# Where do you think Arlington is? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 25, 2020, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-think-arlington-is/850236 "2020-03-25T08:40:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-think-arlington-is/850236/21 "2020-03-25T14:11:56Z")
[Arlington](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Arlington,+WA/@48.5013809,-122.7027942,9.67z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x54854979f0b4340d:0xb48a13d1a086f1d5!8m2!3d48.1987118!4d-122.1251418) is 70 miles south of here. When I reach Arlington, it means I’m less than an hour from home in almost Canada. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-think-arlington-is/850236/22 "2020-03-25T14:47:59Z")
Other. I read Arlington and my first thought was Arlington Avenue overlooking the South Side in Pittsburgh. I had friends who lived on Arlington and have many fond memories. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-think-arlington-is/850236/23 "2020-03-25T16:13:04Z")
If I just heard someone in real life refer to “Arlington” without any qualifiers, I’d assume Arlington, TX, mostly because I live in DFW and that’s the general interpretation around here. But… if I was watching a TV or movie with any sort of government or military references, I’d assume Arlington, VA, as that’s where the big US military cemetery is, the Pentagon is, and several of the big military monuments(USMC and USAF come to mind), and it’s a big part of the Washington DC metro area. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-think-arlington-is/850236/24 "2020-03-25T16:25:12Z")
I clicked Arlington, VA; but my 2nd thought was Arlington Avenue, main street of Kensington, California. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-think-arlington-is/850236/25 "2020-03-25T16:29:35Z")
> [@jnglmassiv](#): > > I’ve only visited (Heights), Illinois and its locally well known race track but I’d assume Virginia if someone simply said Arlington. Hell, I grew up in Arlington Heights, IL, and I’d certainly not think “Arlington” meant there. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-think-arlington-is/850236/26 "2020-03-25T17:07:32Z")
Another vote for Virginia because of the cemetery. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-think-arlington-is/850236/27 "2020-03-25T17:12:28Z")
Virginia thanks to the Cemetery and having visited it. Arlington TX next thanks to the Rangers (Baseball). ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-think-arlington-is/850236/28 "2020-03-25T17:26:19Z")
I’ve spent \>40 years of my life in the DC area and grew up in northern Virginia, so of course I thought of Arlington, VA first. However, I’m all too aware of Arlington, TX, because I was 17 years old when the Nats v2.0 absconded there. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-think-arlington-is/850236/29 "2020-03-25T17:38:20Z")
R. E. Lee’s old home. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Bredin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@John\_Bredin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Bredin)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-think-arlington-is/850236/30 "2020-03-25T17:45:01Z")
I voted Virginia, but if the context made it clear that the topic was local, I would think Arlington Heights, as that’s the next suburb over from mine. But few people say Arlington for Arlington Heights, like few people say Elk Grove for Elk Grove Village even though that’s long and there isn’t another Elk Grove in metro Chicago (unlike the various Round Lakes not too far away). ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-think-arlington-is/850236/31 "2020-03-25T18:06:23Z")
My first thought would be Arlington, MA (suburb of Boston) as I lived there a couple of years. Though in many contexts, I’d think of VA for the cemetery or Texas if we were talking about baseball. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-think-arlington-is/850236/32 "2020-03-25T18:07:13Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > :dubious: I didn’t read the question carefully and thought of the cemetery. But I’m not sure I’ve ever heard of the one in TX anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-think-arlington-is/850236/33 "2020-03-25T18:57:34Z")
My first thought was of the racetrack, so I voted for the city in Illinois where it is located. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-think-arlington-is/850236/34 "2020-03-25T19:58:17Z")
I’ve lived near both, the Texas and Virginia ones. I’d consider the Texas one to be it. ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-think-arlington-is/850236/35 "2020-03-25T20:11:40Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > Hell, I grew up in Arlington Heights, IL, and I’d certainly not think “Arlington” meant there. Right. I’m not that far from Arlington Heights, but ‘Arlington’ by itself does not make me think of it. I communicate with the US Patent Office a lot, so my mind jumped to Alexandria, VA and then subsequently Arlington, VA. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-think-arlington-is/850236/36 "2020-03-25T20:21:07Z")
Pretty much across the bridge from the Mall. I guess that’s VA? _checks map_ Yup. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-think-arlington-is/850236/37 "2020-03-25T20:24:17Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > Hell, I grew up in Arlington Heights, IL, and I’d certainly not think “Arlington” meant there. Then you didn’t attend Arlington HS (I was Class of 72). Where did you go? ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-think-arlington-is/850236/38 "2020-03-25T20:55:30Z")
> [@pool](#): > > Arlington Virginia is what pops in my mind but I guess it is in fact a county, damn! Bonus fact: Arlington was made part of D.C. in 1789 then returned to Virginia in 1846. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-think-arlington-is/850236/39 "2020-03-25T22:39:57Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Then you didn’t attend Arlington HS (I was Class of 72). Where did you go? I did attend (class of 80, though I moved away Junior year). I’d never think my HS name were a national icon. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-think-arlington-is/850236/40 "2020-03-25T22:50:43Z")
Arlington is in Virginia. Or perhaps Massachusetts. I would never have thought of Illinois or Texas without specific context…much like Portland is in Maine unless context clues make it clear otherwise. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-think-arlington-is/850236.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-you-think-arlington-is/850236.md?page=3)