How often do you drive on Glebe Road? Who was Mr. Glebe and why does he have such a prominent road named for him in Arlington? One would think that he was part of the aristocratic landed gentry in the Virginia Colony. Well, that would be an incorrect assumption.

This is not going to be a terribly long post because the origins of the road aren’t traced back to a prominent family. Rather, it has a connection to religion and Alexandria’s old Christ Church.

Go to Google and type in “define:glebe” to pull up the definition.

A glebe is a piece of land set up for the benefit of the clergy. The road dates back to at least the mid-18th century and initially was known as the “Road to the Falls” taking travelers from Alexandria to Great Falls. The road also linked the glebe lands of The Falls Church and Christ Church.

There’s some great Arlington trivia for you.

Featured image source: Retro Pop Planet