The neighborhood of Chirilagua is home to a significant portion of Alexandria’s Hispanic community; however, until the 1980s, very few Latin Americans lived in the neighborhood.
Officially called Arlandria, the neighborhood was largely developed during the post- World War II period and takes its name from the Arlandria Shopping Center, built in 1947. When the neighborhood was new, it housed mainly working-class white people, but as Alexandria moved toward desegregation, more working-class African Americans moved in.
The history of the neighborhood is based on work by Krystyn Moon, Ph.D. You can learn more in her newest book, “Proximity to Power,” or search for her blog for the Urban History Association…