any other nation-state....
 of counties, though towns may be incorporated within counties. Considering this, it is inaccurate to refer to Arlington County as a city. However, Arlington has no existing incorporated towns because Virginia
Virginia

The Commonwealth of Virginia is an United States U.S. state on the East Coast of the United States of the Southern United States. The state is known as the "Old Dominion" and sometimes as "Mother of Presidents", because it is the birthplace of Lists of United States Presidents by place of birth#By state....
 law prevents the creation of any new municipality within a county that has a population density
Population density

Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans....
 greater than 1,000 persons per square mile. Its county seat
County seat

A county seat or parish seat is a term for an administrative center for a county or civil parish, primarily used in the United States. In the Northeast United States, the statutory term often is shire town, but colloquially county seat is the term in use there....
 is the census-designated place
Census-designated place

A census-designated place is a type of Place identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as city, towns and villages....
 (CDP) of Arlington, which is coincident with the Census Boundary of Arlington County; however, the county courthouse and most governmental offices are located in the Courthouse
Courthouse, Virginia

Courthouse is a transit-oriented development neighborhood in Arlington County, Virginia. It is home to a Court House on the Orange Line of the Washington Metro....
 neighborhood.

History


Colonial-era land grants, sources of names

Arlington County was within the very large area defined in several early British land grants in the colonial period in the Colony of Virginia (1607-1776) which was known as the Northern Neck of Virginia (not to be confused with a smaller eastern portion of it still known by that name in modern times).

Land grants, generally to prominent Englishmen, were various combinations of political favors and efforts at development. Perhaps the best known of the grantees was Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron
Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron

Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron was the son of Thomas Fairfax, 5th Lord Fairfax of Cameron and of Catharine, daughter of Thomas Culpeper, 2nd Baron Culpeper of Thoresway....
 (Lord Fairfax), whose name is seen in many places in what is now known as Northern Virginia, notably Fairfax County
Fairfax County, Virginia

Fairfax County is a County in Northern Virginia Virginia, in the United States. , the estimated population of the county is 1,077,000, making it by far the most populous jurisdiction in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the most populous jurisdiction in the Washington Metropolitan Area....
 and the independent city
Independent city

An independent city is a city that does not form part of another general-purpose local government entity.Independent cities should not be confused with city-states , which are fully sovereign cities that are not part of any other nation-state....
 of Fairfax
Fairfax, Virginia

This article refers to the independent city of Fairfax, Va. For the surrounding unincorporated area of Fairfax County with a Fairfax postal address, please see Fairfax County, Virginia...
. Also notable among the land grants was one in 1673 from King Charles II
Charles II of England

Charles II was the Monarchy of Kingdom of England, Kingdom of Scotland, and Kingdom of Ireland.His father Charles I of England Regicide#The regicide of Charles I of England at Palace of Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War....
 to Thomas Colepeper, 2nd Baron Colepeper
Thomas Colepeper, 2nd Baron Colepeper

Thomas Culpeper, 2nd Baron Culpeper of Thoresway , was the colonial governor of Virginia, 1677–1683.He was the son of Judith and John Colepeper, 1st Baron Colepeper....
 (Lord Culpeper) and Henry Bennet, 1st Earl of Arlington
Henry Bennet, 1st Earl of Arlington

Henry Bennet, 1st Earl of Arlington Order of the Garter, Privy Council of England , was an England statesman.He was the son of Sir John Bennet of Dawley, Middlesex, and of Dorothy Crofts, was the younger brother of John Bennet, 1st Baron Ossulston, was baptized at Little Saxham, Suffolk, in 1618, and was educated at Westminster School and...
 (Earl of Arlington) whose names eventually were applied to several community features, and were the original source of the naming of Culpeper County
Culpeper County, Virginia

Culpeper County is a county located in the U.S. state — officially, "Commonwealth " — of Virginia. As of the United States Census, 2000, the population was 34,262....
  and Arlington County.

The current Arlington County as it is now known in Virginia was the result of a renaming in 1920. However, the name of the 17th century Earl of Arlington had been applied much earlier to a plantation
Plantation

A plantation is usually a large farm or Estate , especially in a tropical or semitropical country, like Brazil or Nicaragua on which cotton, tobacco, lice coffee, sugar cane and the like are cultivated, usually by resident laborers....
 on the Potomac River which became the Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery

Arlington National Cemetery, in Arlington, Virginia is a United States National Cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, The Robert E....
 as a result of the American Civil War
American Civil War

The American Civil War , also known as the War Between the States and several Naming the American Civil War, was a civil war in the United States....
.

Alexandria County, District and Commonwealth jurisdictions

Once part of Fairfax County
Fairfax County, Virginia

Fairfax County is a County in Northern Virginia Virginia, in the United States. , the estimated population of the county is 1,077,000, making it by far the most populous jurisdiction in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the most populous jurisdiction in the Washington Metropolitan Area....
 in the Colony of Virginia, the area that contains Arlington County was ceded to the new U.S. government by the Commonwealth of Virginia. In 1791, the U.S. Congress
United States Congress

The United States Congress is the Bicameralism legislature of the Federal government of the United States of the United States of America, consisting of two houses, the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives....
 formally established the limits of the federal territory that would be the nation's capital as a square of on a side, the maximum area permitted by Article I
Article One of the United States Constitution

Article One of the United States Constitution describes the powers of the legislature of the Federal government of the United States, known as United States Congress, which includes the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate....
, Section 8, of the United States Constitution
United States Constitution

The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme law of the United States. It is the foundation and source of the legal authority underlying the existence of the United States of America; the Federal Government of the United States; and all the State & local governments and Territorial Administrative bodies contained therein....
. However, the legislation (an amendment to the Residence Act
Residence Act

The Residence Act of 1790, officially titled An Act for Establishing the Temporary and Permanent Seat of the Government of the United States, is a United States federal law that settled the question of locating the capital of the United States, selecting a site along the Potomac River....
 of 1790) that established these limits specifically prohibited the "erection of the public buildings otherwise than on the Maryland side of the river Potomac.

During 1791 and 1792, Andrew Ellicott
Andrew Ellicott

Andrew Ellicott was a United States Surveyor who helped map many of the territories west of the Appalachian Mountains, surveyed the boundaries of the Washington, D.C., continued and completed Pierre L'Enfant's work on the plan for Washington, D.C., and served as a teacher in survey methods for Meriwether Lewis....
 led a team of surveyors
Surveying

Surveying or land surveying is the technique and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional space position of points and the distances and angles between them....
 that determined the boundaries of the federal territory. The team placed along the boundaries forty markers
Boundary Stones (District of Columbia)

The Boundary Markers of the History of Washington, D.C. are the 40 milestones that a surveying team led by Andrew Ellicott placed in 1791 and 1792 to mark the future Washington, D.C....
 that were approximately one mile from each other. Fourteen of these markers were in Virginia. Many of these still remain.

When Congress moved to the new District of Columbia
History of Washington, D.C.

The history of Washington, D.C. is tied to its role as the Capital of the United States. The site along the Potomac River was chosen for the capital city by George Washington....
 in 1801, it enacted legislation (the District of Columbia Organic Act of 1801
District of Columbia Organic Act of 1801

For the other uses, see Organic ActThe District of Columbia Organic Act of 1801 is an Act of Congress, which incorporated the Washington, D.C....
) that divided the District into two counties: (1) the county of Washington, which lay on the east side of the Potomac River, and (2) the county of Alexandria, which lay on the west side of the River. Alexandria County contained the present area of Arlington County, then mostly rural, and the settled town of Alexandria (now "Old Town" Alexandria), a port located on the Potomac River in the southeastern part of the area of the present City of Alexandria
Alexandria, Virginia

Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the United States Census 2000, the city had a total population of 128,283....
.

Residents of Alexandria County had expected the federal capital's location would result in land sales and the growth of commerce. Instead the county found itself struggling to compete with the town of Georgetown
Georgetown, Washington, D.C.

Georgetown is a neighborhood located in the Washington DC Address #Quadrants of Washington, D.C., along the Potomac River waterfront. Founded in 1751, the city of Georgetown substantially predated the establishment of the city of Washington and the District of Columbia....
, a port located in Washington County adjacent to the capital city (Washington City).

As the federal government could not establish any offices in the County, and as the economically important Chesapeake and Ohio Canal
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal

The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, abbreviated as the C&O Canal, and occasionally referred to as the "Grand Old Ditch," operated from 1836 until 1924 parallel to the Potomac River in Maryland from Cumberland, Maryland to Washington, DC....
 (C&O Canal) on the north side of the Potomac River favored Georgetown, Alexandria's economy stagnated. It didn't help that some Georgetown residents opposed federal efforts to maintain the Alexandria Canal, which connected the C&O Canal in Georgetown to Alexandria's port. Moreover, as residents of the District of Columbia, Alexandria's citizens had no representation in Congress and could not vote in federal elections.

The town of Alexandria had been a port and market for the slave trade
History of slavery

The history of slavery covers many different forms of human exploitation across many cultures throughout history. Slavery, generally defined, refers to a situation where one human being is considered to be the property of another, and is therefore obligated to perform tasks for their owner without any choice involved....
. With growing talk of abolishing slavery
Abolitionism

File:BLAKE10.JPGAbolitionism was a movement to end the slave trade and emancipate slaves in western Europe and the Americas. The slave system aroused little protest until the 18th century, when rationalist thinkers of the Age of Enlightenment criticized it for violating the rights of man, and Quaker and other evangelical religious groups con...
 in the nation's capital, some Alexandrians feared the local economy would suffer if the federal government took this step. At the same time, there arose in Virginia an active abolitionist movement that created a division on the question of slavery in Virginia's General Assembly
Virginia General Assembly

The Virginia General Assembly is the State legislature of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The General Assembly is a bicameralism body consisting of a lower house, the Virginia House of Delegates, with 100 members, and an upper house, the Senate of Virginia, with 40 members....
 (subsequently, during the Civil War
American Civil War

The American Civil War , also known as the War Between the States and several Naming the American Civil War, was a civil war in the United States....
, Virginia's division on the slavery issue led to the formation of the state of West Virginia
West Virginia

West Virginia is a U.S. state in the Appalachian, Upland South, and Mid-Atlantic States regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia on the southeast, Kentucky on the southwest, Ohio on the northwest, and Pennsylvania and Maryland on the northeast....
 by the most anti-slavery counties). Pro-slavery Virginians recognized that Alexandria County could provide two new representatives who favored slavery in the General Assembly if the County returned to the Commonwealth.

Largely as a result of these factors, a movement grew to separate Alexandria County from the District of Columbia. After a referendum, the county's residents petitioned the U.S. Congress and the Virginia legislature to permit the County to return to Virginia. The area was retroceded to Virginia on July 9, 1846.

In 1852, the independent city
Independent city

An independent city is a city that does not form part of another general-purpose local government entity.Independent cities should not be confused with city-states , which are fully sovereign cities that are not part of any other nation-state....
 of Alexandria was incorporated from a portion of Alexandria County. This led to occasional confusion, as the adjacent county and municipal entities continued to share the name of "Alexandria". Alexandria County renamed itself in 1920 as Arlington County. The new name was borrowed from Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery

Arlington National Cemetery, in Arlington, Virginia is a United States National Cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, The Robert E....
.

The lost town of Potomac

The incorporated town
Incorporated town

An incorporated town is a town that is a municipal corporation....
 of Potomac
Potomac, Virginia

Potomac, Virginia is an extinct incorporated town formerly located in Arlington County, Virginia. A planned community, its proximity to Washington D.C....
 (1908-1930) was located in Arlington County. However, it was annexed by the adjacent City of Alexandria in 1930, and thus, joined the lost towns of Virginia. Although "lost" as a political subdivision, the former town of Potomac is now a historic district of the City of Alexandria, and includes 1,840 acres and 690 buildings. The Town of Potomac was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places

The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation....
 in 1992.

It is worthy to note that areas in the present City of Alexandria in addition to the former Town of Potomac were added by annexations from both Arlington and Fairfax counties over the years. However, all of the present Arlington County was once part of the District of Columbia, thus providing the county's claim, not only to being the state's smallest county in land area, but also the only one in Virginia to have both left and rejoined the Commonwealth.

Arlington now has no incorporated towns within its borders. A Virginia law adopted after the formation of the Town of Potomac prevents the creation of any new municipality within a county that has a population density
Population density

Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans....
 greater than 1,000 persons per square mile.

Arlington National Cemetery

Arlington
Arlington National Cemetery is an American military cemetery established during the American Civil War
American Civil War

The American Civil War , also known as the War Between the States and several Naming the American Civil War, was a civil war in the United States....
 on the grounds of Confederate
Confederate States of America

The Confederate States of America formed as the government set up from 1861 to 1865 by eleven Southern United States U.S. state of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S....
 General Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee

Robert Edward Lee , was a career United States United States Army officer , an engineer, and among the most celebrated generals in American history....
's home, Arlington House
Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial

Arlington House , is a Greek Revival architecture style mansion located in Arlington, Virginia, USA and was once the home of Confederate States of America General Robert E....
 (also known as the Custis-Lee Mansion). It is directly across the Potomac River
Potomac River

The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic Ocean coast of the United States. The river is approximately 383 statute miles long, with a Drainage basin of about 14,700 square miles ....
 from Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C. , formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D.C., is the Capital of the United States, founded on July 16, 1790....
, north of the Pentagon
The Pentagon

The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia, Virginia. As a symbol of the Military of the United States, "the Pentagon" is often used Metonymy to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself....
. With nearly 300,000 people buried there, Arlington National Cemetery is the second-largest national cemetery in the United States.

Arlington House was named after the Custis family's homestead on Virginia's Eastern Shore. It is associated with the families of Washington, Custis, and Lee. Begun in 1802 and completed in 1817, it was built by George Washington Parke Custis
George Washington Parke Custis

George Washington Parke Custis , the step-grandson of United States President George Washington, was a nineteenth-century American writer, orator, and agricultural reformer....
. After his father died, young Custis was raised by his grandmother and her second husband, the first US President
President of the United States

The President of the United States is the head of state and head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in the United States by influence and recognition....
 George Washington
George Washington

George Washington was the leader of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War and served as the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States of the United States of Americas ....
, at Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon

Mount Vernon was the Virginia estate of George Washington, the first President of the United States. The name may also refer to several other places around the world:...
. Custis, a far-sighted agricultural pioneer, painter, playwright, and orator, was interested in perpetuating the memory and principles of George Washington. His house became a "treasury" of Washington heirlooms.

In 1804, Custis married Mary Lee Fitzhugh. Their only child to survive infancy was Mary Anna Randolph Custis, born in 1808. Young Robert E. Lee, whose mother was a cousin of Mrs. Custis, frequently visited Arlington. Two years after graduating from West Point
United States Military Academy

The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational United States Service academies located at West Point, New York, New York....
, Lieutenant
Lieutenant

Lieutenant is a military, naval, paramilitary, fire service, emergency medical services or police commissioned officer military rank.Lieutenant may also appear as part of a title used in various other organisations with a codified command structure....
 Lee married Mary Custis at Arlington on June 30, 1831. For 30 years, Arlington House was home to the Lees. They spent much of their married life traveling between U.S. Army
United States Army

The United States Army is the branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for Army operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S....
 duty stations and Arlington, where six of their seven children were born. They shared this home with Mary's parents, the Custis family.

Iwojima1
When George Washington Parke Custis died in 1857, he left the Arlington estate to Mrs. Lee for her lifetime and afterwards to the Lees' eldest son, George Washington Custis Lee
George Washington Custis Lee

Major general George Washington Custis Lee , aka Custis Lee, was the eldest son of Robert E. Lee and Mary Anna Custis Lee.From 1850 to 1854 he attended United States Military Academy, graduating first in his class....
.

The U.S. government confiscated Arlington House and 200 acre
Acre

The acre is a Units of measurement of area in a number of different systems, including the Imperial unit#Measures of area and United States customary units#Units of area systems....
s (81 hectare
Hectare

A hectare is a unit of area equal to , or one square hectometre , and commonly used for surveying.The hectare is used in most countries around the world, especially in domains concerned with land ownership, land planning, and land management, including law , agriculture, forestry, and town planning....
s) of ground immediately from the wife of General Robert E. Lee during the Civil War. The government designate the grounds as a military cemetery on June 15, 1864, by Secretary of War
United States Secretary of War

File:Swearing in of Secretary Dwight Davis.jpgThe Secretary of War was a member of the United States President of the United States United States Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration....
 Edwin M. Stanton
Edwin M. Stanton

Edwin McMasters Stanton was an American lawyer, politician, United States Attorney General in 1860-61 and United States Secretary of War through most of the American Civil War and Reconstruction era of the United States era....
. In 1882, after many years in the lower courts, the matter of the ownership of Arlington National Cemetery was brought before the United States Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United States

The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest judicial body in the United States, and leads the federal United States federal courts. It consists of the Chief Justice of the United States and eight Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, who are nominated by the President of the United States and confirmed with th...
. The Court decided that the property rightfully belonged to the Lee family. The United States Congress
United States Congress

The United States Congress is the Bicameralism legislature of the Federal government of the United States of the United States of America, consisting of two houses, the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives....
 then appropriated the sum of $150,000 for the purchase of the property from the Lee family.

Veterans from all the nation's wars are buried in the cemetery, from the American Revolution
American Revolution

The American Revolution refers to the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which the Thirteen Colonies of North America overthrew the governance of the British Empire and then rejected the British monarchy to become the sovereign United States of America....
 through the military actions in Afghanistan
War in Afghanistan (2001–present)

The War in Afghanistan, which began on October 7, 2001 as the U.S. military operation Operation Enduring Freedom, was launched by the United States with the United Kingdom in response to the September 11, 2001 attacks....
 and Iraq
2003 invasion of Iraq

The 2003 invasion of Iraq, from March 20 to May 1, 2003, was spearheaded by the United States, backed by United Kingdom forces and smaller contingents from Australia, Spain, Poland and Denmark....
. Pre-Civil War dead were re-interred after 1900.

The Tomb of the Unknowns
Tomb of the Unknowns

The Tomb of the Unknowns is a monument dedicated to American servicemen who have died without their remains being identified. It is located in Arlington National Cemetery in the United States....
, also known as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Throughout history, many soldiers have died in wars without their remains being identified. In modern times, nations have developed the practice of having a symbolic Tomb of the Unknown Soldier that represents the war grave of those unidentified soldiers....
, stands atop a hill overlooking Washington, DC. President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy

John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States, serving from 1961 until John F....
 is buried in Arlington National Cemetery with his wife
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

Jacqueline "Jackie" Lee Bouvier Kennedy Onassis was the wife of the 35th president of the United States, John F. Kennedy, and served as First Lady during his presidency from 1961 until his John F....
 and some of their children. His grave is marked with an "Eternal Flame." His brother Senator Robert F. Kennedy
Robert F. Kennedy

Robert Francis "Bobby" Kennedy , also called RFK, was an United States politician. He was United States Attorney General from 1961 to 1964 and a United States Senator from New York from 1965 until his Robert F....
 is also buried nearby. Another President
President of the United States

The President of the United States is the head of state and head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in the United States by influence and recognition....
, William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft

William Howard Taft was the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States, the tenth Chief Justice of the United States, a leader of the progressive conservative wing of the History of the United States Republican Party in the early 20th century, a pioneer in international arbitration and staunch advocate of world pe...
, who was also a Chief Justice
Chief Justice of the United States

The Chief Justice of the United States is the head of the United States federal courts and the chief judge of the Supreme Court of the United States....
 of the U.S. Supreme Court, is the only other President buried at Arlington.

Other frequently visited sites near the cemetery are the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial
USMC War Memorial

The Marine Corps War Memorial also known as the Iwo Jima Memorial, is a War memorial statue located near the Arlington National Cemetery and the Netherlands Carillon in Arlington, Virginia, United States....
, commonly known as the "Iwo Jima Memorial", the U.S. Air Force Memorial
United States Air Force Memorial

The United States Air Force Memorial honors the service of the personnel of the United States Air Force and its predecessors. The Memorial is located in Arlington, Virginia, on the grounds of Fort Myer near The Pentagon, at the intersection of Columbia Pike and South Joyce Street....
, the Women in Military Service for America Memorial
Women in Military Service for America Memorial

The Women in Military Service for America Memorial is located at the Ceremonial Entrance to Arlington National Cemetery and honors all women who have served in the United States Armed Forces....
, the Netherlands Carillon
Netherlands Carillon

The Netherlands Carillon at Arlington National Cemetery was a gift from the people of the Netherlands to the people of the United States of America in 1954....
 and the U.S. Army's Fort Myer
Fort Myer

Fort Myer is a U.S. Army Military base adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington, DC....
.

The Pentagon

the Pentagon Us Department of Defense Building
The Pentagon
The Pentagon

The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia, Virginia. As a symbol of the Military of the United States, "the Pentagon" is often used Metonymy to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself....
 in Arlington is the headquarters of the United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense

The United States Department of Defense is the federal department charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government relating directly to national security and the Military of the United States....
. It was dedicated on January 15, 1943 and it is the world's largest office building. Although it is located in Arlington, the United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service

The United States Postal Service is an Independent agencies of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States....
 requires that "Washington, D.C." be used as the place name in mail addressed to the ZIP code
ZIP Code

File:UseZipCode.JPGThe ZIP code is the system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service . The letters ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, are properly written in capital letters and were chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the code....
s assigned to The Pentagon
The Pentagon

The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia, Virginia. As a symbol of the Military of the United States, "the Pentagon" is often used Metonymy to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself....
.

The building is pentagon
Pentagon

In geometry, a pentagon is any five-sided polygon. A pentagon may be simple or self-intersecting. The internal angles in a simple pentagon total 540?....
-shaped in plan and houses about 23,000 military and civilian employees and about 3,000 non-defense support personnel. It has five floors and each floor has five ring corridors. The Pentagon's principal law enforcement arm is the United States Pentagon Police
United States Pentagon Police

The U.S. Pentagon Police is the federal police force of the Secretary of Defense. The mission of the U.S. Pentagon Police is to promote high quality law enforcement and security services, in order to provide a safe and orderly work environment for the United States Department of Defense in the Washington DC....
, the agency that protects the Pentagon and various other DoD jurisdictions throughout the National Capital Region.

Built during the early years of World War II
World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a Participants in World War II, including all of the great powers, organised into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War II and the Axis powers....
, it is still thought of as one of the most efficient office buildings in the world. It has 17.5 miles (28 km) of corridors, yet it takes only seven minutes or so to walk between any two points in the building.

It was built from 680,000 tons of sand and gravel dredged from the nearby Potomac River
Potomac River

The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic Ocean coast of the United States. The river is approximately 383 statute miles long, with a Drainage basin of about 14,700 square miles ....
 that were processed into 435,000 cubic yards (330,000 m³) of concrete and molded into the pentagon shape. Very little steel was used in its design due to the needs of the war effort.

The open-air central plaza in the Pentagon is the world's largest "no-salute, no-cover" area (where U.S. servicemembers need not wear hats nor salute). The snack bar in the center is informally known as the Ground Zero Cafe
Ground zero

The term Ground Zero may be used to describe the point on the earth's surface where an explosion occurs. In the case of an explosion above the ground, Ground Zero refers to the point on the ground directly below an explosion ....
, a nickname originating during the Cold War
Cold War

The Cold War was the continuing state of conflict, tension and competition that existed between a number of world powers, including the United States, the Soviet Union, People's Republic of China, France, United Kingdom and those countries' respective allies from the mid-1940s to the early 1990s....
 when the Pentagon was targeted by Soviet nuclear missile
Nuclear weapons delivery

Nuclear weapons delivery is the technology and systems used to place a nuclear weapon at the position of detonation, on or near its intended target....
s.

During World War II, the earliest portion of the Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway
Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway

The Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway was the first limited access freeway in the United States state of Virginia. Begun in 1946, the road was completed from Woodbridge, Virginia to the 14th Street Bridge over the Potomac River between Virginia and Washington, D.C., in 1952....
 was built in Arlington in conjunction with the parking and traffic plan for the Pentagon. This early freeway
Freeway

A freeway is a type of road designed for Road safety#Motorway high-speed operation of motor vehicles through the elimination of at-grade intersections....
, opened in 1943, and completed to Woodbridge, Virginia
Woodbridge, Virginia

Woodbridge is a census-designated place in Prince William County, Virginia, Virginia, United States. The population was 40,561 at the July 2007 census....
 in 1952, is now part of Interstate 395
Interstate 395 (District of Columbia-Virginia)

Interstate 395 in Virginia is a 13 mile long spur route that begins at a junction with Interstate 95 in Virginia in Springfield, Virginia and ends in Washington, D.C....
.

Demographics


The (PRAT) estimates the January 1, 2008 population at 206,800

As of the 2000 census
Census

A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population....
, there were:
  • 189,453 people
  • 86,352 households,
  • and 39,290 families residing in Arlington.


The population density
Population density

Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans....
 was 7,323 people per square mile (2,828/km²), the highest of any county in Virginia. There were 90,426 housing units at an average density of 3,495/sq mi (1,350/km²).

The racial makeup of the county was 68.94% White, 9.35% Black or African American, 0.35% Native American, 8.62% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 8.33% from other races, and 4.34% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 18.62% of the population.

28% of Arlington residents were foreign-born.

In 2005 Arlington's population was 64.7% non-Hispanic whites. 8.8% of the population was African-American. Native Americans constituted 0.4% of the population. Asians now outnumbered African-Americans, constituting 8.9% of the population. Latinos were 16.1% of the population.

There were 86,352 households out of which 19.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.30% were married couples
Marriage

Marriage is a social, spirituality, or law union of individuals. This union may also be called matrimony, while the ceremony that marks its beginning is usually called a wedding and the married status created is sometimes called wedlock....
 living together, 7.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 54.50% were non-families. 40.80% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the county, the population was spread out with 16.50% under the age of 18, 10.40% from 18 to 24, 42.40% from 25 to 44, 21.30% from 45 to 64, and 9.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 101.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.70 males.

According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in the county was $90,047, and the median income for a family was $120,556. Males had a median income of $51,011 versus $41,552 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income

Per capita income means how much each individual receives, in monetary terms, of the yearly income generated in the country. This is what each citizen is to receive if the yearly national income is divided equally among everyone....
 for the county was $37,706. About 5.00% of families and 7.80% of the population were below the poverty line
Poverty threshold

The poverty threshold, or poverty line, is the minimum level of income deemed necessary to achieve an adequate standard of living in a given country....
, including 9.10% of those under age 18 and 7.00% of those age 65 or over. In 2004 the average single-family home sales price passed $600,000, approximately triple the price less than a decade before, and the median topped $550,000 .

Arlington Census Designated Place (CDP) population history

  • 1960.....163,401
  • 1970.....174,284
  • 1980.....152,299
  • 1990.....170,936
  • 2000.....189,453
  • 2006.....200,226
  • 2007.....202,800 (estimated)


maintains regional economic data and statistics.

Development patterns

Arlingtontodimage3
Arlington has won awards for its smart growth
Smart growth

Smart growth is an urban urban planning and transportation planning theory that concentrates growth in the center of a city to avoid urban sprawl; and advocates compact, transit-oriented development, pedestrian-friendly, bicycle-friendly land use, including neighborhood schools, complete streets, mixed-use development with a range of housing...
 development strategies
Urban planning

Urban, city, and town planning is the integration of the disciplines of land use planning and transport planning, to explore a very wide range of aspects of the built and social environments of urbanized municipalities and communities....
. For over 30 years, the government has had a policy of concentrating much of its new development near transit facilities, such as Metrorail
Washington Metro

The Washington Metro is the rapid transit system in Washington, D.C. and its surrounding suburbs. The system is administered by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority ....
 stations and the high-volume bus lines of Columbia Pike
Virginia State Route 244

State Route 244, also known as Columbia Pike, is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is a four-lane road that runs from State Route 236 in Annandale, Virginia, Fairfax County, Virginia east to State Route 27 at the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia....
. Within the transit areas, the government has a policy of encouraging mixed-use
Mixed-use development

Mixed-use development is the practice of allowing more than one type of use in a building or set of buildings. In planning Zoning terms, this can mean some combination of residential, commercial, industrial, office, institutional, or other land uses....
 and pedestrian-
Walkability

Walkability is a measure of how friendly an area is to walking. Walkability has many health, environmental, and economic benefits. However, evaluating walkability is challenging because it requires the consideration of many subjective factors....
 and transit-oriented development
Transit-oriented development

A transit-oriented development is a Mixed-use development residential or commercial area designed to maximize access to public transport, and often incorporates features to encourage transit ridership....
. Outside of those areas, the government usually limits density increases, but makes exceptions for larger projects that are near major highways, such as in Shirlington
Shirlington, Virginia

Shirlington is a population center officially called an "urban village" in the southern part of Arlington County, Virginia, Virginia, United States, adjacent to the Fairlington, Virginia area....
, near I-395
Interstate 395 (District of Columbia-Virginia)

Interstate 395 in Virginia is a 13 mile long spur route that begins at a junction with Interstate 95 in Virginia in Springfield, Virginia and ends in Washington, D.C....
 (the Shirley Highway
Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway

The Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway was the first limited access freeway in the United States state of Virginia. Begun in 1946, the road was completed from Woodbridge, Virginia to the 14th Street Bridge over the Potomac River between Virginia and Washington, D.C., in 1952....
).

Much of Arlington's development in the last generation has been concentrated around 7 of the County's 11 Metrorail stations. However, infill
Infill

Infill in its broadest meaning is material that fills in an otherwise unoccupied space. The term is commonly used in association with construction techniques such as wattle and daub, and civil engineering activities such as land reclamation....
 development elsewhere in the County has recently replaced many undeveloped lots and small single-family dwellings with row houses
Terraced house

In architecture and city planning, a terrace or row house or townhouse is a style of medium-density housing that originated in Europe in the late 17th century, where a row of identical or mirror-image houses share side walls....
 and larger homes.

Increasing land values and re-development (most of which is by-right development ) has diminished Arlington's tree canopy and reduced the supply of existing affordable housing
Affordable housing

Affordable housing is a term used to describe dwelling units whose total house costs are deemed "wikt:affordable" to a group of people within a specified income range....
. To address x coverage and the construction of larger homes the County has recently limited the allowable coverage on some single-family lots.

In addition, the County implemented in 2005 an affordable housing ordinance that requires most developers to contribute significant affordable housing resources, either in units or through a cash contribution, in order to obtain the highest allowable amounts of increased building density in new development projects, most of which are planned near Metrorail station areas. The County also permits greater heights and densities through zoning ordinance bonuses in exchange for the creation of additional on-site affordable housing units, at a target level of 1:1 (i.e. one committed affordable unit for every market-rate unit; since 2004, and including condominium projects, actual average production has been closer to 2:3.)

The County focuses its efforts to preserve, create and maintain for-sale and rental affordable housing units to household
Household

The household is "the basic residential unit in which production , consumption , inheritance, child rearing, and shelter are organized and carried out"; [the household] "may or may not be synonomous with family"....
s whose income is not greater than 80% of the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area Median Income (AMI); rental units are committed for no fewer than 30 years at no greater than 60% AMI. AMI tables are published annually by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The Arlington County maintains detailed data about current and historical .

Image:Rosslyn1457828712 33c9d23751 o.jpg|Rosslyn Image:Ballston153351.jpg|Courthouse Image:Ballston4355454.jpg|Ballston Image:Crystalcity.jpg|Crystal City Image:Pentagon City.jpg|Pentagon City

Government


Arlington is governed by a five person County Board, whose members are elected to four year terms. They appoint a county manager, who is the chief executive of the County Government. Like all Virginia Counties, Arlington also has five elected constitutional officers: a sheriff, a clerk of court, a commonwealth's attorney, a treasurer, and a commissioner of the revenue. Starting in 1996, the County switched from a School Board appointed by the County Board to an elected School Board.

Starting in 2008, for the first time in many years, all elected officials in Arlington were either nominated by or, in the case of School Board members, endorsed by the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major party contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party . It is the oldest political party in continuous operation in the United States and it is one of the oldest parties in the world....
. However, starting in the early 1980s, the Democratic Party was the predominant party in the County. The Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)

The Republican Party is one of the two major party contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party . It is often called the Grand Old Party or the GOP....
 controlled a School Board seat from 1999 until 2007, held a majority on the County Board from 1977 to 1982, and controlled at least one County Board seat until 1995 (and again briefly in 1999).

Arlington is governed or represented by three of the four openly gay elected officials in Virginia. Arlington County Board member Jay Fisette was the first in 1997. Adam Ebbin became the first openly gay Delegate in 2003. In 2006, School Board member Sally Baird became the first openly lesbian elected official in Virginia. (The fourth openly gay elected official is Councilman Paul Smedberg of the City of Alexandria Council.)

Position Name Party First Election Next Election
Chairman Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major party contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party . It is the oldest political party in continuous operation in the United States and it is one of the oldest parties in the world....
2003 2011
Vice-Chairman Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major party contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party . It is the oldest political party in continuous operation in the United States and it is one of the oldest parties in the world....
1997 2012
Member Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major party contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party . It is the oldest political party in continuous operation in the United States and it is one of the oldest parties in the world....
1997 2009
Member Mary Hynes Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major party contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party . It is the oldest political party in continuous operation in the United States and it is one of the oldest parties in the world....
2007 2011
Member Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major party contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party . It is the oldest political party in continuous operation in the United States and it is one of the oldest parties in the world....
1996 2010


Arlington also elects four Members of the 100 Member Virginia House of Delegates
Virginia House of Delegates

The Virginia House of Delegates is the lower house of the Virginia General Assembly. It has 100 members elected for terms of two years; unlike most states, these elections take place during odd-numbered years....
 and two Members of the Virginia Senate. State Senators are elected to four year terms, while Delegates are elected to two year terms.

Office Name Party and District First Election Next Election
Senator Patricia "Patsy" Ticer Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major party contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party . It is the oldest political party in continuous operation in the United States and it is one of the oldest parties in the world....
 (30)
1995 2011
Senator Mary Margaret Whipple Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major party contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party . It is the oldest political party in continuous operation in the United States and it is one of the oldest parties in the world....
 (31)
1995 2011
Delegate David Englin Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major party contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party . It is the oldest political party in continuous operation in the United States and it is one of the oldest parties in the world....
 (45)
2005 2009
Delegate Albert Eisenberg Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major party contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party . It is the oldest political party in continuous operation in the United States and it is one of the oldest parties in the world....
 (47)
2003 2009
Delegate Robert Brink Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major party contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party . It is the oldest political party in continuous operation in the United States and it is one of the oldest parties in the world....
 (48)
1997 2009
Delegate Adam Ebbin
Adam Ebbin

Adam P. Ebbin is an Politics of the United States from the Commonwealth of Virginia. A Democratic Party , he is a member of the Virginia House of Delegates, representing the state's 49th district in Northern Virginia since January 2004....
 
Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major party contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party . It is the oldest political party in continuous operation in the United States and it is one of the oldest parties in the world....
 (49)
2003 2009


Arlington has an elected five person , whose members are elected to four year terms. Virginia law does not permit political parties to place school board candidates on the ballot, but as in many other Virginia jurisdictions, most Arlington school board candidates run with an explicit party endorsement.

Position Name Party First Election Next Election
Chair endorsed by Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major party contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party . It is the oldest political party in continuous operation in the United States and it is one of the oldest parties in the world....
 in 2005
2005 2009
Vice Chair Sally Baird endorsed by Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major party contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party . It is the oldest political party in continuous operation in the United States and it is one of the oldest parties in the world....
 in 2006
2006 2010
Member Libby Garvey endorsed by Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major party contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party . It is the oldest political party in continuous operation in the United States and it is one of the oldest parties in the world....
 in 2008
1996 2012
Member Abby Raphael endorsed by Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major party contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party . It is the oldest political party in continuous operation in the United States and it is one of the oldest parties in the world....
 in 2007
2007 2011
Member Emma Sanchez-Violand endorsed by Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major party contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party . It is the oldest political party in continuous operation in the United States and it is one of the oldest parties in the world....
 in 2008
2008 2012


Arlington also has several Constitutional Officers
Constitution of Virginia

The Constitution of the Commonwealth of Virginia is the document that defines and limits the powers of the state government and the basic rights of the citizens of the United States Commonwealth of Virginia....
, all of whom are elected County-wide.

Position Name Party First Election Next Election
Treasurer Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major party contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party . It is the oldest political party in continuous operation in the United States and it is one of the oldest parties in the world....
1983 2011
Clerk of the Court Paul Ferguson Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major party contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party . It is the oldest political party in continuous operation in the United States and it is one of the oldest parties in the world....
2007 2015
Commonwealth's Attorney Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major party contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party . It is the oldest political party in continuous operation in the United States and it is one of the oldest parties in the world....
1993 2011
Sheriff Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major party contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party . It is the oldest political party in continuous operation in the United States and it is one of the oldest parties in the world....
2000 2011
Commissioner of Revenue Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major party contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party . It is the oldest political party in continuous operation in the United States and it is one of the oldest parties in the world....
2003 2011


Presidential election results


Each year's winner in the general election is listed first below.

  • 2008 - 71.7% Obama
    Barack Obama

    Barack Hussein Obama II is the List of Presidents of the United States and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office....
     (D)
    , 27.1% McCain
    John McCain

    John Sidney McCain III is the senior senator United States United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican Party presidential nominee in the 2008 United States presidential election....
     (R)
  • 2004 - 31.3% Bush
    George W. Bush

    George Walker Bush served as the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States from 2001 to 2009. He was the 46th List of Governors of Texas from 1995 to 2000 before being United States presidential inauguration as President on January 20, 2001....
     (R), 67.6% Kerry
    John Kerry

    John Forbes Kerry is the Junior Senator United States Senate from Massachusetts and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.As the Presidential nominee of the Democratic Party , he was defeated by 34 electoral votes in the United States presidential election, 2004 by the Republican Party incumbent President of the United States...
     (D)
  • 2000 - 34.2% Bush
    George W. Bush

    George Walker Bush served as the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States from 2001 to 2009. He was the 46th List of Governors of Texas from 1995 to 2000 before being United States presidential inauguration as President on January 20, 2001....
     (R), 60.1% Gore
    Al Gore

    Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. is an United States environmentalism activist who served as the List of Vice Presidents of the United States Vice President of the United States from 1993 to 2001 under President of the United States Bill Clinton....
     (D)
  • 1996 - 60.5% Clinton
    Bill Clinton

    William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton served as the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He was the fifteenth Democrat elected to that office....
     (D)
    , 34.6% Dole
    Bob Dole

    Robert Joseph "Bob" Dole is an attorney and retired United States Senate from Kansas from 1969?1996, serving part of that time as United States Senate Majority Leader, where he set a record as the longest-serving Republican leader....
     (R)
  • 1992 - 57.8% Clinton
    Bill Clinton

    William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton served as the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He was the fifteenth Democrat elected to that office....
     (D)
    , 31.9% Bush (R)
  • 1988 - 45.4% Bush (R), 53.5% Dukakis
    Michael Dukakis

    Michael Stanley Dukakis is an American Democratic Party politician, former Governor of Massachusetts, and was the Democratic Party United States presidential election, 1988....
     (D)
  • 1984 - 48.2% Reagan
    Ronald Reagan

    Ronald Wilson Reagan was the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States and the 33rd Governor of California . Born in Illinois, Reagan moved to Los Angeles, California in the 1930s, where he was an actor, president of the Screen Actors Guild , and a spokesman for General Electric ....
     (R), 51.3% Mondale
    Walter Mondale

    Walter Frederick Mondale is an Politics of the United States and member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. He was the List of Vice Presidents of the United States Vice President of the United States under President of the United States Jimmy Carter, a two-term United States Senate from Minnesota, and the very unsuccessful Democ...
     (D)
  • 1980 - 46.1% Reagan
    Ronald Reagan

    Ronald Wilson Reagan was the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States and the 33rd Governor of California . Born in Illinois, Reagan moved to Los Angeles, California in the 1930s, where he was an actor, president of the Screen Actors Guild , and a spokesman for General Electric ....
     (R)
    , 39.6% Carter
    Jimmy Carter

    James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. served as the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States from 1977 to 1981 and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize....
     (D)
  • 1976 - 50.4% Carter
    Jimmy Carter

    James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. served as the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States from 1977 to 1981 and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize....
     (D)
    , 47.9% Ford
    Gerald Ford

    Gerald Rudolph Ford, Jr. was the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the List of Vice Presidents of the United States Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974....
     (R)
  • 1972 - 59.4% Nixon
    Richard Nixon

    Richard Milhous Nixon was the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States and the only president to resign the office....
     (R)
    , 39% McGovern
    George McGovern

    George Stanley McGovern, is a former United States United States House of Representatives, United States Senate, and Democratic Party President of the United States nominee....
     (D)
  • 1968 - 45.9% Nixon
    Richard Nixon

    Richard Milhous Nixon was the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States and the only president to resign the office....
     (R)
    , 42.6% Humphrey
    Hubert Humphrey

    Hubert Horatio Humphrey, Jr. was the List of Vice Presidents of the United States Vice President of the United States, serving under President Lyndon B....
     (D)
  • 1964 - 61.7% Johnson (D), 37.7% Goldwater
    Barry Goldwater

    Barry Morris Goldwater was a five-term United States Senate from Arizona and the History of the United States Republican Party's nominee for President of the United States in the U.S....
     (R)
  • 1960 - 51.4% Kennedy
    John F. Kennedy

    John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States, serving from 1961 until John F....
     (D)
    , 48.1% Nixon
    Richard Nixon

    Richard Milhous Nixon was the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States and the only president to resign the office....
     (R)


Transportation

Rosslyn (arlington), Virginia Sunset

Airports

Arlington is the home of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is a public airport located three miles south of the central business district of Washington, D.C., in Arlington County, Virginia, United States....
  , which provides domestic services to the Washington, D.C. area.

Nearby airports with international services include Washington Dulles International Airport
Washington Dulles International Airport

Washington Dulles International Airport is a public airport located 25 miles west of the central business district of Washington, D.C., in Dulles, Virginia ....
  , located in Fairfax
Fairfax County, Virginia

Fairfax County is a County in Northern Virginia Virginia, in the United States. , the estimated population of the county is 1,077,000, making it by far the most populous jurisdiction in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the most populous jurisdiction in the Washington Metropolitan Area....
 and Loudoun
Loudoun County, Virginia

Loudoun County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and is part of the Washington Metropolitan Area. As of July 2006, the county is estimated to be home to 268,817 people, a 58 percent increase over the 2000 figure of 169,599....
 counties in Virginia, and Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport
Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport

Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport serves the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area . It is commonly called BWI or BWI Airport, its IATA Airport Code, an initialism for "Baltimore/Washington International," or as BWI-Marshall....
  , located in unincorporated Anne Arundel County
Anne Arundel County, Maryland

Anne Arundel County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It is named for Anne Arundell , a member of the ancient family of Arundells in Cornwall, England and the wife of C?cilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore....
, Maryland
Maryland

Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic States of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia and the Washington, D.C. to the south and west, Pennsylvania to the north, and Delaware to the east....
.

Public transportation

Arlington is served by the Orange
Orange Line (Washington Metro)

The Orange Line of the Washington Metro consists of 26 rapid transit metro station from Vienna/Fairfax-GMU to New Carrollton . It has stations in Fairfax County, Virginia and Arlington County, Virginia, Virginia, the District of Columbia, and Prince George's County, Maryland, Maryland....
, Blue
Blue Line (Washington Metro)

The Blue Line of the Washington Metro consists of 27 rapid transit metro station from Franconia?Springfield to Largo Town Center . It has stations in Fairfax County, Virginia, Alexandria, Virginia and Arlington County, Virginia, Virginia, the District of Columbia, and Prince George's County, Maryland, Maryland....
 and Yellow
Yellow Line (Washington Metro)

The Yellow Line of the Washington Metro consists of 17 rapid transit metro station from Huntington to Fort Totten . The line terminates at the Mount Vernon Square/7th Street-Convention Center station during peak hours....
 lines of the Washington Metro
Washington Metro

The Washington Metro is the rapid transit system in Washington, D.C. and its surrounding suburbs. The system is administered by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority ....
. Additionally, it is served by Virginia Railway Express
Virginia Railway Express

The Virginia Railway Express is a Regional rail service that connects the Northern Virginia area with Washington, DC. VRE is a transportation partnership of the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission and the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission ....
 (commuter rail), Metrobus
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority is a tri-jurisdictional government agency authorized by United States Congress, that operates transit service in the Washington, D.C....
 (regional public bus), and a local public bus system, Arlington Transit
Arlington Transit

File:Arlington Transit logo.pngArlington Transit operates in Arlington County, Virginia, providing bus and other transit service within the county....
 (ART).

Roads in Arlington County


Main articles: Streets and highways of Arlington County, Virginia
Streets and highways of Arlington County, Virginia

This article deals with the streets and highways of Arlington County, Virginia, a suburb of Washington, D.C. in the United States....
 and Arlington County, Virginia, street-naming system
Arlington County, Virginia, street-naming system

This article details the street-naming system of Arlington County, Virginia, Virginia in the United States.Although the streets of Arlington County are not laid out on a grid plan, its local streets follow sequence numbered or alphabetic patterns that are both rationality and provide address information....


The street names in Arlington generally follow a unified countywide convention. The streets are alphabetical starting with one-syllable names, then two-, three- and four-syllable names for streets going north / south. (The "lowest" alphabetical street is Ball Street. The "highest" is Arizona.) The east / west streets are numbered and are divided by Route 50 with all numbered streets labeled as North above Route 50 and all numbered streets labeled as South below. Arlington County is traversed by two interstate highway
Interstate Highway System

The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly called the Interstate Highway System , is a list of highway systems with full control of access and no cross traffic in the United States that is named for United States President Dwight D....
s, Interstate 66
Interstate 66

Interstate 66 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States. As indicated by its even route number, it runs in an east-west direction....
 in the northern part of the county and Interstate 395
Interstate 395 (District of Columbia-Virginia)

Interstate 395 in Virginia is a 13 mile long spur route that begins at a junction with Interstate 95 in Virginia in Springfield, Virginia and ends in Washington, D.C....
 in the eastern part, both with high-occupancy vehicle lane
High-occupancy vehicle lane

In transportation engineering and transportation planning, a high-occupancy vehicle lane is a lane reserved for vehicles with a driver and one or more passengers....
s or restrictions. In addition, the county is served by a number of multi-lane
Lane

The word lane has several meanings, including and especially:#a portion of a paved road which is intended for a single line of vehicles and is marked by white or yellow lines....
 urban arterial road
Arterial road

An arterial road is a moderate or high-capacity road which is immediately below a highway level of service. Much like a biological artery, an arterial road carries large volumes of traffic between areas in urban centres....
s and the George Washington Memorial Parkway
George Washington Memorial Parkway

The George Washington Memorial Parkway, known to local motorists simply as the "G.W. Parkway", is a parkway maintained by the U.S. National Park Service....
.

Bicycle paths

Arlington has of on-street and paved off-road bicycle trails (). Off-road trails travel along the Potomac River
Potomac River

The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic Ocean coast of the United States. The river is approximately 383 statute miles long, with a Drainage basin of about 14,700 square miles ....
 or its tributaries, abandoned railroad beds
Rail trail

Rail trail is a term for a trail that makes use of a Right-of-way . A rail trail can be either a "rail to trail", created in a right-of-way where the railway has been discontinued, or a Rails with trails, created in a right-of-way where the railway remains in use....
, or major highways. Many of the county's major streets designate bicycle lanes near their curbs or parking lanes. Green route signs help cyclists navigate the routes while yellow warning signs alert drivers to the many street crossings.

Several regional paved off-road trails originate in Arlington and extend well beyond its boundaries. The Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Trail
Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Regional Park

The Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Regional Park is a popular and unusually-shaped regional park in Northern Virginia. The park's primary feature is the Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Trail , an pavement_%28material%29#Asphalt_paving rail trail that runs through densely populated Urban area and suburbs communities as well as th...
 (W&OD Trail) rail trail
Rail trail

Rail trail is a term for a trail that makes use of a Right-of-way . A rail trail can be either a "rail to trail", created in a right-of-way where the railway has been discontinued, or a Rails with trails, created in a right-of-way where the railway remains in use....
 travels northwest from Shirlington
Shirlington, Virginia

Shirlington is a population center officially called an "urban village" in the southern part of Arlington County, Virginia, Virginia, United States, adjacent to the Fairlington, Virginia area....
 through Falls Church
Falls Church, Virginia

Falls Church is an independent city in Virginia, United States. The population is 11,200. This city is a part of the Washington Metropolitan Area....
, Vienna
Vienna, Virginia

Vienna is a town in Fairfax County, Virginia, Virginia, United States. The population was 14,453 at the 2000 census and it has grown by about 3% since....
, Herndon
Herndon, Virginia

Herndon is a town in Fairfax County, Virginia, Virginia, United States. The population was 21,655 at the 2000 census, which makes it the largest of three towns in the county....
, and Leesburg
Leesburg, Virginia

Leesburg is a historic town in and county seat of Loudoun County, Virginia, Virginia, United States of America, approximately west-northwest of Washington, D.C....
 to the town of Purcellville
Purcellville, Virginia

Purcellville is a town in Loudoun County, Virginia, Virginia, United States. The population was 3,584 at the United States Census 2000....
 in western Loudoun County, Virginia
Loudoun County, Virginia

Loudoun County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and is part of the Washington Metropolitan Area. As of July 2006, the county is estimated to be home to 268,817 people, a 58 percent increase over the 2000 figure of 169,599....
. The Mount Vernon Trail
Mount Vernon Trail

The Mount Vernon Trail is a popular running and cycling path in Northern Virginia that runs from near Theodore Roosevelt Island to Mount Vernon ....
 runs for along the Potomac, continuing through Alexandria
Alexandria, Virginia

Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the United States Census 2000, the city had a total population of 128,283....
 to George Washington
George Washington

George Washington was the leader of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War and served as the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States of the United States of Americas ....
's plantation home
Mount Vernon

Mount Vernon was the Virginia estate of George Washington, the first President of the United States. The name may also refer to several other places around the world:...
.

Smaller, intra-county trails connect the larger trials. In Arlington's southeast corner, immediately south of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is a public airport located three miles south of the central business district of Washington, D.C., in Arlington County, Virginia, United States....
, the Mount Vernon Trail connects to the Four Mile Run
Four Mile Run

Four Mile Run is a stream in Northern Virginia that proceeds from Fairfax County, Virginia southeast through Falls Church, Virginia to Arlington County, Virginia in the U.S....
 Trail, which travels westward through Arlington in a stream valley. A planned extension of the trail will connect it to the W&OD. The hilly Custis Trail
Custis Trail

The Custis Trail is a 6-mile, paved bike trail in Arlington County, Virginia that extends from Key Bridge at Rosslyn, Virginia westward to Lee Highway in Arlington_County%2C_Virginia#Neighborhoods_in_Arlington....
 begins at the Mount Vernon Trail in Rosslyn
Rosslyn, Virginia

Rosslyn is an unincorporated area in Northern Virginia located in the northeastern corner of Arlington County, Virginia, north of Arlington National Cemetery and directly across the Potomac River from Georgetown, Washington, D.C....
 and travels westward beside Interstate 66 to the W&OD. The Bluemont Junction Trail, another rail trail, travels between the W&OD Trail and the Custis Trail in Ballston
Ballston, Virginia

Ballston is a neighborhood in Arlington County, Virginia and is home to the Ballston-MU on the Orange Line of the Washington Metro subway system....
.

A partially off-road bike route bisects the County while traveling westward from Arlington National Cemetery, the Iwo Jima Memorial and Rosslyn
Rosslyn, Virginia

Rosslyn is an unincorporated area in Northern Virginia located in the northeastern corner of Arlington County, Virginia, north of Arlington National Cemetery and directly across the Potomac River from Georgetown, Washington, D.C....
 to Falls Church while travelling as a paved trail near or adjacent to Arlington Boulevard (U.S. Route 50) or within the boulevard's service road.

Geography

Arlington County is the smallest self-governing county in the United States (the largest county-level jurisdiction being North Slope Borough
North Slope Borough, Alaska

North Slope Borough is a Borough located largely in the Alaska North Slope region of the U.S. state of Alaska. As of the United States Census 2000, the population was 7,385....
, Alaska
Alaska

Alaska is the largest U.S. state of the United States by area; it is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait....
). According to the U.S. Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau

The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data....
, the county has a total area of 26 square miles (67 km²), of which about 4.6 square miles (12 km²) is federal property. There are two counties that are geographically smaller than Arlington in the United States (but which have no form of self-government): Kalawao
Kalawao County, Hawaii

Kalawao County is a county located in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The county is on the Kalaupapa Peninsula, on the north coast of the island of Molokai....
, Hawaii
Hawaii

File:Pahoehoe and Aa flows at Hawaii.jpgThe State of Hawaii is a U.S. state in the United States, located on an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of Australia....
 (13.2 square miles) and Bristol
Bristol County, Rhode Island

Bristol County is a county located in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. As of 2000, the population was 50,648....
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island

Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a U.S. state in the New England region of the United States....
 (24.7 square miles).

Arlington is located at (38.880344, -77.108260). It is adjacent along its northwest border and part of its southwest border to Fairfax County
Fairfax County, Virginia

Fairfax County is a County in Northern Virginia Virginia, in the United States. , the estimated population of the county is 1,077,000, making it by far the most populous jurisdiction in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the most populous jurisdiction in the Washington Metropolitan Area....
; along the remainder of its southwest and southern borders to the City of Falls Church
Falls Church, Virginia

Falls Church is an independent city in Virginia, United States. The population is 11,200. This city is a part of the Washington Metropolitan Area....
 and the City of Alexandria
Alexandria, Virginia

Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the United States Census 2000, the city had a total population of 128,283....
; and along the Potomac River
Potomac River

The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic Ocean coast of the United States. The river is approximately 383 statute miles long, with a Drainage basin of about 14,700 square miles ....
 north and east of it to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C. , formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D.C., is the Capital of the United States, founded on July 16, 1790....
.

National protected areas

The following national protected area
Protected area

Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their environmental, cultural or similar value. The term protected area includes marine protected area, which refers to protected areas whose boundaries include some area of ocean....
s are located in Arlington:
  • Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial
    Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial

    Arlington House , is a Greek Revival architecture style mansion located in Arlington, Virginia, USA and was once the home of Confederate States of America General Robert E....
  • Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park
    Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park

    The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park is a United States National Historical Park located in the District of Columbia and the states of Maryland and West Virginia....
     (part)
  • George Washington Memorial Parkway
    George Washington Memorial Parkway

    The George Washington Memorial Parkway, known to local motorists simply as the "G.W. Parkway", is a parkway maintained by the U.S. National Park Service....
     (part)


Neighborhoods in Arlington

There are numerous unincorporated neighborhoods within Arlington County that are commonly referred to by name as if they were distinct towns. The county characterizes some of these neighborhoods - particularly those located at Metrorail stations and other major transportation corridors - as "urban villages." These are usually centers with commercial activity. These include:

There are also numerous neighborhoods which are largely residential including:

Arlington County includes a large selection of Sears Catalog Home
Sears Catalog Home

Sears Catalog Homes were ready-to-assemble houses sold through mail order by Sears, Roebuck and Company, an United States retailer. Over 70,000 of these were sold in North America between 1908 and 1940....
s, which were offered between 1908 and 1940, Considered to be of exceptional quality, in modern times, these houses are sought after by many home buyers. As well, Arlington features some of the first and among the best examples of post-World War II garden style apartment complexes in the U.S., some of which were designed by architect Mihran Mesrobian
Mihran Mesrobian

Mihran Mesrobian was a Turkish-born Armenians who immigrated to the United States and became a prominent architect in the Washington, D.C. area....
. Arlington Boulevard (Route 50) is the dividing line in the county.

Neighborhood Historic Preservation Districts


A number of the county's residential neighborhoods and larger garden-style apartment complexes are listed in the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places

The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation....
 and/or designated under the County government's zoning ordinance as local Historic Preservation Districts. These include Arlington Village, Arlington Forest, Ashton Heights, Buckingham, Cherrydale, Claremont, Colonial Village, Fairlington, Lyon Park, Lyon Village, Maywood, Penrose, Waverly Hills and Westover.

Neighborhood Conservation Plans


Many of Arlington County's neighborhoods participate in the Arlington County government's Neighborhood Conservation Program (NCP). Each of these neighborhoods has a Neighborhood Conservation Plan that describes the neighborhood's characteristics, history and recommendations for capital improvement projects that the County government funds through the NCP.

Postal areas

The three-digit zip code
ZIP Code

File:UseZipCode.JPGThe ZIP code is the system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service . The letters ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, are properly written in capital letters and were chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the code....
 prefix 222 uniquely identifies Arlington. Delivery areas north of Arlington Boulevard have odd-numbered ZIP codes (22201, 22203, 22205, 22207, 22209, and 22213), while delivery areas south of Arlington Boulevard have even-numbered ZIP codes (22202, 22204, and 22206). ZIP codes that are assigned to post office box
Post Office box

A post office box is a uniquely-addressable lockable box located on the premises of a post office station.In many countries, particularly in Africa, and the Middle East there is no 'door to door' delivery of mail....
es, large mailers, and military facilities do not always follow that rule.

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and the Pentagon, both within the boundaries of Arlington County, are assigned with Washington, D.C., ZIP codes.

Education


Primary and secondary schools

Arlington County is served by the Arlington Public Schools
Arlington Public Schools

Arlington Public Schools is a public school school division that serves Arlington County, Virginia, Virginia.Arlington County spends about half of its revenue on education, making it one of the top ten per-pupil spenders in the nation ....
 system. The public high schools in Arlington County are Yorktown High School, Washington-Lee High School
Washington-Lee High School

Washington-Lee High School is one of three traditional public high schools in Arlington County, Virginia. As of 2008-2009 the school has over 1,700 students and 120 teachers and covers grades 9-12....
, Wakefield High School
Wakefield High School (Arlington County, Virginia)

Wakefield High School is one of three high schools located in Arlington County, Virginia, and is just one block away from Alexandria, Virginia. There are 140 teachers and 1364 students as of March 2008....
, and the H-B Woodlawn
H-B Woodlawn

The H-B Woodlawn Alternative Program, commonly referred to as H-B, is an alternative all-county public school located in Arlington County, Virginia, Virginia, United States based on the liberal educational movements of the 1960s and 1970s....
 program. Arlington County is also home to Bishop O'Connell
Bishop Denis J. O'Connell High School

Bishop Denis J. O'Connell High School was founded in 1957 in Arlington County, Virginia, Virginia. It was operated by the Catholic Diocese of Richmond, but has been under the direction of the Diocese of Arlington since 1974....
, a Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church

The Roman Catholic Church, officially known as the Catholic Church is the world's largest Christianity Ecclesia , representing over half of all Christians and one-sixth of the world population....
 high school.

Arlington County spends about half of its revenue on education, making it one of the top ten per-pupil spenders in the nation (as of 2004, over $13,000, the second highest amount spent on education in the United States, behind New York City
New York City

The City of New York is the List of United States cities by population in the United States, while the New York metropolitan area ranks among the List of urban areas by population....
).

Through an agreement with Fairfax County
Fairfax County, Virginia

Fairfax County is a County in Northern Virginia Virginia, in the United States. , the estimated population of the county is 1,077,000, making it by far the most populous jurisdiction in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the most populous jurisdiction in the Washington Metropolitan Area....
 Public Schools approved by the school board in 1999, up to 26 students residing in Arlington per grade level may be enrolled at the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology is a public secondary school located in Fairfax County, Virginia, Virginia, United States, west of Alexandria, Virginia....
 in Fairfax at a cost to Arlington of approximately $8000 per student. For the first time in 2006, more students (36) were offered admission in the selective high school than allowed by the previously established enrollment cap.

Colleges and universities

Marymount University
Marymount University

Marymount University is a coeducational, four-year Catholic university whose main campus is located in Arlington County, Virginia....
 is the only university with its main campus located in Arlington. Founded in 1950 by the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary
Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary

The Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary are an international global of about 900 apostolic women Consecrated life , connected by personal contact, local, provincial and general meetings, telephone, E-mail and many Websites to one another with a hope of promoting the integral development and liberation of the whole person....
 as Marymount College of Virginia located on North Glebe Road. The school has expanded into offering complete 4 year undergraduate degrees, graduate degrees and recently doctorial degrees in Fall 2004. The school expanded in the early 1990s and opened an additional campus in Ballston. They also have a Reston Center located in Reston, Virginia
Reston, Virginia

Reston is an internationally known planned community whose goal was to revolutionize Post-war concepts of land use and residential/corporate development in American suburbia....
.

George Mason University
George Mason University

George Mason University is a large public university with a main campus in unincorporated area Fairfax County, Virginia, Virginia, United States, south of and adjacent to the Fairfax, Virginia....
 operates an Arlington campus
George Mason University

George Mason University is a large public university with a main campus in unincorporated area Fairfax County, Virginia, Virginia, United States, south of and adjacent to the Fairfax, Virginia....
 in the Virginia Square area between Clarendon
Clarendon, Virginia

Clarendon is a neighborhood in Arlington County, Virginia, Virginia, United States, located between the Rosslyn, Virginia area and the Ballston, Virginia area....
 and Ballston
Ballston, Virginia

Ballston is a neighborhood in Arlington County, Virginia and is home to the Ballston-MU on the Orange Line of the Washington Metro subway system....
. The campus houses the School of Law
George Mason University School of Law

George Mason University School of Law is the law school of George Mason University, a state university in the United States Commonwealth of Virginia....
, School of Public Policy and other programs. The University is commencing construction on a new building in October 2007, which is expected to open in 2010. This new building will provide additional space for the School of Law and other graduate programs.

DeVry University
DeVry University

DeVry University and DeVry Institute of Technology are Division of Devry Inc. , a private tertiary for-profit school composed of 23 major campuses, 3 subsidiary institutions, and numerous minor service centres in the United States and Canada....
 operates a campus for undergraduate classes along with the Keller School of Management for its graduate classes, in Crystal City
Crystal City, Virginia

Crystal City is an urban neighborhood in the southeastern corner of Arlington County, Virginia. Just south of downtown Washington, D.C., Crystal City is centered along a stretch of Jefferson Davis Highway , just south of The Pentagon, just east of Pentagon City, Virginia, and within walking distance to the west of Ronald Reagan Washington Nat...
. The University established the campus in 2001.

Institute for the Psychological Sciences
Institute for the Psychological Sciences

The Institute for the Psychological Sciences is a graduate school affiliated with the Legion of Christ, a Congregation .The school offers masters and doctoral degrees in psychology and clinical psychology....
 is a regionally accredited institution offering postgraduate programs in Psychology with a Roman Catholic perspective. Its campus is in the Crystal City neighborhood.

is a distance learning university that is headquartered in Rosslyn.

The Art Institute of Washington
The Art Institute of Washington

The Art Institute of Washington ? is one of The Art Institutes, a system of more than 40 educational institutions located throughout North America, providing education in design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts....
, a local branch of The Art Institutes
The Art Institutes

The Art Institutes is a collection of Private school, for-profit university for career preparation in the visual art, creative, and applied arts, including design, Mass media, fashion, and culinary programs....
 is located in the Ames Center across from the Rosslyn Metro Station.

Strayer University
Strayer University

Strayer University, formerly Strayer College of Washington, D.C., is a private, for-profit college School. The Strayer University campuses are owned by Strayer Education, Inc., headquartered in Arlington, Virginia....
 has a campus in Arlington as well as its corporate headquarters.

In addition, Argosy University
Argosy University

Argosy University is a private for-profit university, with 19 locations in 12 U.S. states and online. The university offers numerous programs at various levels, including certification; associates, bachelors, masters, specialist, and doctoral degrees, postdoctoral respecialization, postgraduate concentrations, etc....
, Banner College
The Chubb Institute

Anthem Institute is a chain of private, For-profit school technical schools with several locations in the northeastern United States....
, Everest College
Everest College

Everest College is a system of for-profit colleges in the United States and the Canadian province of Ontario. The schools are owned and operated by Corinthian Colleges International, Inc which also owns Everest University and Everest Institute....
, George Washington University, Georgetown University
Georgetown University

Georgetown University is a Society of Jesus private university located in Georgetown, Washington, D.C. Father John Carroll founded the school in 1789, though its roots extend back to 1634....
, Northern Virginia Community College
Northern Virginia Community College

Northern Virginia Community College, often abbreviated NVCC and colloquially as NOVA, comprises several locations in the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C., and is both the second largest multi-campus community college in the United States and the largest educational institution in the Commonwealth of Virginia....
, Troy University
Troy University

Troy University is a public university located in Troy, Alabama, Alabama and founded in 1887, as "Troy Normal School" with a mission to educate and train new teachers....
, the University of New Haven
University of New Haven

The University of New Haven is a private, comprehensive, coeducational university located in suburban West Haven, Connecticut, Connecticut that was originally founded in 1920 as the New Haven YMCA Junior College ....
, the University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma

University of Oklahoma, abbreviated OU, is a coeducational public university research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma....
, and Westwood College
Westwood College of Technology

Westwood College is a nationally accredited college with 17 campus locations in six states and online learning options. Since their inception more than 50 years ago, Westwood has graduated more than 20,000 students....
 all have campuses in Arlington.

Sister cities

Arlington has four sister cities
Town twinning

Town twinning, also known as sister cities, is a concept whereby towns or city in geographically and politically distinct areas are paired, with the goal of fostering human contact and cultural links between their inhabitants....
, as designated by :

  • Aachen
    Aachen

    is a historic spa town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is the westernmost city of Germany, located along its borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, 65 km west of Cologne....
    , Germany
    Germany

    Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands....
  • Reims
    Reims

    The city of Reims lies in the Champagne-Ardenne region in northeastern France 129 km east-northeast of Paris.Founded by the Gauls, it became a major city during the period of the Roman Empire....
    , France
    France

    France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....
  • San Miguel
    San Miguel, El Salvador

    San Miguel is the fourth most populous city in El Salvador after Santa Ana and Soyapango and the second most important after San Salvador. Located 138 km East from the capital, San Salvador....
    , El Salvador
    El Salvador

    El Salvador is the smallest country in the Americas and Central America by size, and the most densely populated nation in Central America. It borders on the Pacific Ocean between Guatemala and Honduras....
  • Coyoacán
    Coyoacán

    Coyoac?n is one of the 16 delegaciones into which Mexico's Mexican Federal District is divided. Coyoac?n also is commonly used to refer to the neighborhood at the heart of the borough....
    , Mexico
    Mexico

    The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federalism constitutionalism republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of Mexico....


See also

  • Arlington Independent Media
    Arlington Independent Media

    Arlington Independent Media , formerly Arlington Community Television, is a non-profit membership organization providing television production training workshops and professional production facilities, as well as the public access cable television on Comcast channel 69, Verizon FIOS channel 38 in Arlington County, Virginia....
  • List of people from the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area
    List of people from the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area

    This is a list of famous people and celebrities who were either born in or have lived in the Washington Metropolitan Area, including the Maryland and Northern Virginia suburbs....
  • List of federal agencies in Arlington County, Virginia
    List of federal agencies in Arlington County, Virginia

    The following Federal Agencies are located in Arlington County, Virginia:...
  • Arlington Hall
    Arlington Hall

    Arlington Hall was the headquarters of the United States Army's Signal Intelligence Service cryptography effort during World War II. Its site presently houses the National Foreign Affairs Training Center....


External links

  • Arlington travel guide from Wikitravel
    Wikitravel

    Wikitravel is a World Wide Web-based project "to create a free content, complete, up-to-date, and reliable worldwide guide book." Launched in July 2003 by Evan Prodromou and Michele Ann Jenkins, the Web site is based upon the wiki model, using the Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike license....