The Ages of Abingdon
Abingdon Plantation
The land that Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport occupies today was once part of a plantation. This hill and the ruins on it are all that remain of the house that stood here for nearly 190 years.
Abington, as this tract of land on the Potomac River was called, witnessed sweeping historical changes. The land was owned for many years by the Alexander family, for whom Alexandria, Virginia was named. John Parke Custis, George Washington’s adopted stepson, moved his family to Abingdon in 1778. Through the Custis family, Abingdon is associated with families of the Virginia plantations of Mount Vernon, Stratford Hall, Kenmore, Woodlawn and Arlington.
Abingdon survived Union occupation during the Civil War and the end of plantation life. However, the encroachment of industry finally took its toll on Abingdon, which fell into disrepair until it burned in 1930. Eight years later, the land was chosen as the site of an airport designed to serve the Nation’s Capital. As National Airport evolved, the ruins of the plantation house remain preserved on this hill as a testament to the rich history of this land.
Courtesy hmdb.org
