The arbitrary federal holiday known as President’s Day might have been last week, but don’t let that stop you from recognizing the actual birthday of an actual president. Founding father George Washington turns 278 today.
Did you know that our first president owned 1,200 acres of land in Northern Virginia, much of it in Arlington? If you don’t believe it, head out on a historical trek to find the George Washington Survey Tree.
Okay, the tree is long gone, but a marker was erected at the site where it once stood. It’s located just off the W&OD trail, near the Glencarlyn and Barcroft sections of Arlington.
There is also a section of the original tree on exhibit at the Glencarlyn Library.