Clarendon, Virginia

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Clarendon, Arlington, Virginia
Neighborhood
Clarendon Metro station entrance.jpg
The Clarendon Metro station entrance in May 2008
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Clarendon, Arlington, Virginia
Location of Clarendon
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Clarendon, Arlington, Virginia
Clarendon, Arlington, Virginia (Virginia)
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Clarendon, Arlington, Virginia
Clarendon, Arlington, Virginia (the United States)
Coordinates: 38°53′12″N77°05′35″W / 38.88665°N 77.09315°W / 38.88665; -77.09315
Country Flag of the United States.svg  United States of America
State Flag of Virginia.svg  Virginia
County Flag of Arlington County, Virginia.svg Arlington
Time zone UTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP Codes
22201
Area code 703

Clarendon is an urbanized, upper-class neighborhood in Arlington County, Virginia, located between the Rosslyn area and the Ballston area. It was named after Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon, a leading statesman and historian of the English Civil War. The main thoroughfares are Wilson Boulevard (one-way westbound) and Clarendon Boulevard (one-way eastbound).

Contents

Boundaries and geography

Because of the local street network configuration, many of Clarendon's 40-45 blocks resemble triangles rather than squares. The precise dimensions of Clarendon are not defined, and several different sets of boundaries are often used. These include:

The central geographic/cultural/economic features of Clarendon are the Clarendon Metro station (on the Orange and Silver lines of the Metrorail system at Wilson Boulevard and Highland Street), Market Common Clarendon and the Whole Foods Market at Clarendon Boulevard and Edgewood Street. As Clarendon's profile both as a popular destination and marketing location have increased, its informal boundaries have expanded west toward Virginia Square and east toward Courthouse, two adjacent Metro station areas.

History

Map from 1900 by Howell & Taylor, showing Clarendon in Arlington, VA Map from 1900 by Howell & Taylor, showing Clarendon in Arlington, VA.jpg
Map from 1900 by Howell & Taylor, showing Clarendon in Arlington, VA

First platted in 1900 at the top of a hill on the Georgetown-Falls Church Road (now Wilson Boulevard), Clarendon evolved into Arlington County's original "downtown" after the arrival of electric trolleys in 1896. During the early 20th century, two interurban trolley lines converged in Clarendon a short distance west of today's Clarendon Metro station (see Northern Virginia trolleys).

One of these trolley lines traveled between Rosslyn and Clarendon along the present routes of Lynn Street, Fairfax Drive and Clarendon Boulevard to a station at the present intersection of Clarendon Boulevard and Washington Boulevard. [1] Metrorail's Orange Line now closely follows this line's former route.

The other line traveled from downtown Washington, crossed the Potomac River over the Highway Bridge and traveled along Washington Boulevard to reach the Clarendon station. [2] Trolleys from both lines traveled between Clarendon, Ballston and Falls Church along the present routes of Fairfax Drive, I-66 and the Orange Line. Some of these trolleys traveled as far as the towns of Vienna and Fairfax. Like many other interurbans around the country, these lines were to remain in service until the mid-1930s, when they succumbed to the automobile and Depression-era economics.

The village of Clarendon was named and dedicated March 31, 1900. [3] In 1920, the same year in which Arlington County adopted its name, a movement to incorporate Clarendon as a town was defeated in the courts. [4]

Clarendon street scene (2013) Clarendon, Arlington, VA - street scene.JPG
Clarendon street scene (2013)

Over time, Clarendon became Northern Virginia's retail center. Department stores including J.C. Penney and Sears opened stores in Clarendon, and other retailers extended west along Wilson Blvd and Fairfax Drive to Virginia Square (anchored by Kann's Department Store) and, farther west, the Parkington Shopping Center anchored by the Hecht Company, which was later enlarged and renamed as the Ballston Common Mall.

American Legion War Memorial at intersection of Wilson Boulevard and Clarendon Boulevard in Clarendon (2008) Clarendon, Arlington, VA 027 (2908839698).jpg
American Legion War Memorial at intersection of Wilson Boulevard and Clarendon Boulevard in Clarendon (2008)

Built in 1937, the Arlington Post Office is the first known federal building constructed in the county after the American Civil War that is not within a larger federally-owned property. [5] Previously Arlington's mail was handled in Washington, D.C. Lobby murals depicting scenes about Arlington history were painted by Auriel Bessemer in 1939. In 2000, it was named in honor of Joseph L. Fisher, former U.S. representative from Virginia's 10th district. The building is a designated Arlington County landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. [6]

Nam-Viet, the first Vietnamese restaurant to open in Clarendon, seen in December 2021 Close-up view of the facade of Nam-Viet restaurant in Clarendon.jpg
Nam-Viet, the first Vietnamese restaurant to open in Clarendon, seen in December 2021

By early 1975, two Vietnamese grocery stores had been opened in Clarendon, and in ensuing years Clarendon came to be known as "Little Saigon". Many Vietnamese refugees immigrated to Washington D.C., and Arlington, due to the proximity to the nation's capital, and existing social, family, and business connections. This neighborhood was home to commercial uses of Vietnamese grocery stores, restaurants, department stores, cafes, and entertainment to serve the large Vietnamese population. Business was attractive to Vietnamese immigrants in this neighborhood due to the depressed rents during the time of construction of the WMATA Clarendon metro station. Vietnamese restaurants adjacent to Clarendon Metro like Queen Bee, and Cafe Dalat, closed in the end of 2005 and Little Viet Garden closed at the end of 2008. Nam Viet is the only restaurant that remains in 2021.

After the opening of the Clarendon Metro station in December 1979, luxury apartments, office buildings and upscale chain stores have been constructed and gentrified the area, although some of the original businesses remain. The former Sears store's parking lot and automotive department, briefly considered as a site for a Home Depot, was developed as a mixed residential/commercial project that now includes townhouses, luxury apartments, and national chain retail stores.

At least a half dozen restaurants closed in 2016. [7]

Clarendon today

Intersection of Wilson Boulevard and N. Highland Street in Clarendon, with Clarendon Metro Station entrance and Olmsted Building in background (2008) Clarendon, Arlington, VA 017 (2907989443).jpg
Intersection of Wilson Boulevard and N. Highland Street in Clarendon, with Clarendon Metro Station entrance and Olmsted Building in background (2008)

Clarendon is also host to several local and County-wide events each year, including Arlington's Neighborhood Day parade (held the second Saturday in May), the Mardi Gras parade and Tax Blues Night. [8] The largest annual event, "Clarendon Day," [9] is held on a Saturday in mid-October and features four live music stages, local restaurant and coffee house booths, clothing, jewelry, antiques and collectibles sales, children's games and rides, an ice-cream eating contest and other local traditions. [10] Additionally, each spring Clarendon is host to the Clarendon Cup, part of the Armed Forces Cycling Classic, one of the largest one-day professional and amateur bicycle races in the U.S. [11]

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, a farmers market at Clarendon's Central Park was held on Wednesday afternoons from spring through mid-December and featured organic produce, baked goods, plants and herbs, homemade soaps and other items for sale. [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arlington County, Virginia</span> County in Virginia, United States

Arlington County, or simply Arlington, is a county in the U.S. state of Virginia. The county is located in Northern Virginia on the southwestern bank of the Potomac River directly across from Washington, D.C., the national capital.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orange Line (Washington Metro)</span> Washington Metro rapid transit line

The Orange Line is a rapid transit line of the Washington Metro system, consisting of 26 stations in Fairfax County and Arlington, Virginia; the District of Columbia; and Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The Orange Line runs from Vienna in Virginia to New Carrollton in Maryland. Half of the line's stations are shared with the Blue Line and over two thirds are shared with the Silver Line. Orange Line service began on November 20, 1978.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ballston–MU station</span> Washington Metro station

Ballston–MU station is a side platformed Washington Metro station in Arlington County, Virginia. The station opened on December 1, 1979, and is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). The station is part of the Orange and Silver Lines and serves the transit-oriented community of Ballston, Ballston Quarter, and Marymount University (MU).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virginia Square–GMU station</span> Washington Metro station

Virginia Square–GMU station is a Washington Metro station in the Virginia Square neighborhood of Arlington, Virginia, United States. The side platformed station opened on December 1, 1979, and is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). The station serves the Orange and Silver Lines. The station serves the Virginia Square neighborhood as well as the Arlington campus of George Mason University (GMU). The station entrance is located at the intersection of Fairfax Drive and North Monroe Street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clarendon station</span> Washington Metro station

Clarendon station is a side platformed Washington Metro station in the Clarendon neighborhood of Arlington, Virginia, United States. The station was opened on December 1, 1979, and is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). The station serves the Orange and Silver Lines. In 2017, over 4,000 commuters used Clarendon station every day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Court House station</span> Washington Metro station

Court House station is an island platformed Washington Metro station in the Courthouse neighborhood of Arlington, Virginia, United States. The station was opened on December 1, 1979, and is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). Weekday ridership is approximately 7,000 passengers per day. The station serves the Orange and Silver Lines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ballston, Virginia</span> Neighborhood in Arlington, Virginia

Ballston is a neighborhood in Arlington County, Virginia. Ballston is located at the western end of the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor. It is a major transportation hub and boasts one of the nation's highest concentrations of scientific research institutes and research and development agencies including the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency-DARPA, the Office of Naval Research, the Advanced Research Institute of Virginia Tech, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, and associated engineering, management, and public sector consulting firms. Ballston also contains a section known as Virginia Square and sometimes the area is collectively known as Ballston-Virginia Square.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virginia Square, Arlington, Virginia</span> Area in Northern Virginia

Virginia Square is a section within the Ballston neighborhood in Arlington County, Virginia. It is centered at the Virginia Square station on the Orange and Silver lines of the Washington Metro subway system, between Clarendon and Ballston-proper. The neighborhood consists of a mix of high-rise apartments, garden apartments, and single-family homes generally dating back to the 1930s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Court House, Virginia</span> Neighborhood in Arlington, Virginia

Court House, also known as Courthouse, is a transit-oriented neighborhood in Arlington County, Virginia. It is centered around the Court House station on the Orange Line and the Silver Line of the Washington Metro.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virginia State Route 120</span> State highway in Arlington County, Virginia, United States

State Route 120 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. Known as Glebe Road, the state highway runs 9.10 miles (14.65 km) from U.S. Route 1 (US 1) in Crystal City north to SR 123 at the Chain Bridge. SR 120 is a partial circumferential highway in Arlington County that connects the southeastern and northwestern corners of the county with several urban villages along its crescent-shaped path, including Ballston. The state highway also connects all of the major highways in Virginia that radiate from Washington, including Interstate 395, I-66, US 50, and US 29. SR 120 is a part of the National Highway System for its entire length.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern Virginia trolleys</span> Network of electronic passenger rails

The Northern Virginia trolleys were the network of electric passenger rails that moved people around the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C., from 1892 to 1941. They consisted of six lines operated by as many as three separate companies connecting Rosslyn, Great Falls, Bluemont, Mount Vernon, Fairfax City, Camp Humphries and Nauck across the Potomac River to the District of Columbia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Westover, Arlington, Virginia</span> Neighborhood in Arlington, Virginia

Westover is a neighborhood in Arlington County, Virginia, The neighborhood has been named to the National Register of Historic Places. It is centered on Washington Boulevard between North McKinley Road and North Longfellow Street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lyon Village, Virginia</span> United States historic place

Lyon Village is a neighborhood and urban village in Arlington County, Virginia, along Langston Boulevard. It adjoins Arlington County's government center, and is approximately one mile west of Rosslyn and less than a mile north of Clarendon, of which it is sometimes considered a sub-neighborhood, as is Cherrydale, the mostly residential district immediately west of Lyon Village.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virginia State Route 237</span> State highway in Virginia, United States

State Route 237 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The state highway runs 13.07 miles (21.03 km) from SR 236 in Fairfax east to U.S. Route 50 in Arlington. SR 237 connects Fairfax and Arlington with Falls Church. Between Fairfax and Falls Church, the state highway mostly runs concurrently with US 29. East of Falls Church, SR 237 parallels Interstate 66 (I-66) and connects several of Arlington's urban villages.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Washington Boulevard (Arlington)</span>

Washington Boulevard is a major arterial road in Arlington County, Virginia and Washington, DC. The western portion is designated State Route 237, the eastern portion is State Route 27 and the center is an arterial road with no designation. A short portion of the road enters the District of Columbia on Columbia Island, providing a connection between SR 27 and the Arlington Memorial Bridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ballston Quarter</span> Shopping mall

Ballston Quarter, formerly known as Ballston Common Mall, originally opened as Parkington Shopping Center, is one of the first major suburban shopping centers in the Washington, D.C., area. It opened in 1951 and was the nation's first shopping center built around a multi-story parking garage. It is located at the intersection of Glebe Road and Wilson Boulevard in the Ballston neighborhood of Arlington County, Virginia, two blocks from Ballston–MU station on the Washington Metro's Orange and Silver lines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bluemont Junction Trail</span>

The Bluemont Junction Trail is a 1.2-mile (1.9 km) asphalt-paved rail trail in Arlington County, Virginia, that the Arlington County government constructed along a former branch of the defunct Washington and Old Dominion Railroad. The shared use path travels southwest from Ballston through Bluemont Junction Park to Bluemont Junction. The trail connects Ballston to the Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Trail and the Four Mile Run Trail in and near Bluemont Park.

Little Saigon is the Vietnamese ethnic enclave in the Clarendon neighborhood of Arlington, Virginia, which served the large refugee population that immigrated after the Fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975. One of many Little Saigons in the U.S., this neighborhood near Washington, D.C., became a hub of Vietnamese commerce and social activity, and reached its peak during the late 1970s to the early 1980s. The opening of the Clarendon station on the Washington Metro's Orange Line led to new development and higher rents; many businesses closed or moved, notably to the nearby Eden Center.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wilson Boulevard–Vienna Line</span>

The Wilson Boulevard–Vienna Line, designated as Route 1A, or Route 1B, is a daily bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Vienna station (1A) or Dunn Loring station (1B) of the Orange Line of the Washington Metro and Ballston–MU station of the Orange and Silver lines of the Washington Metro. This line provides service within the neighborhoods of Vienna, Merrifield and Ballston in Fairfax and Arlington counties. Alongside the neighborhoods, it also brings service through the marketplace, business, and offices within the counties.

The Washington Blvd.–Dunn Loring Line, designated as Route 2A, is a daily bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Dunn Loring station of the Orange Line of the Washington Metro and Ballston–MU station of the Orange and Silver lines of the Washington Metro. This line provides service within the neighborhoods of Merrifield, Falls Church and Ballston in Fairfax County, the City of Falls Church, and Arlington County. Trips are roughly between 15 and 30 minutes on weekdays, and 30 to 45 minutes on weekends.

References

  1. ↑ "Circa 1910 photograph of electric trolley at Clarendon station" . Retrieved 2018-11-03– via Pintrest.
  2. ↑ "1950s aerial photograph of Clarendon Circle, showing abandoned trolley line tracks on Washington Blvd. and Fairfax Drive". Arlington County Public Library. 2 September 2010. Retrieved 2018-11-02– via Flickr.
  3. ↑ Templeman, Eleanor Lee (1959). Arlington Heritage. p. 98.
  4. ↑ "National Register of Historic Places application for Walter Reed Gardens Historic District" (PDF). Retrieved 2021-04-18.
  5. ↑ (1) "Arlington Post Office (1937)". Community-use structures. Arlington Historical Society. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved November 2, 2018.
    (2) Miller, Richard E. (June 16, 2016). Fisher, Bernard (ed.). ""Arlington Post Office" marker". HMdB: The Historical Marker Database. Archived from the original on November 2, 2018. Retrieved November 2, 2018.
  6. ↑ (1) "Virginia Landmarks Register & National Register of Historic Places Nominations, Nominations Listed by City or County". Richmond, Virginia: Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Archived from the original on September 21, 2013.
    (2) Bird, Betty (June 1985). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory — Nomination Form: US Post Office-Arlington" (PDF). Arlington County government. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 2, 2018. and Accompanying photo
    (3) "Arlington County" (PDF). Virginia Landmarks Register: National Register of Historic Places: Updated Through DHR December 14, 2017, and NPS February 14, 2018 Announcements. p. 31. Retrieved November 2, 2018.
  7. ↑ "Pace of Restaurant Openings Slowing in Arlington". ARLnow.com - Arlington, Va. Local News. 2016-10-11. Retrieved 2017-01-19.
  8. ↑ "The 2017 Mardi Gras Parade and Ball – The Mid-Atlantic's biggest and best!". clarendon.org. Archived from the original on 2017-08-02. Retrieved 2017-08-01.
  9. ↑ Airey (September 20, 2019). "Arlington to Celebrate Clarendon Day And Two Other Festivals Saturday". ARL Now. Arlington, VA. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
  10. ↑ "Clarendon Day 2015 | September 26 – Rain-or-Shine!". clarendon.org. Retrieved 2016-03-02.
  11. ↑ "The Armed Forces Cycling Classic | CyclingClassic.org". cyclingclassic.org. Archived from the original on 2017-07-14. Retrieved 2017-08-01.
  12. ↑ "Clarendon Farmers Market". Clarendon Alliance. Archived from the original on May 7, 2019. Retrieved 22 May 2012.
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