Va. County Manager Arlington Co.

“ To leave, for a time, the Potomac boundary of Arlington, let us turn to the narrowing of the boundaries of the landward side of the County. In the development of governmental administration, counties began to be created in Virginia in mid-17th Century. The area which became Arlington was successively in Northumberland, Westmoreland, Stafford, Prince William, and finally, Fairfax counties. ”

“ Whereas several additions of lots contiguous to the town of Alexandria have been laid off by the proprietors of the land in lots of half an acre each extending to the north that range of lots upon the north side of a street called Montgomery; upon the south, to the line of the District of Columbia [this line had been surveyed but Alexandria had not yet been incorporated in the District] upon the west, to a range of lots upon the west side of West street, and upon the east to the river Patowmac ”

“ A special provision of the Act [54] establishing the County Manager plan of government, adopted by Arlington in 1930, effective January 1, 1932, prevents the annexation of any part of the County (but permits annexation of the entire County after referendum) . In 1938, as a further precaution, the legislative delegation representing Arlington County succeeded in having the General Assembly enact a law [55] which prohibits the annexation of territory from any county which would result in reducing the area of that county to less than 60 square miles of highland. ”

“ In the next year, however, the Legislature provided
"That the limits of the town of Alexandria shall extend to and include as well the lots formerly composing the said town, as those adjoining thereto which have been and are improved." [39]
The town was still growing, and ten years later the General Assembly again extended its legal limits. ”

“ That each and every lot or part of a lot within the aforesaid limits, on which at this time is built a dwelling house of at least 16 feet square, or equal thereto in size, with a brick or stone chimney and that each and every lot within said limits which shall hereafter be so built upon, shall be incorporated with the said town of Alexandria and considered as part thereof. ”

“ The Town of Potomac was chartered by the General Assembly in 1908. [72] Its boundaries (Map V) were described as:
"Beginning at the north intersection of Bellefont Avenue in the subdivision of 'Del Ray' with the Washington and Alexandria Turnpike, thence northerly along the west line of the Turnpike to the old Georgetown Road, the northern boundary of the subdivision of St. Elmo; thence westerly along the south side of the Georgetown Road to the dividing line of Susan P. A. Calvert and Charles E. Wood ”

“ There were 84 lots in all, four to a block for the most part except for the northwest portion where a stream, rising on Pitt Street between Cameron and Queen, drained into the Potomac north of Oronoco Street. This is the "first branch above the warehouse" referred to in the charter. ”

“ Running from the court-house of Alexandria, in Virginia, due southwest half a mile, and thence a due southeast course till it shall strike Hunting Creek, to fix the beginning of the said four lines of experiment.
"Then beginning the first of the said four lines of experiment at the point on Hunting Creek where the said southeast course shall have struck the same, and running to the said first line due northwest 10 miles; thence the second line into Maryland due northeast 10 miles ”

“ This has been interpreted to mean property rights to low water mark. The dispute over this point became of significance in the 20th Century with the construction of the National Airport and the Pentagon Building. ”

“ S. 18° 04′ 37′′ E., 317.80 feet to a point on a curve in the southerly side of Beauregard Street, said point having coordinates N. 430,863.19 and E. 2,396,780.34; thence running along the southerly side of said street and following the arc of a curve to the left whose radius is 410.00 feet and whose chord and chord bearing are 69.89 feet and S. 55° 47′ 34.5′′ respectively, for an arc distance of 69.97 feet to a point of tangency having coordinates N. 430,823.90 and E. 2,396,722.54 ”

“ The first increment came in 1762 when the General Assembly passed "An Act for enlarging the town of Alexandria in the county of Fairfax." [35] On the ground that all of the lots included within the bounds of the town had been built on except for some lying in low wet marsh, this Act included in Alexandria the
"... ”