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 and Georgetown. Now, cars, trains, and the Metro carry people and goods across the Potomac as planes using Reagan National Airport fly overhead.

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 vital 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.

Just as humans continue to move through this area, the Chesapeake region is a crucial migration route for many species of birds.

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New and Renewed Land
Fort Runyon after the Civil War
Known Units Garrisoned at Fort Runyon
The Union Soldier
Arlington Transformed by War
The Defenses of Washington
The March Across the Long Bridge
Fort Runyon: Defending the Capital
From Brownfield to Playing Fields
Long Bridge Park: A Community Space

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