Book excerpt: Over the decades of the twentieth century, Arlington experienced a dramatic transformation from a simple, rural community known as Alexandria County into a complex, bustling, urban center, one with a cityscape of high-rise apartments and commercial buildings. Though many know of the area's Civil War-era connections, some of Arlington's most compelling and relevant history has taken place not under a divided union, but across the twentieth-century landscape, a time of unparalleled population growth, ethnic diversification, and economic development. This volume, with over 180 black-and-white photographs, takes readers on a unique visual journey into the Arlington of yesteryear and documents its evolving face over the twentieth century. Through this unique pictorial retrospective, readers will explore some of the county's early villages, such as Glencarlyn, Queen City, Cherrydale, and Barcroft, and will enjoy viewing the transition from the early trolley lines and Washington & Old Dominion Railroad, which first brought growth to the area, to an era known for the development associated with Metro. A visual treasure, Arlington contains scenes of Fairlington, Buckingham, and other developments that housed thousands of new residents beginning in the 1930s; images of places where residents shopped and worked, such as Parkington and Clarendon; and photographs depicting the urban development of Rosslyn, Crystal City, and Ballston.