In Spring 2017, Masters students in Urban and Regional Planning explored the history of longstanding, or “legacy,” businesses in Arlington County, VA. Our study focused on two areas: the neighborhoods along the Langston Boulevard corridor and the historically African American Green Valley neighborhood.

Update: In 2021, the name of Lee Highway was changed to Langston Boulevard. The website and project documentation has been changed to reflect the new name, but many of the interviews refer to the name Lee Highway.

This page includes detailed histories of longstanding businesses along Langston Boulevard and a collection of oral histories of the business owners. Businesses featured in the oral history collection are a sample of those operating for 25 years or longer. We will build on this initial collection in the months and years to come. In the meantime, enjoy the stories of these important contributors to Arlington’s history and community character!

Legacy businesses along Langston Boulevard include: