Arlington – An Architectural Heaven!
For anyone who loves architecture, Arlington Virginia is a great experience.
There is such an interesting and eclectic array of homes and architectural styles. I try to select a broad range of styles for my series. Here are some of my recent house portraits subjects. As you can see they range from classic Craftsman and Bungalow homes to Colonial Revivals and some elegant Tudors such as the one below.
To understand the architecture of an area, you need to know a little bit about the history and so I did a bit of digging to find out.
Arlington is a residential suburb of Washington, DC located just across the Potomac River. It was originally named Alexandria County and was included as part of the 10 mile square of the District of Columbia. When it was deemed to be in excess of the needs of the federal government, it was returned to Virginia in 1846. In 1920, in order to avoid confusion with the city of Alexandria, the county’s name was changed to Arlington, in recognition of Arlington House, Robert E. Lee’s home. It was designed by George Hadfield, an English architect, who also designed the US Capitol. You can still see this mansion on the site of the Arlington National Cemetery, as a mark of widespread respect for him in both the North and the South.
The oldest house in Arlington County, the 1760’s Ball-Sellers House built by yeoman farmer, John Ball is a rare example of the dwelling of the ordinary person during the 18th Century. It features a rare surviving clapboard roof, as documented by noted architectural historian, Dell Upton.
Around 1740, Gerard Alexand built the Abingdon Plantation, the first great mansion within the present limits of Arlington. It is known as the birthplace of Eleanor Parke Custis Lewis, granddaughter of Martha Washington. The land on which it was built was Gravelly Point, where the site of the ruins has been resorted on the grounds of Reagan International Airport. It is also thought to have been home to the first of all weeping willow trees in the US.
During the Civil War, Union forces quickly occupied Arlington and built some 20 forts for the defense of Washington. And today, Arlington is the site of the Pentagon, built at the start of World War II. It is headquarters for the United States Department of Defense and the largest office building in the world!
The extension of trolley lines and the Washington & Old Dominion Railway helped the county grow as a residential suburb of Washington, DC. Today there are 209,000 people residing in Arlington and enjoying the varied home styles, foods and people. Driving through the many diverse neighborhoods, it is interesting to see all of the different architectural designs that come into play. From neighborhood to neighborhood the styles transition in and out of Federal, Georgian, Cape Cod, Craftsman and Bungalows. And that’s what makes it so interesing to live there or visit.
I hope you enjoyed this.
That’s all for now, Leisa
