The Ball-Sellers House is closed for the season. It will reopen for the 2022 season on Saturday, April 2.
- Hours: 1-4 pm on Saturdays April through October.
- Location: 5620 Third Street, South, Arlington VA 22204
- Phone: 703-577-7042
- Email: info@arlingtonhistoricalsociety.org
The Ball-Sellers House, owned and operated by the Arlington Histori
cal Society, is located at 5620 Third Street South, in the Glencarlyn neighborhood of Arlington. This farm house was built in the 1750s by farmer John Ball and is the oldest structure in Arlington County. Three generations of the Carlin family owned the house next, starting with the Glencarlyn namesake, William Carlin, who was a tailor for George and Martha Washington. The house has been restored to its colonial era condition.
The last private owner was Marian Sellers who lived in the house as a child. Sh
e donated the house to the Society in 1975. The building is designated a Virginia State Historical Landmark and is on the National Register of Historic Sites. Docents discuss its owners as well as provide free tours of the farm cabin and the grounds on Saturdays (April through October) and on summer holidays from 1 – 4 p.m. Free private group tours are available by appointment.
If you’re interested in a free tour for your group, or if you would like to volunteer with us, please email: info@arlingtonhistoricalsociety.org
An Arlington Treasure: The Ball-Sellers House. This short video takes you through the house, built in the 1750s, and discusses its owners as well as its role in Arlington’s history.
- Written by Martha Orth
- Narrated by Marcel Taube
- Produced by Channel 31’s Robert Farr and Joan Orvis in cooperation with the Arlington Historical Society.
A Love Affair With an Old House: The Ball-Sellers House Story
Martha Orth, who was a member of the team who accepted the house and helped restore it, tells the story of the Ball-Sellers House at an AHS public program commemorating the 40th anniversary of the donation by Marian Sellers. The house was built by John Ball in the 1750s and donated to the Society by Marian Sellers in 1975. Mrs. Orth discussed how the house was acquired, how the Society preserved and restored it, and the history of the owners of the house through the centuries.
Read a Brief History of the House here.
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Nomination: Virginia Landmarks Register |
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Letter from the National Trust for Historic Preservation |
Ball-Sellers House Pamphlets
- The Ball-Sellers House
- The Wisteria at Ball-Sellers House. The wisteria is more than a century old and although it is an invasive plant, it has its own history.
- Colonial Uses of Herbs
Directions to the Museum
View Directions on Google Maps
The Ball-Sellers House is in the Glencarlyn neighborhood of Arlington, Virginia.
From Washington, DC:
- Take Route 50 West to Carlin Springs Road exit
- Go south on Carlin Springs Road for three blocks
- Turn left on South Third Street to 5620
From I-66:
- Take Glebe Road South to Route 50 West
- Take Carlin Springs Road exit
- Go south on Carlin Springs Road for three blocks
- Turn left on Third Street South to 5620
From I-395:
- Take Washington Boulevard to Route 50 West
- Take Carlin Springs Road exit
- Go south on Carlin Springs Road for three blocks
- Turn left on Third Street South to 5620
From the Capitol Beltway (I-495):
- Take Route 50 East to Carlin Springs Road exit
- Go south on Carlin Springs Road for three blocks
- Turn left on Third Street South to 5620