Past Events and Programs
November 17, 2006 – 2007 Home and Garden Tour Kick Off
7:00 pm
October 20, 2006 – First Annual Fairlington Homecoming
The FHS began a new tradition, an annual reception open to anyone who has ever called Fairlington ‘home.’ Fairlington’s longest resident, June Piccard, opened a program of reminiscences and stories that also featured a Fairlington family with three generations of residents.
September 28, 2006 – Fall Community Program
7:00 pm
May 04, 2006 – Leadership Arlington
The FHS welcomed a group of Leadership Arlington participants who were visiting the neighborhood as part of their year-long study of
April 27, 2006 – Wine, Cheese, and Thank You
The Board of Trustee honored the many contributions of retiring members, Sandra Hodapp and Ruth Kerns, and volunteers Wendy Deker and Margaret Williams, who co-chaired the FHS Home and Garden Tour in 2005, and Stephanie Greenwald, the FHS’ graphic artist.
April 17, 2006 – Tour of Abingdon Plantation Ruins and Historic National Airport
Member’s Report: “The FHS and the Arlington Heritage Alliance co-sponsored a tour of the Abingdon Plantation site and the historic
January 27, 2006 – Original Owners Reception
Some 70 Fairlingtonians, past and current residents, who purchased their homes during Fairlington’s conversion to condominiums (1972-1978) greeted long-time and former neighbors, swapped stories and pictures, and participated in a discussion of their lives in Fairlington moderated by distinguished Arlington historian, Ms. Sara Collins.
October 27, 2005 – Building an Arlington Heritage Center
Mr. Paul Ferguson, Arlington County Board, introduced Ms. Charlene Bickford, Chair of the Arlington Heritage Center Task Force, and Mr. Gerry Laporte, President of the Arlington Historical Society, and led the discussion of the concept, proposed site, and plans for the
April 28, 2005 – The Making of Arlington: Heroes, History, & Hamburgers
Ms. Patricia Callahan, Executive Director for Community Relations at public television station WETA, and Mr. Gary Broom, Producer of WETA’s documentary tribute to Arlington County, ‘Arlington: Heroes, History, & Hamburgers,’ discussed the development of this program. Covering the history of Arlington from life on the land some 10,000 years ago to recent times, Ms. Callahan presented a vignette of the documentary, and Mr. Broom discussed the challenges of developing compelling storylines and managing diverse competing interests in an 80 minute film.
February 19, 2005 – Conducting Oral History Interviews
Ms. Judy Knudsen, Manager of the
October 28, 2004 – Civil War Defenses of Washington
Mr. Walton H. Owen, Assistant Director/Curator at the nearby Fort Ward Museum and Historic Site, discussed his research on the Civil War Defenses was Washington, including Ft. Reynolds and Battery Garesche, located adjacent to and inside the Fairlington community. Mr. Owen is the co-author, with Benjamin Franklin Cooling III, of the book, ‘Mr. Lincoln’s Forts: A Guide to the Civil War Defenses of Washington.’
November 01, 2003 – 60th Anniversary Celebration
Rob Nieweg, Southern Field Office Director of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, spoke to the FHS and its guests at the celebration of Fairlington’s 60th anniversary on several contemporary themes in historic preservation, including: securing the resources for preservation; saving preservation protections; and the impact of Washington area sprawl on preservation activities.
Fairlington resident and Arlington County Board Chairman, Paul Ferguson, welcomed a host of Fairlington’s civic leaders and elected officials present to celebrate Fairlington’s anniversary: State Senator Patsy Ticer; State Delegate Marian Van Landingham; Alexandria Mayor, Bill Euille; and Alexandria Councilmen Rob Krupicka and Paul Smedberg.
January 29, 2003 – The Fairlington Collection and the Virginia Room
Judy Knudson, of Arlington County Central Library’s Virginia Room, offered a presentation on Fairlington’s archive and on the larger holdings of the library’s Virginia Room. The Fairlington Collection was established in 1999 to house the records of the committee that secured Historic District status for the community. The FHS continues to populate the archive with Society records, community documents, pictures, and other artifacts of Fairlington life.
May 22, 2002 – History of the Boundary Stones
Gayle Harris, a 40-year resident of the area and a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), presented a “History of the Boundary Stones.”
These stones were set in 1792 to mark the 10-mile square boundary of the new “Federal City,” which became Washington, D.C. One of these markers, known as Southwest #4, is on the Fairlington side of King Street between South Wakefield and Interstate 395, surrounded by an iron fence.
Ms. Harris outlined the history of the Boundary Stones and discussed the 1846 retrocession of the Virginia portion of the original District of Columbia. She explained that, absent any governmental cooperation, the DAR decided in 1915 to protect and maintain the Boundary Stones.
October 25, 2001 – Fairlington/Shirlington History from the Arlington County Central Library
The Arlington County Central Library, as part of a larger program covering all of Arlington’s neighborhoods, invited past and current residents of Fairlington and Shirlington to participate in a moderated, group oral history discussion. Channel 31, the Arlington public access cable channel, videotaped and broadcasted the approximately 60 minute session, which included many reminiscences of Fairlington’s early years.
May 24, 2001 – An Evening with Fairlingtons Leaders
The FHS invited the leadership of Fairlington’s seven condominium associations and the Fairlington Citizens Association for a discussion with Commonwealth Senator Mary Margaret Whipple on a variety of topics including the status of historic preservation in Virginia, particularly for new historic districts such as Fairlington.
October 12, 2000 – An Evening with Catherine Fellows
Catherine Fellows, author of Fairlington at 50, a history of the community, reminisced about her Fairlington experience and about writing the book. She offered her perspective on the creation and evolution of Fairlington from the early 1940's through the condominium conversion in the mid-1970's and answered attendees’ questions.
October 30, 1999 – Volunteer Recognition and Historic Designation Celebration
Congressman James P. Moran, State Senators Patricia S. Ticer and Mary Margaret Whipple, Delegate James F. Almand, and Arlington County Board Chairman Paul W. Ferguson attended the October 30, 1999 Volunteer Recognition and Historic Designation Celebration. Also in attendance were Jean Federico, Director of Historic Alexandria, Joan McDermott, Chair of the Historical Affairs and Landmark Review Board, Mary Ellen Henry, Chair, Historic Alexandria Resources Commission, and Patrick Andrus, Historian with the National Register of Historic Places.
Gail Baker, consultant to the Historic Designation Committee, offered an historical perspective on Fairlington's development and the volunteers who successfully pursued national and state historic district designation were honored. Congratulatory letters were read from First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, Tipper Gore, Senators Charles S. Robb and John W. Warner, Governor James S. Gilmore, III, and Alexandria Mayor Kerry J. Donley. A granite memorial was unveiled, displaying the combined National Register and Virginia Landmarks plaque.