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Title: A History of the Boundaries of Arlington County, Virginia

Author: Office of the County Manager, Arlington

Release Date: July 30, 2011 [EBook #36902]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1

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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


It is one of those paradoxes so characteristic of Arlington that the
area composing the County did not exist as a separate entity until it
was ceded by Virginia to form part of the District of Columbia. The
Act by which the Congress of the United States took jurisdiction over
this area directed that that portion of the District which had been
ceded by Virginia was to be known as the county of Alexandria.[1] (It
was not until 1920 that it received the name of Arlington.)[2]

        [1] Acts of Congress, February 27, 1801 and March 3, 1801. U.S.
        Stat. at Large, Vol. 2, pp. 103, 115.

        [2] Acts of Assembly, 1920, Chapter 241.

The present boundaries of Arlington may be described as: Beginning at
the intersection of Four Mile Run with the west shore line of the
Potomac River, westwardly, in general along the line of Four Mile Run,
without regard to its meanders, intersecting the south right-of-way
line of the Washington and Old Dominion Railroad, then 1,858.44 feet
to where the center line of Shirlington Road intersects the said south
right-of-way line; thence south and slightly east to the center line
of Quaker Lane, then following the center line of Quaker Lane to a
point short of Osage Street in Alexandria where it moves to the north
line of Quaker Lane; thence to the east right-of-way line of Leesburg
Pike (King Street); thence with this line to the east side of 30th
Street, South, in Arlington, northeast on 30th Street, South, to the
circle; around said circle to the north side of South Columbus Street,
along this line to 28th Street, South, returning for a short distance
to Leesburg Pike, jogging east and north to 25th Street, South, and
then back to Leesburg Pike; thence along the Pike to the common
boundary of Alexandria and Fairfax; thence northeast along the former
Alexandria-Fairfax boundary until it intersects the original boundary
between Arlington and Fairfax; thence due northwest to a stone and
large oak tree approximately 200 feet west of Meridian Avenue (North
Arizona Street); thence due northeast to the shore of the Potomac;
thence along the mean high water mark of the shore of the Potomac
River, back to the point of beginning. This line encloses roughly
16,520 acres, or approximately 25.7 square miles, thus making
Arlington the third smallest county in the United States in respect to
area.[3]

        [3] The smallest is Kalawao County, Hawaii, and the second
        smallest, Bristol County, Rhode Island.

The boundaries of this area have been changed many times since it was
first sighted by Captain John Smith on his voyage up the Potomac in
1608--the year which can be said to mark the beginning of Arlington's
history.


_1608-1789_

The circumstances which placed Arlington in Virginia began to take
shape even earlier than 1608. The two companies organized to colonize
Virginia were granted their first charter by James I of England on
April 10, 1606.[4] This was styled "Letters Patent to Sir Thomas
Gates, Sir George Somers, and others, for two several Colonies and
Plantations, to be made in Virginia, and other parts and Territories
of America." The patentees were authorized "... to make habitation,
plantation, and to deduce a colony of sundry of our people into that
part of America, commonly called Virginia ..." between 34° north
latitude and 45° north and within 100 miles of the coast. Within this
area the spheres of operation of the two companies (which came to be
known as the London and Plymouth Companies because their principal
backers hailed from one or the other of these English towns) were
delineated. To the former was given the right to plant a colony within
the area from north latitude 34° to 41°, and to the latter within the
area from 38° to 45° inclusive. The overlapping area from 38° to 41°
was open to settlement by either company, though neither might
establish a settlement within 100 miles of territory occupied by the
other. The actual jurisdiction of each company was limited to 50 miles
in each direction from the first seat of plantation. This last
restriction was not carried over into the second charter. (Map I.)

        [4] Hening, Vol. i, p. 57. Cf. also Title 7.1, Sec. 1, _Code
        of Virginia, 1950_.

  [Illustration: MAP I
  Bounds Set by First Two Charters of the Virginia Company
  Drafted by W. B. Allison and B. Sims]

Although the Plymouth Company sent out ships in the spring of 1607,
the settlement attempted by them on the coast of Maine was abandoned
the following year. The first settlement which was to prove permanent
was made by the London Company whose ships, sailing from London in
December 1606, reached the mouth of the James River in Virginia in
April 1607. The founding of "James Cittie" provided a point of
reference for the second charter of the London Company (which came to
be known as the Virginia Company). This charter,[5] granted in 1609,
gave it jurisdiction over

    "all those lands, countries, and territories, situate, lying, and
    being, in that part of America called Virginia, from the point of
    land, called Cape or Point Comfort, all along the sea coast, to
    the northward 200 miles, and from the said Point or Cape Comfort,
    all along the sea coast to the southward 200 miles, and all that
    space and circuit of land, lying from the sea coast of the
    precinct aforesaid, up into the land, throughout from sea to sea,
    west and northwest; and also all the islands lying within one
    hundred miles, along the coast of both seas of the precinct
    aforesaid;..."

        [5] Hening, Vol. i, p. 80. Cf. also Title 7.1, Sec. 1, _Code
        of Virginia, 1950_.

This grant reflects the view of the best geographers of the day that
the Pacific Ocean lapped the western side of the as yet unexplored and
unnamed Appalachian Mountains.

The third charter of the Virginia Company,[6] granted in 1612,
extended the eastern boundaries of the colony to cover "... all and
singular those Islands whatsoever, situate and being in any part of
the ocean seas bordering upon the coast of our said first colony in
Virginia, and being within three hundred leagues of any the parts
heretofore granted ..." This was done to include Bermuda which had
been discovered in the meantime. The charter of the Virginia Company
was annulled in 1624 by King James I, and its lands became a Crown
Colony. By this time, however, the Virginia settlements were firmly
established on and nearby the James River, and the Potomac River to
the falls was well known to traders with the Indians.

        [6] Hening, Vol. i, p. 100.

The first limitation upon the extent of the "Kingdom of Virginia," as
it was referred to by King Charles I, who succeeded his father in
1625, came with the grant to Lord Baltimore of a proprietorship over
what became Maryland. This patent was granted in 1632; the first
settlers reached what became St. Mary's on the Potomac in 1634. That
part of the grant which is pertinent to the boundaries of Arlington
reads:

    "Going from the said estuary called Delaware Bay in a right line
    in the degree aforesaid to the true meridian of the first fountain
    of the river Potomac, then tending downward towards the south to
    the farther bank of the said river and following it to where it
    faces the western and southern coasts as far as to a certain place
    called Cinquack situate near the mouth of the same river where it
    discharges itself in the aforenamed bay of Chesapeake and thence
    by the shortest line as far as the aforesaid promontory or place
    called Watkins Point."[7]

        [7] Report of the District of Columbia-Virginia Boundary
        Commission, 74th Congress, 2nd Session, _H.D. 374_, p. 3.
        Cf. also, Hall, _Narratives of Early Maryland, 1633-1684_,
        p. 102.

The most significant words of this grant, from the point of view of
Arlington, are "the farther banks of the said river." They explain why
the boundary between Arlington and the District of Columbia runs along
the Virginia shore of the river and not in midstream, and why
Roosevelt Island, which lies nearer Arlington than to the District, is
not a part of Arlington. The Constitution of Virginia adopted in 1776
acknowledges this grant:

    "The territory contained within the charters erecting the colonies
    of Maryland ... are hereby ceded, released, and forever confirmed
    to the people of those colonies ..."[8]

        [8] Paragraph 21, Virginia Constitution of 1776. Hening, Vol.
        i, p. 56. Cf. also, _Code of Virginia, 1950_, Title 7.1, Sec.
        1.

Although at the time Charles I gave this grant to Lord Baltimore
Virginia was a Crown Colony and thus it could not be contended that he
was giving away lands he had no power to cede since they already had
been given to others, the Maryland-Virginia boundary became a subject
of controversy as soon as the first Maryland settlers arrived, and has
continued so until almost the present time. Indeed, one might say that
the ghost has been laid only temporarily since echoes of the dispute
appear in today's newspapers: "Maryland and Virginia Start New Round
in Oyster War"--"Pentagon Area a No Man's Land." These headlines
derive in a direct line from the grant of King Charles I to Calvert,
Lord Baltimore, in 1632.[9]

        [9] Conway, _The Compacts of Virginia_, p. 8.

To leave, for a time, the Potomac boundary of Arlington, let us turn
to the narrowing of the boundaries of the landward side of the County.
In the development of governmental administration, counties began to
be created in Virginia in mid-17th Century. The area which became
Arlington was successively in Northumberland, Westmoreland, Stafford,
Prince William, and finally, Fairfax counties. (Map II.) Consequently,
the history of land tenure and legislation for Arlington must be
sought in the records of these counties for the relevant period.

  [Illustration: MAP II
  Development of Northern Neck Counties
  Drafted by W. B. Allison and B. Sims]

Northumberland County was definitely created in 1648 by an Act of the
General Assembly[10] which provided

    "that the said tract of land ['Chickcoun and other parts of the
    Neck of land between Rappahonock River and Potomack River'] be
    hereafter called and knowne by the name of the county of
    Northumberland...."

        [10] Hening, Vol. i, p. 352. Northumberland was first mentioned
        by name in an Act (IX) of February 1645, and sent its first
        representative to the Legislature for the session of November
        1645.

and was given power to elect Burgesses. A later Act[11] declared:

    "_It is enacted_, That the inhabitants which are or shall be
    seated on the south side of the Petomecke River shall be included
    and are hereafter to be accompted within the county of
    Northumberland."

        [11] Act III, October 1649. Hening, Vol. i, p. 362.

Settlement was pushing north, however, and in July 1653, Westmoreland
was carved out of the then existing Northumberland. It was decreed:

    "ordered by this present Grand Assembly that the bounds of the
    county of Westmorland be as followeth (vizt.) from Machoactoke
    river where Mr. Cole lives: And so upwards to the falls of the
    great river of Pawtomake above the Necostins Towne."[12]

        [12] Hening, Vol. i, p. 381.

Conditions on the frontier, however, made it necessary in 1662 to
unite Westmoreland and Northumberland counties for administrative
purposes "until otherwise ordered by the governor."[13] There is no
record of the date of his later decision to separate the two counties
but he must have done so.

        [13] Hening, Vol. ii, p. 151.

Similarly, there is no definite record of the establishment of
Stafford County. The first legislative reference to Stafford is in an
Act[14] exempting the inhabitants of Stafford because of the "newnesse
of its ground" from a general requirement laid upon counties to employ
a weaver and set up a public loom. In this year of 1666 Stafford sent
a delegate to the General Assembly. The County, however, must have
been in existence earlier since there is a record of the Stafford
County Court Book which on page one relates to a meeting of the Court
for the County on May 27, 1664.[15] The boundaries of the County are
nowhere set forth at this early date, but that they encompassed the
Arlington area is clear from a direction of the Legislature in 1676
that a fort be established "on Potomack river at or near John Mathews
in the county of Stafford."[16] John Mathews' land was on the lower
side of Great Hunting Creek[17] but there would have been no reason at
that time to erect a separate county to the north.

        [14] Act VIII, October 1666.

        [15] Robinson, _Virginia Counties_, p. 87. This court book
        may also be inspected at the Stafford County Court House.

        [16] Hening, Vol. ii, p. 327.

        [17] Stetson, _Four Mile Run Land Grants_, p. 1.

There were no further changes affecting the county within which
Arlington lay until 1730 when Prince William County was formed. An Act
of the General Assembly declared that after March 25, 1731,

    "all the land, on the heads of the said counties [Stafford and
    King George] above the Chopawansick Creek, on Patomack river, and
    Deep run, on Rappahannock river and a southward line to be made
    from the head of the north branch of the said creek to the head of
    the said Deep run, be divided and exempt from said counties ...
    and be made a distinct county, and shall be called and known by
    the name of Prince William County."[18]

        [18] Acts of Assembly, May 1730, Chapter XVII. Hening, Vol. iv,
        p. 303.

It was not many years until Fairfax County came into being:

    "... from and immediately after the first day of December now next
    ensuing, the said county of Prince William be divided into two
    counties: That is to say, all that part thereof, lying on the
    south side of Occoquan, and Bull Run; and from the head of the
    main branch of Bull Run, by a straight course to the Thoroughfare
    of the Blue Ridge of mountains, known by the name of Ashby's Gap
    or Bent, shall be one distinct county, and retain the name of
    Prince William County: And be one distinct parish, and retain the
    name of Hamilton parish. And all that other part thereof,
    consisting of the parish of Truro, shall be one other distinct
    county, and called and known by the name of Fairfax county...."[19]

        [19] Acts of Assembly, May 1742, Chapter XXVII. Hening, Vol. v,
        p. 207.

Thus from December 1742 until the District of Columbia was formally
organized by Act of Congress (February 27, 1801) what is now Arlington
was part of Fairfax County.


_1789-1847_

Maryland and Virginia had agreed to meet in 1785 to discuss the
controversy over the navigation of the Potomac and their joint
boundary. The Commissioners who took part in this meeting did more
than draw up a compact subsequently ratified by their respective
States. From this meeting eventually came the call for the convention
which resulted in the Constitution of the United States and the
decision to set aside a tract of land ten miles square for the seat of
the Federal Government.

The Maryland-Virginia compact on the Potomac was signed on March 28,
1785, and confirmed by the General Assembly of Virginia in 1786.[20]
Although it was designed primarily to settle navigation and fishing
rights, its seventh section provided: "The citizens of each State,
respectively, shall have full property rights in the shores of
Patowmack river adjoining their land...." This has been interpreted to
mean property rights to low water mark. The dispute over this point
became of significance in the 20th Century with the construction of
the National Airport and the Pentagon Building.

        [20] Acts of Assembly, 1785, Chapter XVII. Hening, Vol. xii,
        pp. 50-55. Cf. also _Code of Virginia, 1950_, Title 7.1,
        Section 7, and Conway, _The Compacts of Virginia_, p. 5. The
        Potomac River Fisheries Compact of 1958 (Acts of Assembly,
        1962, Chapter 406; _Code of Virginia 1950_, Title 28.1, Sec.
        203) did not affect Arlington.

Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution of the United States gives
the Congress power to accept a territory not exceeding ten miles
square to be set aside as the seat of the Federal Government. The
story of the compromise which led to the selection of a site on the
Potomac is told in all the history books.[21] These, however, rarely
give the details of how the exact area which became the District of
Columbia came to be chosen.

        [21] Cf. for example, Samuel Eliot Morison & Henry Steele
        Commager, _The Growth of the American Republic_, Vol. I,
        p. 332. New York, 1962. Leon H. Canfield & Howard B. Wilder,
        _The Making of Modern America_, p. 148. Boston, 1964.

In 1789, the Virginia legislature adopted an Act[22] offering to cede
"ten miles square, or any lesser Quantity of Territory within the
State" to the United States for the permanent seat of the general
government. Section I of this Act recited the motive: "Whereas the
equal and common benefits resulting from the administration of the
general government will be best diffused, and its operation become
more prompt and certain, by establishing such a situation for the seat
of the said government, as will be most central and convenient to the
citizens of the United States at large, having regard as well to
population, extent of territory, and a free navigation to the Atlantic
Ocean, through the Chesapeake bay, as to the most direct and ready
communication with our fellow citizens in the western frontier; and
whereas it appears to this Assembly that a situation combining all
considerations and advantages before recited, may be had on the banks
of the river Patowmack, above tide water, in a country rich and
fertile in soil, healthy and salubrious in climate, and abounding in
all the necessaries and conveniences of life, where in a location of
ten miles square, if the wisdom of Congress shall so direct, the
States of Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia may participate in such
location."

        [22] Acts of Assembly, 1789, Chapter XXXII, p. 19.

It is clear from the inclusion of Pennsylvania as one of the
participating States, and the reference to "above tide water" that the
Virginia legislators of those days had in mind a tract somewhat higher
up the river than that which was eventually chosen. Indeed, the first
Act of Congress[23] dealing with this subject set the limits within
which the Federal District was to be established "on the river
Potomac, at some place between the mouths of the Eastern Branch and
Connogochegue" (a tributary of the Potomac some 20 miles south of the
Pennsylvania State line) and authorized the President to appoint three
commissioners to survey and "by proper metes and bounds" define and
limit the district to be accepted by the Congress.

        [23] July 16, 1790.

By a proclamation of January 24, 1791,[24] President Washington
directed that a survey should be made.

        [24] Richardson, _Messages and Papers of the Presidents_,
        Vol. I, p. 100.

    "... after duly examining and weighing the advantages and
    disadvantages of the several situations within the limits
    aforesaid, I do hereby declare and make known that the location of
    one part of the said district of 10 miles square shall be found by
    running four lines of experiment in the following manner, that is
    to say: Running from the court-house of Alexandria, in Virginia,
    due southwest half a mile, and thence a due southeast course till
    it shall strike Hunting Creek, to fix the beginning of the said
    four lines of experiment.

    "Then beginning the first of the said four lines of experiment at
    the point on Hunting Creek where the said southeast course shall
    have struck the same, and running to the said first line due
    northwest 10 miles; thence the second line into Maryland due
    northeast 10 miles; thence the third line due southeast 10 miles,
    and thence the fourth line due southwest 10 miles to the beginning
    on Hunting Creek."

Since the tract thus specified did not lie within the limits set by
the Act of July 1790, the Congress was asked to authorize the moving
of the southern boundary point of the "ten miles square" farther south
to include the Eastern Branch and the town of Alexandria. Accordingly,
the Act of July 16, 1790, was amended by an Act approved March 3,
1791:

    "... it shall be lawful for the President to make any part of the
    territory below the said limit [the confluence of the Eastern
    Branch with the Potomac] and above the mouth of Hunting Creek, a
    part of said district, so as to include a convenient part of the
    Eastern Branch, and of the lands lying on the lower side thereof
    and also the town of Alexandria...."

No time was lost in establishing definite boundaries for the new
district, and on March 30, 1791, President Washington issued a
proclamation declaring

    "that the whole of the said territory shall be located and
    included within the four lines following, that is to say:

    "Beginning at Jones's Point, being the upper cape of Hunting
    Creek, in Virginia, and at an angle in the outset of 45 degrees
    west of the north, and running in a direct line 10 miles for the
    first line; then beginning again at the same Jones's Point and
    running another direct line at a right angle with the first across
    the Potomac 10 miles for the second line; then from the
    termination of the said first and second lines running two other
    direct lines of 10 miles each, the one crossing the Eastern Branch
    aforesaid and the other the Potomac, and meeting each other in a
    point.

    "... and the territory so to be located, defined, and limited
    shall be the whole territory accepted by the said acts of Congress
    as the district for the permanent seat of the Government of the
    United States."[25]

        [25] Richardson, _Messages and Papers of the Presidents_, Vol.
        I, p. 102.

The cornerstone was set at Jones Point, on the bank of the Potomac
below Alexandria, on April 15, 1791. Many of the original stones, set
at intervals of one mile along the boundary, are still in place though
badly showing the effects of time.[26] The stone referred to
earlier--at the northwest corner of present Arlington County--is
chipped and almost overgrown by the great oak tree near which it was
placed. A small tract surround this stone has been set aside as a
public park, jointly owned by the City of Falls Church and the
counties of Arlington and Fairfax.

        [26] Ernest A. Shuster, Jr., "Original Boundary Stones of the
        District of Columbia"; _The National Geographic Magazine_,
        Vol. XX, pp. 356-359 (April, 1909).

It is interesting that the Acts of Congress setting up the District of
Columbia should have specified that no public buildings were to be
erected on the Virginia side of the Potomac.[27] The Act of 1790
empowered the commissioners to buy or accept the gift of land for the
site of public buildings only on the eastern side of the Potomac. The
Act of 1791 made this limitation more explicit:

    "... nothing herein contained, shall authorize the erection of
    public buildings otherwise than on the Maryland side of the river
    Potomac."

        [27] It has been hinted that George Washington insisted upon
        this to refute rumors that he had been influenced in his choice
        of a site by motives of personal gain since he owned land in
        Arlington. Cf. Moore, _Seaport in Virginia_, p. 39.

It is curious that this should have been so since the General Assembly
of Virginia in 1789 followed its Act ceding territory for the
formation of a Federal District by a joint resolution promising to
appropriate not less than $120,000 (a considerable sum in those days)
for public buildings in this territory if Maryland would put up an
amount not less than three-fifths as much. The fact that there were no
Federal office buildings on the Virginia side of the Potomac was used
as an argument for the retrocession of this area in mid-19th Century.

The compromise which had resulted in the selection of the Potomac as
the site of the Federal District included an agreement that the seat
of the Government should be in Philadelphia for a period of ten years.
Accordingly, it was not until 1800 that the Congress and Government
offices were moved to the City of Washington in the District of
Columbia.

Almost from the beginning there was dissatisfaction among the
inhabitants of Alexandria County at being part of the District of
Columbia. This sentiment crystallized in 1846 when the General
Assembly adopted an Act[28] expressing the willingness of Virginia to
accept the territory should the Congress re-cede it. A petition was
presented to the Congress by the residents requesting that this be
done. The petition was referred to the Committee on the District which
reported:

    "The experience of more than forty years seems to have
    demonstrated that the cession of the county and town of Alexandria
    was unnecessary for any of the purposes of a seat of government,
    mischievous to the interests of the State at large, and especially
    injurious to the people of that portion which was ceded by
    Virginia."[29]

        [28] Acts of Assembly, 1845-47, p. 50.

        [29] Quoted in "Remonstrance of the Mayor and Citizens of
        Alexandria...."

Accordingly, a bill was introduced to turn back to Virginia the
area ceded by it in 1789. After considerable debate as to its
constitutionality, the bill was enacted on July 9, 1846. It stipulated
that the retrocession should be contingent upon a referendum among the
people of the area in question. The referendum was held[30] and the vote
was 763 for and 222 against retrocession.

        [30] Although the "Remonstrance" cited above states that the
        vote was held on August 17, 1846, the presidential proclamation
        putting the transfer into effect declares the poll to have been
        taken _viva voce_ at the Court House on September 1 and 2.
        The August date is given in the proclamation as that on which
        five commissioners were appointed by the President and directed
        to take the poll.

On September 7, 1846, President Polk announced the results of the
referendum and called "upon all and singular the persons whom it doth
or may concern to take notice that the act aforesaid [of July 9, 1846]
'is in full force and effect.'"[31] It was not until the next year,
however, that Virginia got around to extending its jurisdiction over
the "county of Alexandria." On March 13, 1847, "An Act to extend the
jurisdiction of the Commonwealth of Virginia over the county of
Alexandria" was passed. It stated:

    "... The territory comprising the county of Alexandria in the
    District of Columbia heretofore ceded by this Commonwealth to the
    United States and by an Act of Congress of July 9, 1846, retroceded
    to Virginia and by it accepted shall be an integral portion of the
    Commonwealth."

        [31] Richardson, _Messages and Papers of the Presidents_, Vol.
        IV, p. 470. The legality of the retrocession was unsuccessfully
        challenged in 1875. Cf. _Phillips_ v. _Payne_, U.S. Reports,
        S.C. Otto 2, p. 130.

The Act provided that after March 20, 1847, the laws of Virginia were
to be in force in this territory, and went on:

    "That the territory so retroceded and accepted, comprising the
    county of Alexandria, shall constitute a new county, retaining the
    name of the county of Alexandria, the court-house whereof shall be
    in the Town of Alexandria where the courts now sit...."[32]

        [32] Acts of Assembly, 1846-47, Chapter 53. Cf. also, _Code of
        Virginia, 1950_, Title 7.1, Sec. 9. For a full account of the
        actions on the part of both the United States and Virginia in
        connection with this retrocession, cf. Harrison Mann,
        "Chronology of Action on the Part of the United States to
        Complete Retrocession of Alexandria County (Arlington County)
        to Virginia," _The Arlington Historical Magazine_, Vol. 1, No.
        1 (1957), pp. 15-23; and "Chronology of Action on the Part of
        the State of Virginia to Complete Retrocession of Alexandria
        County (Arlington County) to Virginia" _Ibid._, Vol. 1, No. 2
        (1958), pp. 43-51.

Tentative efforts have been made from time to time to re-annex this
area to the District of Columbia. It was on one such occasion, in 1865,
that a "Remonstrance of the Mayor and Citizens of Alexandria against
the Bill to annex the city and county of Alexandria to the District of
Columbia" concluded that "Annexation to the District at this time is
repugnant to the feelings and wishes and would be ruinous to the
interests of the people of Alexandria."


_Arlington's Boundary with the City of Alexandria_

Until 1870, Alexandria, first as a Town and, after 1852 as a City, was
geographically part of the County of Alexandria. However, its
boundaries must be considered from the beginning because all Acts
extending the area of the Town were made in reference to the
pre-existing limits. It is impossible to comprehend the effect of any
given change without tracing the boundaries back to--or forward
from--the beginning. (Map III.)

  [Illustration: MAP III
  Boundaries of the Town and City of Alexandria 1749 to 1915
  Drafted by W.B. Allison and B. Sims]

In 1748, a charter was issued to a group of trustees to establish a
Town

    "covering 60 acres of land, parcel of the lands of Philip
    Alexander, John Alexander, and Hugh West, situate, lying and being
    on the south side of Potomac River about the mouth of Great Hunting
    Creek and in the county of Fairfax ... beginning at the mouth of
    the first branch above the warehouse, and extending down the
    meanders of the said River Potomac to a point called Middle Point,
    and thence down the said river ten poles; and from thence by a line
    parallel to the dividing line between John Alexander's land and
    Philip Alexander, and back into the woods for the quantity
    aforesaid."[33]

        [33] Hening, Vol. vi, p. 214. Cited by title as "An Act for
        erecting a town at Hunting Creek warehouse, in the county of
        Fairfax." The text of the Act is given in the _Journal of the
        House of Burgesses_, and quoted in Caton, _Legislative
        Chronicles of the City of Alexandria_, p. 7.

The land was surveyed and lots sold by auction in July 1749. A map with
a notation of the purchasers was made by George Washington,[34] at that
time a boy of seventeen. On the north, the lots lay along the north
side of Oronoco Street, one block below Water Street (later Lee; at
that time it was interrupted between Queen and King Streets by the
shore line of the River), and on the south, lots were laid off on the
south side of Duke Street. The Potomac with its bend between Oronoco
and the south side of Prince Street, formed the eastern boundary, while
the western was a line of lots on the west side of Royal Street. There
were 84 lots in all, four to a block for the most part except for the
northwest portion where a stream, rising on Pitt Street between Cameron
and Queen, drained into the Potomac north of Oronoco Street. This is
the "first branch above the warehouse" referred to in the charter.

        [34] In the Library of Congress. Reproduced in Moore,
        _Seaport in Virginia_, pp. 10-11.

The first increment came in 1762 when the General Assembly passed "An
Act for enlarging the town of Alexandria in the county of Fairfax."[35]
On the ground that all of the lots included within the bounds of the
town had been built on except for some lying in low wet marsh, this Act
included in Alexandria the

    "... lands of Baldwin Dade, Sibel West, John Alexander the elder
    and John Alexander the younger which lie contiguous to the said
    town ... beginning at the corner of the lot denoted in the plan of
    said town by the figures 77 [at the south side of Duke St., three
    lots from its intersection with Water (Lee) Street] on the said
    river Potowmack, at the lower end of the said town, and to extend
    thence down the said river the breadth of two half acres, and one
    street thence back into the fields, by a line parallel to the lower
    line of the said town, such a distance as to include ten half acre
    lots and four streets; thence by a line parallel with the present
    back line of the said town to the extent of seventeen half acre
    lots and eight streets, and from thence by a line at right angles
    with the last to the river."

        [35] Hening, Vol. vii, p. 604. Acts of Assembly, November 1762,
        Chapter XXV.

Until 1779 the Town of Alexandria had had no formal government, being
managed by a Board of Trustees whose interest was primarily in the sale
of land. In that year, however, the Town was incorporated by the
General Assembly with provision for a Mayor, Council, and other
officials. The charter[36] made no mention of boundaries except to give
the town authorities jurisdiction over the territory within a half mile
of the town limits. Another Act[37] adopted at the same session stated
that lots had been laid off by John Alexander adjacent to the town in
1774 and sold with the stipulation that they be built on within two
years. Because of the difficulty of obtaining building materials due to
wartime conditions not all the purchasers had been able to meet this
requirement. The Act extended the period within which building on these
lots was required to two years

    "after the end of the present war ... and the same are hereby
    annexed to and made part of the said town of Alexandria."

        [36] Hening, Vol. x, p. 172. "An Act for incorporating the town
        of Alexandria in the County of Fairfax."

        [37] Hening, Vol. x, p. 192. Acts of Assembly, 1779, Chapter
        XXXI: "An Act to confirm certain sales and leases by the
        trustees of the town of Alexandria and to enlarge said
        town...."

The width and direction of the streets to be laid off in the area
surrounding the Town was regulated by an Act of 1785,[38] but this did
not extend the actual town limits. The area affected was described as:

    "Beginning at Great Hunting Creek and running parallel with Fairfax
    street to four mile run or creek so as to intersect King street
    when extended one mile west of the courthouse, thence eastwardly
    down the said creek or run to its confluence with the Potomac
    river, thence southwardly down the said river to the mouth of Great
    Hunting Creek...."

        [38] Acts of Assembly, October 1785, Chapter XCI. Hening, Vol.
        xii, p. 205.

In the next year, however, the Legislature provided

    "That the limits of the town of Alexandria shall extend to and
    include as well the lots formerly composing the said town, as those
    adjoining thereto which have been and are improved."[39]

        [39] Acts of Assembly, October 1786, Chapter LXXIII. Hening,
        Vol. xii, p. 362.

The town was still growing, and ten years later the General Assembly
again extended its legal limits.

    "Whereas several additions of lots contiguous to the town of
    Alexandria have been laid off by the proprietors of the land in
    lots of half an acre each extending to the north that range of lots
    upon the north side of a street called Montgomery; upon the south,
    to the line of the District of Columbia [this line had been
    surveyed but Alexandria had not yet been incorporated in the
    District] upon the west, to a range of lots upon the west side of
    West street, and upon the east to the river Patowmac; that many of
    the lots in those additions have already been built upon, and many
    more will so be improved; and whereas it has been represented to
    the General Assembly that the inhabitants residing on said lots are
    not subject to the regulations made and established for the orderly
    government of the town and for the preservation of the health of
    the inhabitants, by the prevention and removal of nuisances, upon
    which their property and well being does very much depend:

    "1. _Be it Therefore Enacted_: That each and every lot or part
    of a lot within the aforesaid limits, on which at this time is
    built a dwelling house of at least 16 feet square, or equal thereto
    in size, with a brick or stone chimney and that each and every lot
    within said limits which shall hereafter be so built upon, shall be
    incorporated with the said town of Alexandria and considered as
    part thereof."[40]

        [40] Acts of Assembly, November 1796, Chapter 32. Shepherd,
        Vol. ii, p. 41.

The following year this Act was amended[41] to include unimproved lots
since their development was being hindered by the exclusion. These were
the boundaries of the Town when it became part of the District of
Columbia. They remained unchanged for nearly half a century thereafter.
The charter for the town adopted by the Congress on February 25,
1804,[42] specified that the limits should be those prescribed by the
Acts of Virginia. The jurisdiction of the town officials, however, was
extended to the

    "house lately built in the vicinity of the town for the accommodation
    of the poor and others"

and over the ten acres of ground surrounding the poor house. This is at
what is now Monroe Street and Jefferson Davis Highway. Although the
Charter was amended several times while Alexandria was in the District,
no changes were made in the Town boundaries.

        [41] Acts of Assembly, December 1797, Chapter 60. Shepherd,
        Vol. ii, p. 122.

        [42] U.S. _Stat. at Large_, Vol. 2, p. 255.

After the retrocession of "the county and town of Alexandria" (v.s., p.
13) not only were the boundaries changed, but the Town was chartered as
a City. Section 22 of the new charter[43] provided:

    "The line of the City of Alexandria shall be extended on the north
    and west as follows: Beginning in the Potomac River at a point
    distant northerly in the direction of Fairfax Street four hundred
    nineteen feet and two inches from the north line of the present
    corporate limits of the town of Alexandria in said river, and
    running thence westerly, parallel with said north line, to a point
    at which it would intersect the present western line if extended
    north four hundred nineteen feet and ten inches; thence
    southwesterly with the present western line but the said city
    council shall have authority to make such police and sanitary
    regulations of the territory reaching ten feet west of the western
    bank of Hooff's or Mushpot Run; then parallel to and at that
    distance from said run to the line dividing Alexandria from Fairfax
    county; then southeasterly with said dividing line to the present
    southwest corner of the said town of Alexandria."

        [43] Acts of Assembly, 1852, Chapter 358, p. 241.

The next year the Charter was amended,[44] again altering the
boundaries:

    "Beginning in the Potomac river at a point distant northwardly in
    the direction of Fairfax street four hundred and nineteen feet and
    two inches from the present north line of the corporate limits of
    the town in said river, and running westerly parallel to said north
    line to intersect the west line of said limits produced northwardly
    four hundred and nineteen feet and two inches; thence southwardly
    with said west line produced to the northwest corner of the said
    limits; thence eastwardly with the said north line into the river;
    then northwardly to the beginning: Beginning again at the
    intersection of the northwestern line of said limits with the north
    line of Cameron street; then southwardly with said western line, to
    the county line; then northwardly with the county line to the point
    where it intersects the brick wall on the south side of the Little
    River Turnpike road; then northwardly by a straight line to the
    east corner of John Hooff's lot on the south side of King street
    extended; then crossing King street extended to the west corner of
    the lot of the late Col. Francis Peyton; then with the west line of
    said lot and the course thereof to the north line of Cameron street
    extended; then by a straight line to the beginning."

        [44] Acts of Assembly, 1853, Chapter 484. Adopted February 18,
        1853.

The next addition came in 1858[45] when the boundaries were described
as:

    "Beginning in the Potomac River, at a point distant northerly, in
    the direction of Fairfax Street five hundred and ninety five feet
    and nine inches from the north line of Montgomery street, as now
    established in said city, and extended into said river; and running
    thence westerly and parallel with said north line to a point at
    which this course will intersect a line one hundred twenty three
    feet and five inches west of and running parallel to the western
    line of West street as now established, when extended; thence
    southerly parallel with West street, to the north line of Cameron
    street as now established; thence westerly in the direction of the
    north line of Cameron street extended, to a point in a line with
    the west line of the lot of the late Francis Peyton, on which he
    resided; thence southerly, parallel with West street, to the south
    line of King street, extended; thence in a straight line to a point
    in the line dividing the county of Fairfax and Alexandria from each
    other, ten feet west of Hoof's Run; thence southerly, parallel to,
    and distant 10 feet from Hoof's Run to the middle of Hunting Creek
    thence with the middle of Hunting Creek into the Potomac River;
    then up the said river to the beginning."

        [45] Acts of Assembly, 1858, Chapter 270. Enacted April 2,
        1858.

This line remained in effect until January 27, 1865, when an amendment
to the charter[46] withdrew from the jurisdiction of the city all the
territory in Fairfax county (bounded by the old District line, Hooff's
Run and Hunting Creek) which had been added to the town by the charter
of 1858. The next year, on January 25, 1866, the General Assembly
rescinded this action and restored the boundaries of 1858.[47] A further
change occurred in this area on February 20, 1871, when the last part
of the description was changed to read:

    "... to a point in the line dividing the county of Fairfax and
    Alexandria from each other, ten feet west of Hooff's Run; thence
    southerly with the said line into the Potomac River; thence up said
    river to the beginning."[48]

        [46] Acts of Assembly 1865/66, Chapter IX.

        [47] Acts of Assembly 1866/67, Chapter 152.

        [48] Acts of Assembly 1871, Chapter 73. The frequent and rapid
        changes in this boundary appear to have been related to the
        complexion of the electorate in the affected area and the
        varying political sentiments of the immediate post Civil War
        and Reconstruction periods.

A major change occurred on May 1, 1870, when the City of Alexandria was
excluded from the County. This came about through the implementation of
an Act of the Assembly[49] following the adoption of a new Virginia
Constitution in 1869. In delineating the magisterial districts into
which counties were to be divided it was provided that "no part of any
town or city having a separate organization, or a population of five
thousand or more inhabitants, shall be embraced." Alexandria was such a
city and thereafter was independent of as well as outside of the
County.

        [49] Acts of Assembly, 1869-70, Chapter 39.

  [Illustration: MAP IV
  Areas Annexed by the City of Alexandria in 1915 and 1929
  Drafted by W. B. Allison and B. Sims]

There were no further legislative changes in the boundaries of the City
of Alexandria after 1871. In 1915, however, the Supreme Court of
Appeals of Virginia, reversed a decision of the Circuit Court of
Alexandria County given on January 13, 1913. The City Council of
Alexandria had sought to annex adjoining territory from both Fairfax
and Alexandria counties and had been opposed by the authorities of
those counties who had been upheld by the Circuit Court. The Order of
the Supreme Court of Appeals[50] transferred 866 acres from Arlington
and 450 acres from Fairfax to Alexandria.

        [50] Alexandria County, _Deed Book 146_, p. 387. See Appendix.
        Cf. also, C. B. Rose, Jr., "Annexation of a Portion of
        Arlington County by the City of Alexandria in 1915," _The
        Arlington Historical Magazine_, pp. 22-36, Vol. 2, No. 4
        (1964). For a discussion of the judicial process of annexation,
        cf. Bain, _Annexation in Virginia_.

This annexation took effect on April 1, 1915. Once more thereafter
Arlington County--as it became known after 1920[51]--was to lose
territory to the City of Alexandria. This was in 1929 when a decision
of the Supreme Court of Appeals[52] rendered May 4, 1929, found in favor
of the City of Alexandria which had begun annexation proceedings in
December 1927.

        [51] Acts of Assembly, 1920, Chapter 241.

        [52] Arlington County, _Common Law Order Book 12_, p. 293.
        Also, _Deed Book 306_, p. 300.

The Court held that "it is necessary and expedient that the corporate
limits of the City of Alexandria should be extended" and that "the
territory to be annexed from Arlington County is a reasonably compact
body of land and contains no land which is not adapted to city
improvement, and the Court being also of the opinion that no land is
included which the City will not need in the reasonably near future for
development ..."

The Court ordered the annexation[53] to take effect on December 31,
1929. The line thus established remained in effect until January 1,
1966.

        [53] See Appendix.

This was the last annexation of territory from Arlington County. A
special provision of the Act[54] establishing the County Manager plan
of government, adopted by Arlington in 1930, effective January 1, 1932,
prevents the annexation of any _part_ of the County (but permits
annexation of the _entire_ County after referendum). In 1938, as a
further precaution, the legislative delegation representing Arlington
County succeeded in having the General Assembly enact a law[55] which
prohibits the annexation of territory from any county which would
result in reducing the area of that county to less than 60 square miles
of highland. Since Arlington has less than 26 square miles, this Act
effectively checks any further such encroachments upon its territory.

        [54] Acts of Assembly, 1930, Chapter 167; Cf. also, _Code of
        Virginia, 1950_, Title 15.1, Sec. 692.

        [55] Acts of Assembly, 1938, Chapter 22; Cf. also, _Code of
        Virginia, 1950_, Title 15.1, Sec. 1056.

Development on both sides of the 1929 boundary line, construction of
streets and notably of the Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway--and
especially changes in the channel of Four Mile Run--eventually brought
dissatisfaction with that line. In 1962, the Arlington and Alexandria
legislative delegations secured enactment by the General Assembly of an
Act[56] permitting an adjustment in the boundary to be concluded by
mutual agreement between the governing bodies of the County and the
City, the agreement to be recorded in the Clerk's Office of both
jurisdictions.

        [56] Acts of Assembly, 1962, Chapter 314.

Negotiations began after the area affected had been surveyed and the
private property which might be the subject of exchange had been
appraised. Impetus was given by the need of Arlington for land in
connection with enlargement of the County sewage treatment facilities;
this land, although on the North side of Four Mile Run fell in
Alexandria. Finally, the Arlington County Board gave approval in
principle to a draft proposal on April 10, 1965,[57] and on April 13,
1965, the Alexandria City Council followed suit. A public hearing was
held on May 5, 1965, but final action was deferred pending refinement
of the proposal. In December 1965, the final agreement was recorded[58]
and the transfer of certain publicly owned property approved by the
Circuit Court. The net gain to Arlington's area was 167 acres.

        [57] Arlington County Board Minute Book XXI, p. 54.

        [58] Alexandria _Deed Book_, 641, p. 188 (December 21, 1965);
        Arlington _Deed Book_, 1609, p. 453 (December 23, 1965);
        Arlington _Common Law Order Book_ 85, p. 197. For the
        description of the new boundary, see Appendix.

This procedure for rectifying boundaries between a County and a City is
highly unusual in the Virginia experience.


_Arlington's Boundary with the District of Columbia_

No definite effort was made at the time of the recession of Alexandria
County to Virginia to draw a boundary line between the County and the
remaining portion of the District of Columbia. As noted above, the
various acts bringing about the recession referred only to "the
territory heretofore ceded by the Commonwealth of Virginia." The actual
boundary was of small moment at the time.

Toward the end of the 19th Century, however, the United States
Government acquired lands on the Virginia shore of the Potomac largely
through the purchase of the Arlington estate. As the 20th Century
progressed, roads (notably the Mount Vernon Boulevard and later the
George Washington Memorial Parkway) were constructed, bridges and
bridge approaches built and, eventually, the Federal Government
undertook to construct the National Airport at Gravelly Point below
Alexander's Island. A suit[59] over government activity in making a land
fill raised questions as to the exact location of the boundary--and
indeed as to whether Alexander's Island really was an island or was a
peninsula. This case, decided by the U.S. Supreme Court on May 4,
1931, set the boundary line between the District of Columbia and
Virginia at the high water mark of the Potomac on the Virginia shore as
it existed in 1791.

        [59] _Washington Airport_ vs. _Smoot Sand and Gravel Corp_.,
        283 U.S. 348. Cf. also, _Marine Railroad and Coal Co_. v.
        _U.S._, 257 U.S. 47.

But where had that high water mark been? There had been no survey at
the time; the shore line had never been marked; and even had it been,
the passage of time had made many changes in the river front.[60] A
Commission was established[61] to deal with this question. The
instructions to this Commission were to take into consideration the
decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States, the findings and
report of the Maryland-Virginia Commission of 1877[62] and the
Maryland-Virginia compact of 1785.[63]

        [60] This indefinite boundary line "lies in many places some
        distance from the Potomac River." _Report No. 895_, H.R., 78th
        Congress, 1st Session.

        [61] 48 U.S. Stat. 453; Virginia Acts of Assembly, 1932, p.
        485.

        [62] _Code of Virginia, 1950_, Title 7.1, Sec. 7. This
        Commission dealt only with the boundary below Jones Point but
        chose _low water mark_ as the line. The pertinent words of
        the agreement (ratified by Virginia in 1878) are: "The low
        water mark on the Potomac to which Virginia has a right in the
        soil, is to be measured ... from low-water mark at one headland
        to low water at another, without following indentations, bays,
        creeks, inlets, or affluent rivers. Virginia is entitled not
        only to full dominion over the soil to low water mark on the
        south shore of the Potomac, but has a right to such use of the
        river...." Interpretation of this agreement took many years and
        it was 1930 before the line actually was surveyed and
        monumented.

        [63] _Code of Virginia, 1950_, Title 7.1, Sec. 7. Cf. also
        page 9 above.

The Commission accumulated a large volume of testimony and exhibits and
completed its report[64] in 1935. It found that the "fair and proper
boundary is the low water mark on the Virginia shore running from
headland to headland across creeks and inlets." It pointed out that
inasmuch as the mark of 1791 could not be determined the low water mark
should be accepted as of this day. It suggested that an exception be
made at Roaches Run where the line should run 150 feet west of and
parallel to the west line of the Mount Vernon Boulevard.

        [64] Report of District of Columbia--Virginia Boundary
        Commission, 74th Congress, 2nd Session, _House Document_ 374.

Several bills[65] were introduced into Congress to give effect to the
decision of the Commission but none was enacted at this time. The
completion of the Airport and the Pentagon Building gave urgency to the
problem: conflicts of jurisdiction hampered law enforcement and
complicated the question of tax collection. Moreover, Virginia was
anxious to insure that the liquor control laws of the State and not
those of the District of Columbia should be in effect at the National
Airport. In 1942, the General Assembly had adopted an Act[66] covering
the boundary question, on the assumption that the bill then pending in
Congress would be passed. Disagreement over the details of the
jurisdiction to be ceded and accepted by Virginia and the United States
Government prevented passage of a Federal Act until 1945 when Public
Law 208 was enacted by the 79th Congress. This was followed by an
Act[67] of the Virginia General Assembly repealing the 1942 Act and
ratifying the 1945 Federal Act.

        [65] 76th Congress, 3rd Session, H.R. 9976; S. 4114. 77th
        Congress, 1st Session, H.R. 1045; H.R. 5073. 78th Congress, 1st
        Session, S. 19; H.R. 746; H.R. 3664. The Arlington County Board
        endorsed H.R. 9976; cf. Minute Book V, p. 423 and VII, p. 500.

        [66] Acts of Assembly, 1942, Chapter 267.

        [67] Acts of Assembly, 1946, Chapter 26. _Code of Virginia,
        1950_, Title 7.1, Sec. 10.

This law is in effect today. It provides that the boundary line

    "shall begin at a point where the northwest boundary of the
    District of Columbia intercepts the high-water mark of the Virginia
    shore of the Potomac River and following the present mean
    high-water mark; thence in a southeasterly direction along the
    Virginia shore of the Potomac River to Little River, along the
    Virginia shore of Little River to Boundary Channel, along the
    Virginia side of Boundary Channel to the main body of the Potomac
    River, along the Virginia side of the Potomac River across the
    mouths of all tributaries affected by the tides of the river to
    Second Street, Alexandria, Virginia, from Second Street to the
    present established pierhead line, and following said pierhead line
    to its connection with the District of Columbia-Maryland boundary
    line; that whenever said mean high-watermark on the Virginia shore
    is altered by artificial fill and excavations made by the United
    States, or by alluvion or erosion, then the boundary shall follow
    the new mean high-water mark on the Virginia shore as altered, or
    whenever the location of the pierhead line along the Alexandria
    water front is altered, then the boundary shall follow the new
    location of the pierhead line."

The Act also provided that all the land on the Virginia side of the
Potomac lying between the boundary line as now adopted and the mean
high water mark as it existed on January 24, 1791 (wherever that was!)
should be ceded to the State of Virginia. The United States, however,
reserved concurrent jurisdiction over this area.

Here the matter rests very uneasily today. The exact line was surveyed,
monumented, and mapped by the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey over the
years 1946-1947.[68] However, the working agreements reached by the law
enforcement officials of the various jurisdictions concerned have not
always proven satisfactory. The long history of the location of the
Potomac River boundary of Arlington County cannot yet be said to have
reached its end.

        [68] Unpublished Report dated March 27, 1947, from Lt. Comdr.
        Roswell C. Bolstad, Chief of Party, on Project G-815, Coast and
        Geodetic Survey, Department of Commerce.


_Postscript--Towns in Arlington County_

Of the three towns which have lain within Arlington County, the only
one whose limits have been of importance to the territorial extent of
the County is Alexandria. Nonetheless, to complete the record, some
mention should be made of the Town of Potomac and the Town of Falls
Church, the first of which lay wholly within Arlington, and the second,
partly so.

Falls Church is the older town. It was chartered by the General
Assembly on March 30, 1875.[69] The charter set forth the boundaries as:

    "Beginning at the corner of Alexandria and Fairfax Counties on J.
    C. DePutron's farm; thence to the corner of W. H. Ellison and Koon
    [sic] on D. H. Barrett's line; thence to the corner of Sewell and
    Hollidge, on the new cut road; thence to the corner of J. E. Birch
    and H. J. England, on the Falls Church and Fairfax Courthouse road;
    thence to a stone in the road being a corner of B. F. Shreve,
    Newton, and others; thence to the crossing of the Alexandria and
    Georgetown roads at Taylor's corners; thence along the line of said
    Georgetown road to the corner of Samuel Shreve and John Febrey;
    thence to a pin oak tree near Dr. L. E. Gott's spring; thence to
    the northeast corner of John Brown's barn; thence to the crossing
    of Isaac Crossmun's and Bowen's line on the Chain Bridge Road;
    thence to the place of beginning."

        [69] Acts of Assembly 1874/75, Chapter 316.

  [Illustration: MAP V
  The Towns of Falls Church and Potomac in Arlington County
  Drafted by W. B. Allison and B. Sims]

After Arlington adopted the County Manager form of government, the
residents of so much of the Town of Falls Church as lay within
Arlington County (Map V) sought to have the charter amended to reduce
the limits of the Town to that portion which lay in Fairfax. An action
was brought on July 7, 1932, and the Circuit Court granted the petition
on January 17, 1935.[70] This decision was appealed, however, and it was
not until the next year (April 30, 1936) that the order went into
effect,[71] after the lower court had been upheld by the Virginia
Supreme Court of Appeals.

        [70] Arlington County, _Common Law Order Book 16_, p. 235 and
        p. 309.

        [71] Arlington County, _Common Law Order Book 17_, p. 130 and
        p. 138.

The area affected by the order is described as:

    "Beginning at a large planted stone on the estate of the late J. C.
    DePutron, at the original western corner of the District of
    Columbia, which is also at the corner of Fairfax and Arlington
    counties, and at the corner of the Town of Falls Church; thence
    with the boundary of said Town S. 83° 15' E. 2,404 feet more or
    less, to a planted stone in the center of Little Falls Street also
    called the Chain Bridge Road, at a point at which said street is
    intersected by the boundary of the land formerly known as the Bowen
    tract; thence with the boundary of said Town S. 49° 15' E. 3,482
    feet, more or less, to a planted granite stone at a point which
    formerly marked the northeast corner of John Brown's barn; thence
    with the boundary of said Town S. 28° 45' E. 2,410 feet, more or
    less, to a point at which there formerly stood a large pin oak on
    the Gott tract; thence with the boundary of the said Town S. 4° 15'
    W. to the boundary between Fairfax and Arlington counties; thence
    with the said boundary in a northwesterly direction to the place of
    beginning."

The Town of Potomac was chartered by the General Assembly in 1908.[72]
Its boundaries (Map V) were described as:

    "Beginning at the north intersection of Bellefont Avenue in the
    subdivision of 'Del Ray' with the Washington and Alexandria
    Turnpike, thence northerly along the west line of the Turnpike to
    the old Georgetown Road, the northern boundary of the subdivision
    of St. Elmo; thence westerly along the south side of the Georgetown
    Road to the dividing line of Susan P. A. Calvert and Charles E.
    Wood; thence with the line of Calvert and Wood to the west line of
    the Washington, Alexandria and Mt. Vernon R.R. Co., to its
    intersection with Lloyd's Lane and Bellefont Avenue to the
    beginning."

        [72] Acts of Assembly 1908, Chapter 273.

All this area was included in the annexation to Alexandria which was
effected in 1929 (cf. p. 23).

One proposed town deserves mention. In 1920 a group of citizens
petitioned the Circuit Court for a town charter for Clarendon. The
Court denied the petition. Upon appeal, the Supreme Court of Appeals of
Virginia upheld the lower court, declaring that all of Arlington County
was a "continuous, contiguous, and homogeneous community" and as such
should not be subjected to subdivision for the purpose of incorporating
a town.[73] Since Arlington is even more a "continuous, contiguous, and
homogeneous" community than it was in 1922 there is no prospect that
ever again will there be a town within the bounds of the County.

        [73] _Bennett_ v. _Garrett_, 112 S.E. 772, decided June 15,
        1922.





APPENDIX


_Annexation of 1915_

Text of the order of the Supreme Court of Appeals setting the area to
be annexed by Alexandria as of April 1, 1915:

    "1st. That the following territory in Fairfax County be, and the
    same is hereby annexed to the City of Alexandria, to
    wit:--Beginning at a point in mid-channel of Hunting Creek
    southward of Alexandria Water Company's pumping station with the
    east side of a lane, called Robert's Lane; running thence
    northwardly with the east line of said Lane, extended, and with the
    east line of said Lane to the south side of the Little River
    Turnpike; thence across the Little River Turnpike in the same
    direction to the extreme west corner of Shooter's Hill section of
    George Washington Park sub-division; thence with the west boundary
    of said Shooter's Hill section to the corner of said Shooter's Hill
    section and Section No. 2 of said sub-division; thence with the
    west boundary of said Section No. 2 of said sub-division to a point
    on the south side of Janney's Road fifty (50) feet west from the
    intersection of the south side of Janney's Road and the west side
    of the Leesburg Turnpike; thence continuing to about 25 degrees
    east to the old District of Columbia line, being the dividing line
    between said Fairfax County and Alexandria County; and thence
    southwestwardly with the said old District line to Jones Point on
    the Potomac River; thence southwardly down the said River to the
    mid-channel of Hunting Creek: thence with the meanderings of the
    mid-channel of Hunting Creek up stream, to the point of
    beginning.... 2nd. That the following described territory in
    Alexandria County be, and the same is, hereby annexed to the City
    of Alexandria: Beginning at the northwest corner of the present
    city boundary, and extended said line westwardly, in the same
    course until it intersects with the north side of the Braddock
    Road; thence southwardly, to the Old District line at the northwest
    corner of the land annexed from Fairfax County; thence with the
    said old District line southeastwardly to the southwest corner of
    the present city boundary about twenty feet west of Hooff's Run;
    thence following the western boundary line of the present city to
    the northwest corner of the present boundary line of the city and
    the point of beginning.... And it is further ordered that the
    boundary lines of the City of Alexandria after annexation shall be
    as follows: Beginning in the Potomac River at the northeast corner
    of the present boundary of the City of Alexandria and following the
    present north boundary line of the City of Alexandria to the
    northwest corner of the City, thence prolonging said line in the
    same direction until it intersects with the north side of the
    Braddock Road; then southwardly to a point on the south side of
    Janney's Lane fifty (50) feet from the west side of Leesburg
    Turnpike; thence southwardly along the west boundary line of George
    Washington Park subdivision to the Alexandria Water Company
    property and reservoir; thence southwardly with the west line of
    Alexandria Water Company's property to the north side of the Little
    River Turnpike; thence across the Little River Turnpike and with
    the east side of Robert's Lane and continuing with the east side of
    Robert's Lane extended to the mid-channel of Hunting Creek; thence
    downstream with the meandering of the mid-channel of Hunting Creek
    to the Potomac River, thence up the Potomac River to Jones Point
    and thence with the west side of the Potomac River to the point of
    beginning, the northeast corner of the present boundary of the City
    of Alexandria."


_Annexation of 1929_

Text of the order of the Supreme Court of Appeals setting the area to
be annexed by Alexandria as of December 31, 1929:

    "Beginning at the intersection of the north corporate limits of
    Alexandria Virginia with the west shore of the Potomac River,
    thence extending N. 80° 39' W. along said north boundary line to
    the northwest corner of the corporate limits as the same was
    established prior to the year 1915; thence with the line as
    established March 22, 1915, and continuing said north corporate
    line N. 80° 39' W., 4,353.86 feet to a set stone at the corner on
    the north side of the Braddock Road within the subdivision of
    Northwest Alexandria; thence S. 30° 11' W., 1,892.20 feet to the
    intersection with the line separating Fairfax and Arlington
    Counties; thence with the line of said two counties N. 45° 02' 50"
    W., 6,434.88 feet to a point in the center line of the Braddock
    Road (having passed over an original milestone in said county line
    at 3,244.70 feet); thence following along the center line of said
    Braddock Road, S. 84° 22' 30" E., 264.20 feet to a point where said
    Braddock Road is intersected by the southwardly projection of the
    Seminary Road: thence departing from said Braddock Road and
    following along the center line of said Seminary Road the following
    courses: N. 5° 02' 30" E. 811.50 feet, N. 22° 46' 30" E. 611.05
    feet, N. 1° 23' W., 1,551.40 feet, N. 20° 03' E. 319.13 feet, N.
    19° 48' E. 385.49 feet, N. 37° 45' W. 183.32 feet, N. 2° 57' E.
    140.89 feet, N. 28° 00' E. 165.41 feet, N. 5° 59' E., 145.83 feet
    N. 13° 47' W. 436.37 feet, N. 9° 02' W. 1,447.08 feet, and N. 2°
    10' 30" E. 274.90 feet to the point where said center line of said
    Seminary Road intersects the south right-of-way line of the
    Washington and Old Dominion Railway; thence with said south
    right-of-way line S. 77° 39' 30" E., 1885.80 more or less, to the
    center line of the channel of Four Mile Run; thence down the
    mid-channel line of said Four Mile Run following the meanderings
    thereof as the same passes under the Washington Virginia Railway
    (now the Mount Vernon, Alexandria and Washington Railway) the
    Washington and Alexandria Road, and extending to the intersection
    of the said Run with the Potomac River; thence following along the
    west shore line of said Potomac River southwardly to the point of
    beginning."


_Boundary Adjustment 1966_

Text of the description of the new Arlington-Alexandria boundary in
effect on January 1, 1966, by mutual agreement:

    "A line beginning at a point on the common boundary between Fairfax
    County and the City of Alexandria, Virginia, said point being in
    the existing right of way of Route #7 and is further defined as
    point #134 having Virginia State Coordinates of N. 431,495.42 and
    E. 2,395,581.64 as shown on a map recorded with a deed of
    annexation in Deed Book 332, page 559, of the land records of the
    City of Alexandria, Virginia; thence running along said common
    boundary N. 55° 50' 10" E., 69.09 feet to the boundary corner #135
    whose coordinates are N. 431,534.22 and E. 2,395,638.81, said point
    #135 also being shown on the aforementioned boundary map; thence
    still running with the last mentioned course and across Route #7
    1.29 feet (70.38 feet in all) to a point having coordinates N.
    431,534.94 and E. 2,395,639.88; thence running N. 09° 13' 10" E.
    0.69 feet to a point lying on the northerly side of Route #7, 40
    feet from same and having coordinates N. 431,535.62 and E.
    2,395,639.99; thence running along the northerly side of Route #7
    S. 66° 38' 20" E., 96.13 feet to a point of curvature whose
    coordinates are N. 431,497.50 and E. 2,395,728.24 thence continuing
    with said northerly side of Route #7 and its extension and
    following the arc of a curve to the right whose radius is 2331.83
    feet and whose chord and chord bearing are 810.17 feet and S. 56°
    38' 05" E. respectively, for an arc distance of 814.30 feet to a
    point on the extension of the northerly side of 25th Street, and
    whose coordinates are N. 431,051.93 and E. 2,396,404.88; thence
    running along said extension and thence with the northerly side of
    said street N. 50° 54' 13" E., 39.53 feet to a point of curvature
    whose coordinates are N. 431,076.86 and E. 2,396,435.56; thence
    following the arc of a curve to the right whose radius is 115.60
    feet and whose chord and chord bearing are 42.17 feet and N. 61°
    24' 48" E. respectively, for an arc distance of 42.41 feet to a
    point of tangency whose coordinates are N. 431,097.04 and E.
    2,396,472.59; thence continuing along 25th Street N. 71° 55' 23" E.
    220.00 feet to a point whose coordinates are N. 431,165.30 and E.
    2,396,681.73; thence turning and running across 25th Street and
    thence along the common boundary between lots #503 and #5 of
    Section 1 of Claremont Subdivision, and thence across Beauregard
    Street (its extension into Arlington County being known as S.
    Walter Reed Drive) S. 18° 04' 37" E., 317.80 feet to a point on a
    curve in the southerly side of Beauregard Street, said point having
    coordinates N. 430,863.19 and E. 2,396,780.34; thence running along
    the southerly side of said street and following the arc of a curve
    to the left whose radius is 410.00 feet and whose chord and chord
    bearing are 69.89 feet and S. 55° 47' 34.5" respectively, for an
    arc distance of 69.97 feet to a point of tangency having
    coordinates N. 430,823.90 and E. 2,396,722.54; thence continuing
    along the southerly side of Beauregard Street and its extension S.
    50° 54' 13" W. 83.66 feet to a point whose coordinates are N.
    430,771.14 and E. 2,396,657.61, said point being 40 feet from the
    centerline of the previously mentioned Route #7; thence running
    parallel with but 40 feet from said centerline S. 37° 38' 20" E.
    572.92 feet to a point whose coordinates are N. 430,317.46 and E.
    2,397,007.48, said point being on the extension of the common
    boundary between Section #1-A of Claremont and Section #2 of
    Fairlington; thence running along said extension and thence along
    said common boundary itself N. 44° 19' 57" E., 335.55 feet to a
    point being the northwesterly corner of a parcel of land owned by
    the City of Alexandria; and having coordinates N. 430,557.48 and E.
    2,397,241.97; thence running with the northeasterly boundary of
    said parcel S. 45° 38' 10" E., 242.71 feet to a point on a curve
    having coordinates N. 430,387.77 and E. 2,397,415.49 and lying in
    the northerly line of 28th Street; thence running along said
    northerly line of 28th Street and following the arc of a curve to
    the right whose radius is 311.48 feet and whose chord and chord
    bearing are 37.57 feet and S. 64° 02' 05" E. respectively, for an
    arc distance of 37.60 feet to a point of tangency whose coordinates
    are N. 430,371.32 and E. 2,397,449.27; thence along the northerly
    side of South Columbus Street S. 60° 34' 37" E., 415.05 feet to a
    point of curvature having coordinates N. 430,167.42 and E.
    2,397,810.79; thence running along the arc of a curve to the right
    whose radius is 215.99 feet and whose chord and chord bearing are
    162.40 feet and S. 38° 29' 37" E. respectively for an arc distance
    of 166.50 feet to a point of tangency lying in the intersection of
    29th Street and Columbus Street and having coordinates N.
    430,040.31 and E. 2,397,911.87; thence running S. 16° 24' 37" E.
    69.70 feet to a point of curvature on the northeasterly side of
    Columbus Street and whose coordinates are N. 429,973.45 and E.
    2,397,931.56; thence running along the northeasterly side of said
    street and following the arc of a curve to the left whose radius is
    691.20 feet and whose chord and chord bearing are 396.48 feet and
    S. 33° 04' 37" E. respectively, for an arc distance of 402.12 feet
    to a point of tangency, the coordinates of which are N. 429,641.22
    and E. 2,398,147.94; thence running S. 49° 44' 37" E. 545.56 feet
    to a point of curvature whose coordinates are N. 429,288.67 and E.
    2,398,564.29; thence following the arc of a curve to the left whose
    radius is 20.00 feet and whose chord and chord bearing are 21.94
    feet and S. 83° 00' 35.5" E. respectively, for an arc distance of
    23.22 feet to a point of reversed curvature whose coordinates are
    N. 429,286.00 and E. 2,398,586.07; thence running around the circle
    of the intersection of Columbus and 30th Streets and following the
    arc of a curve to the right whose radius is 93.00 feet and whose
    chord and chord bearing are 177.22 feet and S. 08° 36' 07" E.
    respectively, for an arc distance of 349.54 feet to a point of
    curvature whose coordinates are N. 429,110.77 and E. 2,398,612.58;
    thence following the arc of a curve to the left whose radius is
    20.00 feet and whose chord and chord bearing are 21.94 feet and S.
    65° 48' 21.5" W. respectively, for an arc distance of 23.22 feet to
    a point of tangency on the southeasterly side of 30th Street, said
    point having coordinates N. 429,101.78 and E. 2,398,592.57; thence
    running along the southeasterly side of said street S. 32° 32' 23"
    W., 136.28 feet to a point of curvature whose coordinates are N.
    428,986.89 and E. 2,398,519.27; thence following the arc of a curve
    to the left whose radius is 25.00 feet and whose chord and chord
    bearing are 35.36 feet and S. 12° 27' 37" E. respectively, for an
    arc distance of 39.27 feet to a point on the northeasterly side of
    Route #7, said point having coordinates N. 428,952.36 and E.
    2,398,526.90; thence running S. 57° 27' 37" E. 62.54 feet to a
    point whose coordinates are N. 428,918.72 and E. 2,398,579.62;
    thence running S. 56° 42' 37" E. 713.53 feet to a point of
    curvature, said point having coordinates N. 428,527.08 and E.
    2,399,176.06; thence following the arc of a curve to the right
    whose radius is 6056.68 feet and whose chord and chord bearing are
    1137.63 feet and S. 51° 19' 17" E., respectively for an arc
    distance of 1139.31 feet to a point of tangency on the
    northeasterly side of Route #7, said point having coordinates N.
    427,816.12 and E. 2,400,064.17; thence running along the
    northeasterly side of Route #7, S. 45° 55' 57" E., 2926.68 feet to
    a point of curvature whose coordinates are N. 425,780.60 and E.
    2,402,167.05; thence following the arc of a curve to the left whose
    radius is 25.00 feet and whose chord and chord bearing are 29.63
    feet and S. 82° 16' 52.5" E. respectively, for an arc distance of
    31.72 feet to a point on the northerly side of Quaker Lane, said
    point having coordinates of N. 425,776.62 and E. 2,402,196.41;
    thence following the northerly side of Quaker Lane N. 61° 22' 12"
    E. 25.35 feet to a point of curvature whose coordinates are N.
    425,788.77 and E. 2,402,218.66; thence following the arc of a curve
    to the left whose radius is 880.83 feet and whose chord and chord
    bearing are 594.59 feet and N. 41° 38' 39.5" E. respectively, for
    an arc distance of 606.50 feet to a point of tangency having
    coordinates N. 426,233.10 and E. 2,402,613.77; thence turning and
    running S. 68° 04' 53" E. 47.00 feet to a point whose coordinates
    are N. 426,215.56 and E. 2,402,657.37, said point being on the
    centerline of Quaker Lane; thence running along the centerline of
    same N. 21° 55' 07" E. 492.76 feet to a point of curvature having
    coordinates N. 426,672.70 and E. 2,402,841.31; thence following the
    arc of a curve to the left whose radius is 1200.00 feet and whose
    chord and chord bearing are 499.27 feet and N. 09° 54' 42.5" E.
    respectively, for an arc distance of 502.94 feet to a point of
    tangency whose coordinates are N. 427,164.52 and E. 2,402,927.25;
    thence running N. 02° 05' 42" W. 993.05 feet to a point whose
    coordinates are N. 428,156.91 and E. 2,402,890.95; said point lying
    in the intersection of Quaker Lane and Crestwood Drive; thence
    continuing along the centerline of Quaker Lane N. 00° 59' 42" W.,
    201.72 feet to a point of curvature whose coordinates are N.
    428,358.60 and E. 2,402,887.45; thence following the arc of a curve
    to the right whose radius is 595.00 feet and whose chord and chord
    bearing are 204.00 feet and N. 08° 52' 33" E. respectively, for an
    arc distance of 205.01 feet to a point of tangency having
    coordinates N. 428,560.16 and E. 2,402,918.93; thence running N.
    18° 44' 48" E., 122.09 feet to a point of curvature having
    coordinates N. 428,675.77 and E. 2,402,958.17; thence running along
    the arc of a curve to the left whose radius is 2181.87 feet and
    whose chord and chord bearing are 237.27 feet and N. 15° 37' 47" E.
    respectively, for an arc distance of 237.39 feet to a point of
    tangency having coordinates N. 428,904.27 and E. 2,403,022.10;
    thence running N. 12° 30' 46" E. 88.70 feet to a point of curvature
    having coordinates N. 428,990.86 and E. 2,403,041.32 and lying in
    the intersection of Quaker Lane, 32nd Road South, and Preston Road;
    thence following the arc of a curve to the left whose radius is
    243.67 feet and whose chord and chord bearing are 44.38 feet and N.
    07° 17' 14.5" E. respectively, for an arc distance of 44.44 feet to
    a point of tangency having coordinates N. 429,034.88 and E.
    2,403,046.95; thence running N. 02° 03' 43" E. 264.98 feet to a
    point of curvature whose coordinates are N. 429,299.69 and E.
    2,403,056.48 thence still running along the centerline of Quaker
    Lane and following the arc of a curve to the left whose radius is
    2165.91 feet and whose chord and chord bearing are 152.44 feet and
    N. 00° 02' 43" E. respectively for an arc distance of 152.47 feet
    to a point of tangency having coordinates N. 429,452.13 and E.
    2,403,056.60; thence N. 01° 58' 17" W., 141.63 feet to a point of
    curvature having coordinates N. 429,593.68 and E. 2,403,051.73;
    thence following the arc of a curve to the right whose radius is
    4560.67 feet and whose chord and chord bearing are 224.93 feet and
    N. 00° 33' 30" W. respectively for an arc distance of 224.95 feet
    to a point on the existing Alexandria-Arlington Boundary, said
    point having coordinates N. 429,818.60 and E. 2,403,049.54; thence
    running along said existing boundary N. 14° 40' 33" W., 307.96 feet
    to an existing boundary corner with coordinates N. 430,116.51 and
    E. 2,402,971.52; thence running N. 09° 54' 36" W., 1447.14 feet to
    another existing corner having coordinates N. 431,542.06 and E.
    2,402,722.47; thence continuing with said existing
    Alexandria-Arlington Boundary N. 01° 20' 15" E., 271.24 feet to a
    corner with coordinates N. 431,813.23 and E. 402,728.80, said point
    being in the vicinity of the Washington and Old Dominion Railroad
    right of way; thence running S. 78° 26' 13" E. 1858.44 feet to an
    existing boundary corner having coordinates N. 431,440.71 and E.
    2,404,549.52; thence continuing with an extension of the last
    mentioned course 5.73 feet (1864.17 feet in all) to a point whose
    coordinates are N. 431,439.56 and E. 2,404,555.13; said point lying
    in Four Mile Run; thence turning and running with the proposed
    centerline of Four Mile Run N. 20° 30' 55" E., 62.07 feet to a
    point of curvature whose coordinates are N. 431,497.69 and E.
    2,404,576.88; thence following the arc of a curve to the right
    whose radius is 420.44 feet and whose chord and chord bearing are
    361.79 feet and N. 45° 59' 55" E. respectively, for an arc distance
    of 374.00 feet to a point of compound curvature having coordinates
    N. 431,749.02 and E. 2,404,837.12; thence running along the arc of
    a curve to the right whose radius is 388.90 feet and whose chord
    and chord bearing are 241.48 feet and N. 89° 34' 10" E.
    respectively for an arc distance of 245.54 feet to a point of
    tangency whose coordinates are N. 431,750.83 and E. 2,405,078.59
    thence continuing along said proposed center and thence with the
    existing centerline of Four Mile Run S. 72° 20' 35" E. 115.13 feet
    to a point of curvature whose coordinates are N. 431,715.91 and E.
    2,405,188.30; thence following the arc of a curve to the left whose
    radius is 805.00 feet and whose chord and chord bearing are 218.56
    feet and S. 80° 08' 42.5" E. respectively for an arc distance of
    219.24 feet to a point of tangency whose coordinates are N.
    431,678.50 and E. 2,405,403.64; thence running S. 87° 56' 50" E.,
    10.38 feet to a point of curvature having coordinates N. 431,678.13
    and E. 2,405,414.01; thence following the arc of a curve to the
    left whose radius is 2864.79 feet and whose chord and chord bearing
    are 626.25 feet and N. 85° 46' 40" E. respectively, for an arc
    distance of 627.50 feet to a point of tangency whose coordinates
    are N. 431,724.24 and E. 2,406,038.56; thence continuing along the
    centerline of said Four Mile Run N. 79° 30' 10" E., 571.24 feet to
    a point of curvature having coordinates N. 431,828.31 and E.
    2,406,600.24; thence following the arc of a curve to the right
    whose radius is 1909.88 feet and whose chord and chord bearing are
    500.23 feet and N. 87° 01' 40" E., respectively for an arc distance
    of 501.67 feet to a point of tangency; said point having
    coordinates N. 431,854.25 and E. 2,407,099.80; thence running S.
    85° 26' 50" E., 542.38 feet to a point of curvature with
    coordinates N. 431,811.20 and E. 2,407,640.47; thence following the
    arc of a curve to the left whose radius is 1432.41 feet and whose
    chord and chord bearing are 585.03 feet and N. 82° 46' 10" E.
    respectively, for an arc distance of 589.17 feet to a point of
    tangency having coordinates N. 431,884.83 and E. 2,408,220.85;
    thence running N. 70° 59' 10" E. 28.44 feet to a point of curvature
    having coordinates of N. 431,894.10 and E. 2,408,247.74; thence
    following the arc of a curve to the left whose radius is 1318.44
    feet and whose chord and chord bearing are 482.64 feet and N. 60°
    26' 22" E. respectively, for an arc distance of 485.38 feet to a
    point of tangency having coordinates N. 432,132.21 and E.
    2,408,667.56; thence running N. 49° 53' 34" E., 4.43 feet to a
    point whose coordinates are N. 432,135.06 and E. 2,408,670.95;
    thence running across Mount Vernon Avenue (Arlington Ridge Road in
    Arlington) and still following the previously mentioned centerline
    of Four Mile Run N. 71° 20' 53" E., 274.92 feet to a point of
    curvature with coordinates N. 432,222.98 and E. 2,408,931.43;
    thence running along the arc of a curve to the right whose radius
    is 315.05 feet and whose chord and chord bearing are 289.48 feet
    and S. 81° 18' 07" E. respectively for an arc distance of 300.28
    feet to a point of tangency with coordinates of N. 432,179.20 and
    E. 2,409,217.58; thence running S. 53° 57' 07" E., 314.44 feet to a
    point whose coordinates are N. 431,994.16 and E. 2,409,471.81;
    thence still running along said centerline S. 52° 58' 38" E.,
    665.38 feet to a point with coordinates N. 431,593.51 and E.
    2,410,003.05; thence S. 61° 35' 07" E., 504.49 feet to a point
    having coordinates N. 431,353.45 and E. 2,410,446.76; thence S. 62°
    23' 28" E. 1048.27 feet to a point with coordinates N. 430,867.65
    and E. 2,411,375.67 and S. 67° 03' 11" E., 544.81 feet to a point
    of curvature, said point having coordinates N. 430,655.24 and E.
    2,411,877.37; thence running with the centerline of said Four Mile
    Run, across Jefferson Davis Highway (Route #1), thru the culvert
    and Potomac Railroad Yards, and following the arc of a curve to the
    left whose radius is 446.47 feet and whose chord and chord bearing
    are 485.07 feet and N. 80° 02' 34.5" E. respectively for an arc
    distance of 512.80 feet to a point of tangency whose coordinates
    are N. 430,739.11 and E. 2,412,355.13; thence N. 47° 08' 20" E.
    400.92 feet to a point of curvature having coordinates N.
    431,011.83 and E. 2,412,649.01; thence following the arc of a curve
    to the right whose radius is 247.32 feet and whose chord and chord
    bearing are 288.28 feet and N. 82° 47' 15.5" E. respectively for an
    arc distance of 307.76 feet to a point of reversed curvature, said
    point having coordinates N. 431,048.02 and E. 2,412,935.01; thence
    following the arc of a curve to the left whose radius is 692.78
    feet and whose chord and chord bearing are 339.43 feet and S. 75°
    44' 39" E., respectively for an arc distance of 342.92 feet to a
    point of tangency with coordinates N. 430,964.43 and E.
    2,413,263.99; thence running S. 89° 55' 29" E., thru the culvert at
    George Washington Memorial Parkway and to the Potomac River.




BIBLIOGRAPHY


Arlington County, Virginia. _Deed Books._

----. _Common Law Order Books._

----. _County Board Minute Books._

Arlington Historical Society. _The Arlington Historical Magazine._
Arlington; annual.

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Hening, William Waller. _The Statutes at Large_; Being a Collection of
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