Built in 1891, the Hume School is the oldest school building in Arlington County. Washington architect B. Stanley Simmons designed the Queen Anne-style building which sits on land that was sold by Frank Hume, a former Confederate soldier, to the county.
The Hume School was active between 1891 and 1958, after which the community forged a campaign to have the building deeded to Arlington County Historical Society, who established it as their base of operations in 1960.
The Society hosts the Arlington Historical Museum in the building, which features over 4,000 historical artifacts that relate to the county’s storied past. In addition to the on-site displays, the society also owns the nearby Balls-Sellers House, a historic property that is used to interpret local history in concert with the exhibits at the Hume School.
Know Before You Go
The Hume School was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 18, 1979.
The Arlington Historical Society Museum is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
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