history | ARLnow.com

Morning Notes

Published April 20, 2021 at 5:00AM

Final Departure for Gate 35X — Reagan National Airport’s notorious Gate 35X served its last unhappy passengers last night. A newly-built, fully-indoor concourse opens today. [WTOP, Twitter, Twitter, The Points Guy]

Rosslyn Resident Makes Big Donation to UNC — “The University of North Carolina at Pembroke… has received a $6 million planned gift — the second largest in the university’s history — from former trustee Mary Ann Elliott to name the McKenzie-Elliott School of Nursing.” Elliott is a Rosslyn resident and former aerospace executive. [Yahoo]

News

Despite New County Logo on the Horizon, Officials Say Arlington Name Likely to Stay

By Jo DeVoe

Published April 16, 2021 at 3:45PM

The U.S. flag flies at half-mast in front of Arlington House (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

This is set to be a pivotal year for how Arlington County represents itself in its logo and its infrastructure.

At the close of 2020, Arlington County kickstarted the process of updating its logo — a process that will soon be inviting public input — and this fall, County Board members expect to review a new framework for considering the possibility of new names for things like parks, streets and building.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published April 15, 2021 at 7:30AM

Feds: Comfort Inn Hosted Gun Cache — “Members of the Oath Keepers paramilitary group likely stored weapons at a hotel in Arlington, Virginia, as part of their plan to have an armed rapid-response force during the January 6 insurrection, federal prosecutors said. The new details flesh out previous accusations from prosecutors that members of the Oath Keepers assembled a ‘quick reaction force,’ or QRF, in Virginia that could deploy into the nation’s capital if needed.” [CNN, Politico]

Nature Centers Reopen — “Another sign things are returning to a semblance of normalcy, albeit slowly (this is Arlington, after all): The Gulf Branch and Long Branch nature centers, operated by the county government, have reopened. Hours and exhibitions are limited, but this marks the first time in nearly 13 months that Arlington residents have had consistent access to the nature centers.” [Sun Gazette]

Opinion

Lyon’s Legacy III: The Constitution and the Raid

By ARLnow.com

Published April 9, 2021 at 1:30PM

A later artist’s rendition of Crandal Mackey’s raid on Rosslyn. This painting hangs in the Virginia Room at Arlington Central Library. The depiction is hagiographic, cartoonish, and inaccurate, but indicates the significance of the event in Arlington’s history. Image used with permission of Arlington Public Library.

Lyon’s Legacy is a limited-run opinion column on the history of housing in Arlington. The views expressed are solely the author’s.

“Discrimination! Why that is exactly what we propose… That exactly is what this convention was elected for — to discriminate to the very extremity of permissible action under the limitation of the federal Constitution, with the view to the elimination of every Negro voter who can be gotten rid of.”

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published April 5, 2021 at 5:00AM | Updated April 5, 2021 at 8:46AM

Manager: Say No to Rouse Historic Designation — “With much of the physical infrastructure on the site now a pile of rubble, Arlington County Manager Mark Schwartz wants County Board members to throw in the towel on designating parts of the Rouse estate parcel as a local historic district… While recommending that the County Board reject the historic designation, Schwartz also proposes that staff be directed to come back by October with a report on potential ways the site could be incorporated into Arlington’s historic-preservation and/or affordable-housing efforts.” [Sun Gazette]

Police Looking for Missing Man — Updated at 8:45 a.m. — The Fairfax County Police helicopter assisted with the search for a missing Arlington man Sunday afternoon. Early his morning, ACPD announced: “[The missing man] has been safely located. Thank you to everyone who assisted by sharing this information.” [Twitter, NBC 4]

Opinion

Lyon’s Legacy II: The Backlash Begins

By D. Taylor Reich

Published March 26, 2021 at 2:25PM

Lyon’s Legacy is a limited-run opinion column on the history of housing in Arlington. The views expressed are solely the author’s.

Arlington County was once home to a community of former slaves so prosperous that tours were given to foreign dignitaries as evidence of America’s racial progress.

News

JUST IN: Rouse Estate Is Currently Being Torn Down

By ARLnow.com

Published March 24, 2021 at 11:45AM

Demolition of Rouse estate in Dominion Hills (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

To the anguish of preservationists, the Febrey-Lothrop House — also known as the Rouse estate — is in the process of being torn down as of Wednesday morning.

A crew is using heavy equipment to demolish the aging mansion at 6407 Wilson Blvd, the origins of which are historic in nature, according to those that have waged a campaign to save it following the death of its long-time owner.

Around Town

Mario’s Pizza House Continues to Serve Up Slices and Memories

By Matt Blitz

Published March 22, 2021 at 3:30PM

Mario’s Pizza in Virginia Square has been operating since 1957 (Staff photo by Jay Westcott)

For 64 years, Mario’s Pizza House on Wilson Blvd has served up slices and memories.

From late night pizza runs to Little League baseball, for many Arlingtonians Mario’s has remained one of the only constants in a county where change is the norm. And, according to its current owner Tuhin Ahmed, Mario’s Pizza is not going anywhere, despite some of the change happening around it.

News

Comedian Amy Schumer’s Home Decor Includes Depiction of Desegregation Fight in Arlington

By Vernon Miles

Published March 17, 2021 at 3:45PM | Updated March 18, 2021 at 12:30AM

The struggle to desegregate Arlington occupies not only local historical significance, but apparently a place of honor in the foyer of comedian Amy Schumer.

As noted by the Twitter account of Arlington’s planning office, Schumer recently posted posted a photo on Instagram yesterday that highlights a painting hanging on her wall.

Opinion

Lyon’s Legacy: When Arlington Was Black

By D. Taylor Reich

Published March 12, 2021 at 2:45PM | Updated March 12, 2021 at 3:12PM

Lyon’s Legacy is a limited-run opinion column on the history of housing in Arlington. The views expressed are solely the author’s.

“A nation may lose its liberties and be a century in finding it out.” -John Mercer Langston

News

Permit Approval Clears Way for Dominion Hills Mansion Demolition

By Vernon Miles

Published March 10, 2021 at 3:30PM | Updated March 11, 2021 at 9:31AM

Febrey-Lothrop House, also known as the Rouse Estate, prior to its demolition in 2021 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

(Updated at 4:10 p.m.) Arlington County was in a race against its own bureaucracy to save the Febrey-Lothrop estate from demolition — and it seems the County lost.

The Dominion Hills mansion, owned by sportsman Randy Rouse until he passed away in 2017, had also been home to Howard Hughes and actress Audrey Meadows. Of greater historic interest to County officials was the fact that the estate grounds, which had been a hunting ground and gathering place for pre-Columbian Native American tribes in the area, had been left virtually undisturbed for centuries.

News

New Exhibit at Arlington Nat’l Cemetery Celebrates Military Women of Color

By Hannah Foley

Published March 10, 2021 at 2:15PM | Updated March 10, 2021 at 3:51PM

(Updated at 3:50 p.m.) A new exhibit at Arlington National Cemetery honors the contributions of servicewomen of color to the United States.

The exhibit, called “The Color of Freedom: Honoring the Diversity of America’s Servicewomen,” opened over the weekend at the Military Women’s Memorial, located at the end of Memorial Avenue near the cemetery’s main entrance.