A HISTORY _of_

THE BOUNDARIES _of_

ARLINGTON COUNTY, VIRGINIA

Office of the County Manager Arlington, Virginia 1967

[Illustration: THE BOUNDARIES OF ARLINGTON 1791 1801 1846 1870 1875 1915 1929 1936 1946 1966]

FOREWORD TO THE SECOND EDITION

This collection of documentary references to the boundaries of Arlington County was first published in 1957. This new edition contains revisions made in the light of fuller knowledge, and brings the story up-to-date by taking account of the change in the common boundary with the City of Alexandria which went into effect on January 1, 1966.

This pamphlet can serve as a guide for those who need to know what jurisdiction covered this area at any particular time. It provides information for the student as well as the title searcher--in fact, for anyone interested in the history of what is now Arlington County.

[Illustration: Signature of Bert W. Johnson]

Bert W. Johnson County Manager

A History of The Boundaries of Arlington County, Virginia

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

Introduction--Arlington County Today 1

1608-1789 2 The Charters of James I to the Virginia Company Charles I Charter to Lord Baltimore The Counties of the Northern Neck of Virginia

1789-1847 3 Into the District of Columbia: Cession of 1789 Location of the Federal District Out of the District: Acts of 1846 In Virginia Once More, 1847

ARLINGTON'S BOUNDARY WITH THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA 14 Establishment of Alexandria as a Town Territorial Accretions of Alexandria to 1870 County-City Separation, 1870 Annexations by Alexandria from Arlington, 1915 and 1929 Readjustment of Boundaries, 1966

ARLINGTON'S BOUNDARY WITH THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 24 Boundary of Commission of 1935 Acts of 1945 and 1946

POSTSCRIPTS--TOWNS IN ARLINGTON COUNTY 27 The Town of Falls Church The Town of Potomac No More Towns

Appendix.

Bibliography.

A History of The Boundaries of Arlington County, Virginia

Table of contents (by pages)

• 1: A History of the Boundaries of Arlington County, V
• 2: And then back to Leesburg Pike
• 3: The third charter of the Virginia Company
• 4: The Potomac boundary of Arlington
• 5: From Machoactoke river where Mr
• 6: May be had on the banks of the river Patowmack
• 7: Thence the third line due southeast 10 miles
• 8: On the bank of the Potomac below Alexandria
• 9: The Arlington Historical Magazine
• 10: Drained into the Potomac north of Oronoco Street
• 11: This Act included in Alexandria the
• 12: No changes were made in the Town boundaries
• 13: Then southwardly with said western line
• 14: When the City of Alexandria was excluded from the County
• 15: Since Arlington has less than 26 square miles
• 16: Arlington Common Law Order Book 85
• 17: The Arlington County Board endorsed H
• 18: Coast and Geodetic Survey
• 19: To the boundary between Fairfax and Arlington counties
• 20: And extended said line westwardly
• 21: Thence with the line of said two counties N
• 22: 97 feet to a point of tangency having coordinates N
• 23: 12 feet to a point of tangency
• 24: Thence running along the centerline of same N
• 25: 44 feet to a point of tangency having coordinates N
• 26: 67 feet to a point of tangency