History of Ballston

Central Ballston had developed by 1900 in the area counded by the present Wilson Boulevard, Taylor Street, Washington Boulevard, and Pollard Street. Lubber run and southward along Glebe Road to Henderson Road was not as populated as the Wilson Boulevard area.

Ballston, Arlington, Virginia is named after the Ball family, relatives of George Washington. The Parkington Shopping Center opened at the intersection on November 4^th, 1951 at Balls Crossroads, this site is known now as the Ballston Common Mall.

In the 1960’s and 1970’s the Ballston area entered a period of decline, this changed however when the Ballston Metrorail station opened in December of 1979. This station was originally called the Glebe Road station.

The Ballston area also includes the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, DARPA, and the Office of Naval Research. The non-profit organization is The Nature Conservancy.