Arlington is bursting with a rich history and is home to several museums and historical sites. Arlington is recognized as the birthplace of Uncle Sam and the main street, Massachusetts Avenue, is quite literally the route of Paul Revere’s famous midnight ride!
Get a real feel for what it was like to live during the Revolutionary War by walking into the Jason Russell House. This house, originally built in 1738 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1947, was the site of the bloodiest battle on the first day of the Revolutionary War and still has the visible bullet holes to prove it. Visitors can explore the home, which also contains furnishings from the 18th and 19th centuries that once belonged to the Russell family, as well as other Arlington Historical Society artifacts and exhibits in the adjacent Smith Museum. The recently renovated museum is available to rent for special events.
Another spot to consider visiting while you’re in Arlington is the Robbins Library. While this is an operating public library branch, it’s also a gem of a historic building with a spectacular reading room that is available to rent for special events.