Long Bridge Park in Arlington in Arlington County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
A Historic Junction
This point has long been a vital gateway for commerce and travelers. In the early 1800s, the first Long Bridge connected Alexandria traders and Virginia farmers with Washington, D.C. and Georgetown. Now cars, trains, and the Metro carry people and goods across the Potomac as planes using Reagan National Airport fly overhead.
[Captions:]
The Long Bridge in 1865. Union troops laid railroad track across the bridge during the civil War to carry supplies to destinations such as Fort Jackson, erected near here to protect this essential crossing from Confederate attacks.
Around the turn of the 20th century, a new rail bridge was built as the region grew. The railroad tracks of the Civil War-era crossing were converted for an electric trolley system. The trolley carried commuters into Washington, D.C. and transported Washingtonians to various attractions in Arlington.
Following their successful flight at Kitty Hawk, Orville and Wilbur Wright tested improved versions of their early airplane at Fort Myers in Arlington. Their flights met all the War Department's qualifications to be considered a viable technology, including flying at 40 miles per hour, carrying a total weight of 350 pounds, landing without damage, and flying for at least an hour.
A Timeline of Transportation
18th Century:In the 1700s, transportation was limited. Overland travel was typically by foot or on horseback on trails and rough roads. Long distance travel over the ocean was slow and dangerous.
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1807: The North River Steamboat, the first commercially successful steamboat, makes her maiden voyage in New York City.
1823: Samuel Brown patented the first internal combustion engine to be applied industrially in the U.S. This innovation paved the way for many of the transportation inventions to come.
1885: Karl Benz patents the first gasoline automobile, the Benz Patent Motorwagon. It was the first automobile entirely designed as such to generate its own power, which is why Karl Benz was granted his patent and is regarded as its inventor. It was the first commercially produced automobile.
1903: The Wright Flyer was the first successful combustion engine powered aircraft. It was designed and built by the Wright brothers. Today, the airplane is exhibited in the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.
1913: Henry Ford utilizes the moving assembly line for production of the Ford Model T. The assembly line reduced production timefor a Model T to just 93 minutes by dividing the process into 45 steps.
1941: On May 15, 1941, the first jet-propelled aircraft, the Gloster-Whittle, successfully flies over Cranwell, England. The aircraft's turbojet engine, which produced a powerful thrust of hot air, was devised by Frank Whittle, an English aviation engineer and pilot generally regarded as the father of the jet engine.
1969: The Concorde, a turbojet-powered supersonic passenger airliner, makes its first flight. It had a maximum speed over twice the speed of sound, at Mach 2.04 (1,354 mph) at cruise altitude). It operated until 2003.
1995: Copehagen's ByCylken program was the first large-scale urban bike share program to feature specifically designed bikes. It was introduced in 1995 with a system of 300 bicycles using coins to unlock the bicycles.
2017: In 2017, dockless electric kick scooters were introduced widely in the U.S. Along with bike-share programs, electric scooters brought "micromobility" to the forefront of transportation options.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Bridges & Viaducts • Railroads & Streetcars • Roads & Vehicles • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Defenses of Washington series list. A significant historical date for this entry is May 15, 1941.
Location. 38° 52.079′ N, 77° 2.675′ W. Marker is in Arlington, Virginia, in Arlington County. It is in Long Bridge Park. It can be reached from Long Bridge Drive south of Boundary Drive, on the left when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 385 Long Bridge Drive, Arlington VA 22202, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Washington Metropolitan Area and in Northern Virginia. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, in the Mid-Atlantic, and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Long Bridge Park: A Legacy of Recreation (within shouting distance of this marker); Looking Beyond the Park (within shouting distance of this marker); From Brownfield to Playing Fields (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Fort Runyon (about 700 feet away); Arlington's Natural Side (approx. 0.2 miles away); Bridging the Past (approx. 0.2 miles away); A Roadside Respite (approx. ¼ mile away); Significance of Roaches Run Sanctuary (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Arlington.
Other markers no longer nearby. Long Bridge Park: A Community Space (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); a different marker also named From Brownfield to Playing Fields (was about 600 feet away but has been replaced with another marker now near it).
Credits. This page was last revised on February 9, 2025. It was originally submitted on February 9, 2025, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 110 times since then and 15 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 9, 2025, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
