Arlington History Facts and Timeline

(Arlington, Virginia - VA, USA)

Arlington County is located on the east bank of the River Potomac, across from the US capital, Washington DC. The land on which Arlington stands was in fact once part of Washington, being donated by the Virginian authorities. However, it was eventually returned to Virginia in 1846 due to internal issues.

At this time in history, the land was known as Alexandria County. It was renamed Arlington in 1920 in order to avoid confusion with nearby Alexandria City. Today, few tourists choose to stay here, but it is a popular side-trip among those visiting Washington DC. The city's attractions include the Pentagon and the Arlington National Cemetery.

The American Civil War

During the American Civil War, much of Alexandria was in favor of secession and supported the Confederate rebellion. In fact, many Northern Virginia residents served in the Confederate forces. As such, the Union government actively sought to punish these rebels by forcing them to pay real-estate taxes in person. As several of these landowners were serving with the Confederation, they were unable to pay the taxes. As a consequence, their properties were confiscated.


These properties included the Abingdon estate and Arlington House, the latter of which was owned by Confederate General Robert E. Lee. Visitors who would like to learn more about this period in the history of the area can visit the Arlington Historical Museum, which is located in an old school building.

History of the National Cemetery

After the passing of his parents, Robert E. Lee's son took the federal government to court in order to reclaim his father's property. The grounds of Arlington House had already been used as a military cemetery, but in 1882, Arlington House was returned to George Washington Custis Lee. In the following year, he sold the property back to the government for US$150,000, with the area then developed into the Arlington National Cemetery.

Nowadays, visitors can still see Arlington House, which is used as a memorial to Robert E. Lee. Well-known tombs in the cemetery include that of John F. Kennedy, the assassinated US president, as well as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The Changing of the Guard ceremony regularly takes place at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, while a Tourmobile allows visitors to discover the hillier parts of the cemetery's vast grounds.

The Pentagon

The Pentagon, which is located across from the Arlington National Cemetery, is the world's biggest office building. It was built over two years, from 1941 to 1943, and is currently home to some 23,000 civilian and military workers. It is considered to be the spiritual home of the US military, with many commentators using the term 'the Pentagon' to refer to the US military in general. Visitors may be able to arrange a tour of the premises, but this has become more difficult since the 2001 terrorist attacks by al-Qaeda.

Al-Qaeda Attacks

The Pentagon was attacked on 11th September 2001, when five operatives from the al-Qaeda terrorist organization hijacked an American Airlines flight. The plane was intentionally crashed into the Pentagon, resulting in the death of 125 Pentagon staff and 64 people onboard the flight.

The victims of this attack, which was part of the wider September 11 attacks on the USA, are remembered by the Pentagon Memorial, which is located on the Washington Boulevard side of the Pentagon and open around-the-clock. This is the side that Flight 77 actually hit and the memorial serves as a stark reminder of one of the darkest days in Arlington history.