Bennett v. Garrett (1922): When Clarendon Wanted to be a Town
Learn about the 1922 case that determined the fate of Clarendon
Arlington County as a single municipal entity was challenged when Clarendon petitioned to become a town. In 1922, Clarendon's aspirations were denied when the Virginia Supreme Court ruled in Bennett v. Garrett that Arlington couldn't be divided because it was "continuous, contiguous, and homogenous."
Join local historian Sean Denniston to learn about this lesser-known history of Clarendon, why it wanted to become its own town, and what that would have looked like. We'll discuss what Bennett v. Garrett tells us about 1920s Arlington and what lessons there are for today's Arlington.
About the presenter: Arlington resident Sean Denniston spent over a year researching the facts of the case and Arlington of the 1920s. He is the Vice President of the Arlington Historical Society. He has a B.A. from Williams College, an M.A. from Oxford University (both in history) and a law degree from Boston College. While he has learned a lot about Arlington through his research, he has learned even more about it from its people and places.
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For more information, contact jstant@arlingtonva.us
Find Your Voice with Summer Reading! Summer Reading is made possible through the support of the Friends of Arlington Public Library. For each person that completes the 2023 Summer Reading Challenge, the Friends of the Arlington Public Library will donate $1 to support Educational Theatre Company.
- Date:
- Tuesday, July 18, 2023
- Time:
- 6:30pm - 7:30pm
- Library:
- Central Library
- Audience:
- Events for Adults Events for High Schoolers Good for Adults Age 55+
- Categories:
- Civics & Government History
- Calendar:
- Arlington Public Library