The Historic Glebe House
Glebe House's Conservation
The preservation of Glebe House and its remaining acreage is a success story made possible by committed Arlingtonians, community support, and the work of the Northern Virginia Conservation Trust (NVCT).
The permanent preservation of Glebe allows present and future generations of Arlington to experience and better understand the long and unique history of Arlington, Northern Virginia, and the nation’s capital. Because of its importance to the history of Arlington and Virginia, Glebe House is designated a Local Historic District, a Virginia State Landmark, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Frank Ball, a member of the prominent Ball family and a Virginia State Senator from 1916 to 1924, lived at Glebe House for more than 50 years into the 1980s. The property later served as the headquarters of the National Genealogical Society.
The list of notable people who have owned and lived at Glebe House is long. The last, Frank Ball, a member of the prominent Ball family and a Virginia State Senator from 1916 to 1924, lived here for more than 50 years into the 1980s.
In 2004, when Jonathan and Anne Ortmans purchased and restored the property, they chose to protect the grounds by donating an easement on the property to the NVCT.
A conservation easement is a voluntary, legally binding agreement that protects the house’s historic exterior and the property’s green space from destruction or alteration while allowing the property to remain in private ownership. The easement ensures that the Glebe House grounds are occasionally opened to the public, allowing visitors to connect with the site’s history and understand the importance of preserving historic places and the land they occupy.
Arlington is very proud to be the home of Glebe House with its fascinating history. But its "location" has changed over time: From the 1770s, it was part of Fairfax County; after 1801, the District of Columbia; from 1846, the City of Alexandria; and only in 1920, with the creation of this new county, did Glebe House come to be part of Arlington.