The Arlington County government is on the hunt for memorabilia and artifacts to be put on display once the new Fire Station #8 opens.
The station, located on the site of a 1960s-era firehouse on Langston Boulevard, will include displays and exhibitions noting the station’s history. It’s a story that began in the early 20th century with the formation of a volunteer fire company comprised of African-American residents of the segregated Halls Hill/High View Park community.
“We would love to display your photographs, awards, artifacts, mementos and more,” noted the Fire Station #8 History and Legacy Committee, which is working with the county library system’s Center for Local History on the effort.
Items can be donated permanently or loaned on a temporary basis, and all items will be handled “with care, due diligence and utmost concern for their safekeeping,” officials said.
Expressions of interest are being sought by Oct. 15. Inquiries can be sent to the construction-project manager, Maire Bourque, at mbourque@arlingtonva.us.
County officials expect the station to be occupied by firefighters around the end of the year. A formal dedication ceremony is slated for the spring of 2024.
In addition to display cases, county officials also plan to have a video presentation of the history of the station running on a continuous loop for the public to view. Student and community groups also will be invited to tour both operational facilities and the historic retrospectives.
The station is located in the 4800 block of Langston Boulevard, about three blocks west of North Glebe Road. The ultimate siting of the facility resulted in a contentious battle between county staff, which wanted to see the station relocated to Old Dominion Drive to shorten response times to areas in northwest Arlington, and residents of the areas immediately around the then-existing station, most of whom wanted a new station rebuilt on the site of the old one.
