Civil Rights Historic Plaque Was Unveiled on Lee Highway, Kicking Off Celebration of Cherrydale Neighborhood's 125th Anniversary at Cherrydale Library on June 9, 2018

Public Was Invited!

At 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 9, 2018, a plaque was unveiled in the parking lot of 3815 Lee Highway (site of today’s Hair Vogue) memorializing the Cherrydale Drug Fair lunch-counter sit-in of June 9, 1960.

After the brief unveiling, the crowd walked around the corner to Cherrydale Library at 2190 Military Rd, Arlington, VA. An Arlington County Police officer helped the crowd cross Military Road safely to the library.

At 11:00 a.m., the ceremony begin at Cherrydale Library commemorating our neighborhood’s 125th anniversary. Speakers were County Board Chairman Katie Cristol, Arlington historian Kathryn Holt Springston, sit-in veteran Joan Trumpauer Mulholland, and former Cherrydale Volunteer Fire Department firefighters Reade Bush and Scott Pardi. The ceremony marked the opening of a photo exhibit entitled “It Happened in Cherrydale: Three Brushes With History.” The exhibit focused on:

• The desegregation on February 2, 1959, of Stratford Junior High (today H-B Woodlawn Secondary Program), the first all-white public school in Virginia to admit African-Americans.
• The lunch-counter sit-in at the Cherrydale Drug Fair on June 9, 1960.
• The contributions of the Cherrydale Volunteer Fire Department at the Pentagon fire on September 11, 2001.

What Else?

• Free cake from Heidelberg Bakery
• Music from the 1890s, 1959, and 1960
• Historical reenactors in period costume
• 1911 Stanley Steamer automobile outside library
• 1928 Chevrolet outside library
• Art exhibit by Taylor Elementary students
• Face-painting and storybooks on balcony for kids
• DVD sales on balcony for Friends of the Library
• And more

At 2:00 p.m., a Cherrydale Library special story time program was held for kids ages 0-5, with the theme of “cherries.”

At 4:00 p.m., an invitation-only reunion of long-time Cherrydale residents, their descendants, “old-time” former residents, and special guests began at the home of Scott and Kathy Springston at 1713 N. Quebec St., Arlington, VA 22207.

See the article about our celebration in the Arlington Connection.