If the “Welcome to Arlington” sign on eastbound Langston Blvd in East Falls Church has seemed a bit brighter in recent months, there’s a good reason.
A collaborative effort between the Inter-Service Club Council (ISCC) of Arlington and county government has delivered a refresh for the signage, which has been in place since the 1940s.
“It’s not just about a sign. It’s what the sign represents,” said County Board member Julius “J.D.” Spain, Sr., who spoke at a rededication ceremony yesterday (Monday).
Visitors to the county, and those who call Arlington home, “are going to be reminded or told in a gentle manner that this is a special place,” Spain said.
ISCC offered each of its member organizations the opportunity to pay for a newly designed placard highlighting their group. ISCC then coordinated manufacturing to ensure a consistent look of the signage.
County staff affixed the new placards to the existing sign, which, ISCC president Sandy Bushue said, dates to 1942-43 and has been refreshed at least once before.
More organizations may be added later, but current signage notes the presence in Arlington of:
- Local Rotary, Optimist, Kiwanis and Civitan clubs
- The Links, Incorporated’s Arlington chapter and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority’s Zeta Chi Omega chapter
- The Arlington Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Center of Arlington and Better Sports Club of Arlington
- PathForward and the Center for Youth and Family Advocacy
“We serve together, we live together, we work together for all of Arlington,” ISCC secretary Crystal Lander said. “The sign is just a visual image of what we do every day in the community.”
Bushue conceived the refurbishment idea more than a year ago. But for a time, she said, the sign’s place near the intersection of Langston Blvd and Washington Blvd appeared to be imperiled.
The county government “first wanted to get rid of it,” Bushue told those gathered in front of the sign.
Because it sits on Virginia Department of Transportation right-of-way, the signage was protected. Bushue credited County Manager Mark Schwartz with helping turning the tide in within the local government to support the refurbishment.
Schwartz “was amazing” in backing the effort, she said.
The Inter-Service Club Council of Arlington was founded in 1940. It serves as a clearinghouse of information for member organizations, organizes an annual luncheon and bestows its Community Leader Award each year.
