Westover, Arlington, Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Westover, Arlington, Virginia
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Westover in Arlington County, Virginia
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 Westover, Arlington, Virginia
Location in District of Columbia
Westover, Arlington, Virginia
Location in Northern Virginia
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| Country |  United States of America |
| State |  Virginia |
| County |  Arlington |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Codes |
22205
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| Area code(s) | 703 |
Westover is a cool neighborhood in Arlington County, Virginia. It's been added to the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's a special place with important history. The neighborhood is mainly around Washington Boulevard, between North McKinley Road and North Longfellow Street.
Westover is a great example of a mid-century neighborhood designed for walking. People here can easily walk to shops, their jobs, and public transportation. It's located between the Ballston and East Falls Church Metro stations, and many Metro Buses serve the area.
Contents
Westover's Story: A Look at Its History
How Westover Began: The Early Days
In the 1800s and early 1900s, the area that is now Westover was mostly farmland. A man named Nicholas Febrey owned a lot of this land. He was an important leader in Arlington at the time.
In the 1890s, new electric railways (like old-fashioned trains) started running through the area. This made it easier for people to travel. Real estate companies began dividing the farmland into smaller plots to build homes. One of these new communities was Fostoria, started in 1890. It was built near the Washington, Arlington, and Falls Church Electric Railway. This railway connected places like Rosslyn to East Falls Church.
Growing Up: Westover in the 1900s
By 1907, the area we know as Westover was called Highland Park. Some of the very first houses in Westover were built in this Highland Park community.
As more people moved in, the Walter Reed Elementary School was built in 1938. It was constructed on what used to be Febrey's farmland. Even though the area had grown, much of Westover was still undeveloped in 1938. Most of the land was owned by Ashton C. Jones and his wife, Margaret Rucker. They sold the land to Mace Properties, Inc., a company owned by Miles A. Mace. His company built most of the homes and buildings in the Westover Historic District between 1939 and 1948.
Mace Properties built many affordable homes. They followed rules from the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) to help people find good places to live.
In 1938, Arlington County allowed Mace Properties to build large apartment buildings. In 1939, Mace Properties announced they had FHA approval for low-cost rental housing. The first building had 152 garden-style apartments and cost $600,000 to build. In 1940, the "Westover Hills" project was announced. It was the biggest project Mace Properties had ever done. It included single-family houses, twin houses, and garden apartments.
The Westover Shopping Center was also built in 1940. It was a retail center with 13 stores along Washington Boulevard. It first had a Safeway grocery store, a "five and dime" store, and a pharmacy. In 1958, it was very successful. However, by the late 1970s, the center needed repairs. In 1978, the county helped fund renovations to make it better.
Today, Westover is a friendly neighborhood where people live. It still looks much like it did years ago. The shopping center still has many stores for the community. Most homes are older, built before World War II, and there are also garden-style apartments. Many homes have been updated to fit modern families.
Getting Around: Transportation in Westover
Westover has many ways to get around, whether by public transport or private car. About 22% of people in Westover's ZIP code (22205) use public transport to get to work.
Washington Boulevard is the main road in Westover. It's a central spot for shops and connects the neighborhood to other areas.
Westover is also close to I-66, a major highway.
The East Falls Church station is nearby. It's part of the Silver Line and Orange Line of the Washington Metro train system.
MetroBus lines 2A, 2B, 2C, and 2G run along Washington Boulevard, serving Westover. Arlington Transit line 52 also passes through the neighborhood.
For those who like to bike or walk, the Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Regional Park and Custis Trail go through Southern Westover. These trails connect Westover to Falls Church to the west and Washington, D.C. to the east.
Important Buildings: Schools and More
Walter Reed School: A Community Hub
Westover is home to Walter Reed School. It was built in 1938. After big renovations, it reopened in October 2009. Today, it's a pre-school and a public library. It used to be an elementary school from 1938 to 1984.
The school was built by T. Calvin Owens on what was once farmland. In 1950, more classrooms and a library were added. In 1966, another octagonal classroom building was built to handle more students.
By the 1980s, the building was not suitable for an elementary school anymore. It had issues like asbestos and lead paint. It was also hard to heat and cool, and it wasn't wheelchair-accessible. So, in 1984, it stopped being a regular elementary school.
On May 9, 2008, work began on the $21.6 million Reed School/Westover Library project. Most of the old building was torn down, but the original 1938 outer walls were kept. A new 61,000 square foot building was constructed. It now holds the new Westover Branch Library and several public pre-school programs. The library reopened on October 31, 2009.
By 2010, the elementary schools that took Reed's students were very crowded. So, the county thought about making Reed an elementary school again. In 2014, the Reed building was considered for a new school program, but the neighborhood wanted a local elementary school instead.
In 2017, the Arlington School Board approved building a new neighborhood elementary school at the Reed site. This new school was planned to open in 2021.
Cardinal Elementary School: A New Beginning
The renovated Reed Building is now home to the new Cardinal Elementary School. It welcomed its first students in the fall of 2021. Cardinal Elementary took in most students from McKinley Elementary. It also accepted some students from Tuckahoe Elementary, which was very crowded. The school is named Cardinal Elementary to make students from McKinley, whose mascot was the cardinal, feel welcome. Cardinal Elementary currently has 683 students.
Swanson Middle School: A Historic Place
Swanson Middle School is located where Patrick Henry Drive and Washington Boulevard meet in Westover. It was built in 1939 and is part of the Arlington Historic District. It's the oldest middle school still operating in Arlington. It used to serve grades 7-9, but now it's for students in grades 6-8.
Swanson Junior High School was built by E. A. Pessagnolo for $200,941. It opened in 1939 on land that was once a family farm. In 1955, a large addition was built to add more classrooms. In 1963 and 1968, the open courtyard in the middle of the school was filled in with new additions. These additions included a gym, more classrooms, a library, and mechanical rooms.
In 1958, Swanson Middle School was part of an important moment in history. It was ordered by a court to allow an African American student to attend. This was part of the effort to end segregation in schools. State officials at first threatened to close the school to avoid this. However, schools in Arlington County began to integrate in 1959, when several African American students were admitted to Stratford Junior High School.
Local Spots: Shopping and Fun
Westover has some well-known places that are popular in Arlington:
- The Lost Dog Cafe is a restaurant that helps animals! It's connected to the Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation. This foundation helps about 1,500 animals find new homes every year. They also have another restaurant nearby called Stray Cat Cafe.
- Lebanese Taverna is a restaurant that started in Westover. It's now a popular chain of restaurants in the region.
- Westover Farmers Market was started by local people on the Reed school property. It opened in spring 2012 with about a dozen vendors. By 2017, this Sunday market had grown to 30 vendors in summer and 25 in winter. It's a great place for families to buy fresh, local fruits and vegetables all year. You can also find breads, pickles, and ready-to-eat foods. The market helps make the Westover community even stronger.
Westover Shopping Center: Your Local Stores
The Westover Shopping Center along Washington Boulevard is a key spot for shopping. At one end, you'll find the Preston King Post Office.
