Clarendon History

Clarendon is made up of land from four patents originally belonging to William Struttfield (500 acres), Thomas Owsley (640 acres), Thomas Going, and Reverend James Brechin (795 acres).
John Ball is the first known resident of Arlington. John is the son of Moses Ball, George Washington’s good friend. John Ball’s house was originally built in 1776 on the south side of Washington Boulevard and stood until 1955.
The arrival of the trolley in Clarendon in 1896 began the first land boom and development of the area. A general story was built in 1901 and was followed by rural vacation homes for Washington DC residents. Clarendon was named after the English Earl of Clarendon. By the 1940s and 1950s Clarendon was the largest shopping and cultural center in Northern Virginia. After decades of decay due to rushed urban planning the area went through another development boom with the introduction of the Metro Orange Line in the 1970s.

http://www.arlingtoncounty.com/Arlington_County_Virginia_local_history_facts_archive_about_records_museum_exhibit_VA.html (acccessed 5/31/2011)

Elanor Lee Templeman, Arlington Heritage No. 72, Clarendon’s Farming Fraternity, no date.

Kim McGuire, Washington Post; Neighborhood Report, Washington Boulevard, no date.