Ashton Heights Follow Up--Part III

Part III


Part IV

Ashton Heights Follow Up--Part II

Part I


Part II

Ashton Heights Follow Up--Part I

I was intrigued by this old picture of the Murray school I found in the Virginia room of Arlington Central library. So I decided to interview the architect of the project which restored and renovated the Murray school into the new Arlington Arts center.

The Virginia Room in the Central library in Arlington is a great resource because it has a great archive of old maps, pictures, books, and newspapers of and about Arlington. It is a great place to visit if you want to learn more about your neighborhood or just about Arlington itself. The Virginia room is where I got the picture in the top left-hand corner.

*Note: The videos are in part II and III of this entry. They are titled the same and have part II or III at the end. I'm sorry this is the only way I could upload them.

Video Documentary---Ashton Heights

General Arlington History---1950s

1) In 1950 Arlington was a part of multiple improvement plans, which aimed to relieve pressures that originated in WWII. There were capital improvement plans to develop important public facilities and services the county needed. Soon after the capita improvement plan was initiated the County also put into place two other programs that provided for the capital and fiscal improvement projections. The programs, which were put into place in the 1950s, were the foundation for the master improvement projects, which followed in the 1960s. The 1950s was an era when the community really began to change and develop. The programs in place in the 1950s changed the County in a physical way but they also changed the makeup of its population. In 1956 the Arlington’s League of Women Voters along with the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) and many other organizations directed the effort to desegregate the schools in Arlington County. On February 2, 1959, four African American students attended Stafford Junior High School (now Hoffman-Boston Woodlawn Alternative Program.) Patrick Henry elementary school and Washington-Lee high school would follow suit the fall of 1959.

2) This is a picture of the Clarendon circle in 1950. It looks very different from today. There are a lot less people. The actual Clarendon circle in this picture does not exits anymore it has been modified into five intersecting streets. Today Clarendon is the social highlight of Arlington County but what is in this picture is very opposite. There are very few cars on the street and even less people walking around. Today it is hard to walk down the sidewalk without running into people. In the past 60 years Clarendon and all of Arlington has become more populated and a lot more urban.

3) This is picture of all the Hot Shoppe restaurants in 1955. This was a chain much like McDonalds is today. The food would be brought to you and you would eat out of your car. This type of fast food has disappeared and the times reflect it. In 1955 people had time to sit and eat even if it was a hamburger. The way the food was served in 1955 also reflects on the times. The people would come to you and you would have an actual interaction with them. Today because nobody has enough time and actual interaction with people are not important to us anymore, this is reflected in the service we get. The food is handed out to us through a window and we drive off. People do not have time to just sit and eat food. When you are ordering one has to speak into a speaker, there is no need for interaction like that if we have technology.

Sources:

1) http://www.arlingtonhistoricalsociety.org/learn/snapshots/urban_arlington_county.html

2) http://www.flickr.com/photos/arlib/5238388925/in/set-72157624778848169/

3) http://www.flickr.com/photos/arlib/4888252793/in/set-72157624778642991/

Neighborhood History---Ashton Heights

1) The Maury School is a symbol of prosperity and popularity of the neighborhood. The School is within the borders of Ashton heights. To the neighborhood’s prosperity it was important. The school was an attraction for families to move into the neighborhood. Because of the School being within the borders of Ashton heights it helped the neighborhood prosper and develop into a more desirable neighborhood. Because the school was in Ashton heights more families with children would want to move to the area and this creates more demand and this in turn raises the property value of this area and thus creates a prosperous neighborhood. The situation of the Maury School in the border of Ashton Heights helped make Ashton heights a successful neighborhood.

2) Because of its placement in Arlington County Ashton heights was the center of entertainment not only in the County but also in northern Virginia. Much like today Clarendon is the “downtown” of Arlington Ashton heights was the place of commercial activity and entertainment in the 1950s. In the 1950s Ashton heights was a prime neighborhood to live in because of it proximity to both Clarendon and Parkington (today’s Ballston Common Mall). It was a popular neighborhood because it was so close to these attractions but it still had a community feel to it. Even though Ashton heights was so close to these entertainment centers it remained a safe and respected neighborhood and this aspect attracted many families.

3) In respect to the rest of Arlington County Ashton Heights is the “heart of Arlington. Geographically it is placed so it has all the potential to be a flourishing neighborhood. In the grounds of Ashton Heights there is a school, which increases its potential to be a good neighborhood. It is also situated between two entertainment centers Ballston Common Mall and Clarendon. In the 1950s Ashton heights was in the same situation and it had the same potential. Ashton heights was established 20 years before 1950 so it had had a period to establish itself in respect to the rest of Arlington County. By 1950 Ashton heights was a prosperous neighborhood because of its locations and the landmarks within it which made it desirable to home buyers.

Sources:

1) The plaque.

2) Dickson, Peter W. "Beyond Ashton Heights: Forces for Change." Ashton Heights: It's Origin and History. (2007): 7-9. Print.

3) Rothwarf, Rita R. "Neighborhood History Preservation Study for the Ashton Heights area of Arlington County, VA." Ashton Heights: It's Origin and History. (1987): 14. Print.

Ashton Heights Photo Comparison--General Ashton Heights area

On the left is a picture of the Ballston and Ashton Heights area in the 1950s. The Parkington mall had just been built and was the newest attraction.

On the right is the Ballston and Ashton Heights area in the 21st century. It has become more industrialized and a lot more apartment buildings have gone up making it more city-like.

Sources:

Arlington Historical Society: www.arlingtonhistoricalsociety.org Arlington in the Civil War: www.arlcivwar.net www.vahistorical.org exhibit through 12/30 Old Arlington photos: www.flickr.com/groups/old_arlington/ Arlington County Library: Virginia Room

And a special thanks to Ms. Mangis for letting me use her amazing powerpoint of Ballston history.

Ashton Heights Photo Comparison--Murray school

On the left is the Murray school in 1950. It was an elementary school built in the 1920s.

On the right is the Arlington Arts center. It is no longer a school even though it does look very similar.

Sources:

Arlington Historical Society: www.arlingtonhistoricalsociety.org Arlington in the Civil War: www.arlcivwar.net www.vahistorical.org exhibit through 12/30 Old Arlington photos: www.flickr.com/groups/old_arlington/ Arlington County Library: Virginia Room

And a special thanks to Ms. Mangis for letting me use her amazing powerpoint of Ballston history.

Ashton Heights Photo Comparison--Murray school playgound

On the left is a picture of the Murray school playground. It was a fenced in grass field.

On the right is todays public tennis court. It is in the same place as the playground was but it is now behind the Arlington Arts Center instead of the Murray school.

Sources:

Arlington Historical Society: www.arlingtonhistoricalsociety.org Arlington in the Civil War: www.arlcivwar.net www.vahistorical.org exhibit through 12/30 Old Arlington photos: www.flickr.com/groups/old_arlington/ Arlington County Library: Virginia Room

And a special thanks to Ms. Mangis for letting me use her amazing powerpoint of Ballston history.

Ashton Heights Photo Comparison--Virginia Shopping center

On the right is the Virginia Square shopping center where there was a food store, drug store, and fashion store. The Virginia Square shopping center was around in the 1950s.

On the left is the same place in 2011. It is now the FDIC building and a Giant supermarket. The Giant is in approximately 60 years ago.

Sources:

Arlington Historical Society: www.arlingtonhistoricalsociety.org Arlington in the Civil War: www.arlcivwar.net www.vahistorical.org exhibit through 12/30 Old Arlington photos: www.flickr.com/groups/old_arlington/ Arlington County Library: Virginia Room

And a special thanks to Ms. Mangis for letting me use her amazing powerpoint of Ballston history.

An Interview with Ms. Ensign--Oral History of Ashton Heights neighborhood

Ms. Ensign has live in Ashton Heights within Arlington for over 65 years now. She moved to this area during World War II and never left. In the 1950s with her husband she bought the house she still lives in today. This is her account of the Ashton Heights over the last 65 years.

An Interview with Mr. Corry--Oral History of Ashton Heights neighborhood

Part I

Part II

Mr. Corry has lived in Arlington for over 60 years. He moved to Arlington into Ashton Heights before World War II. He raised a family in the Ashton Heights which now lives with him in the same house he had bought in the 1950s. This is his account of the Ashton Heights neighborhood over the last 60 years.