Mapping Alexandria: Stories of a Changing City

This exhibit marks the 275th anniversary of the City’s founding, explores the evolution and history of Alexandria through the words of its residents.
Page updated on August 2, 2024 at 4:26 PM
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Mapping Alexandria: Stories of a Changing City

Panorama, old and new

 

Exhibition now open

Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum
201 S. Washington Street
Plan your visit 

We are all made up of stories

Block by block, stories reside in the people and places that have shaped Alexandria’s neighborhoods and communities from Old Town to the West End. Since the 1980s, staff and volunteers in the Office of Historic Alexandria have listened to, learned from, and recorded the stories that members of our community have shared in more than 450 oral history interviews. This exhibit, which marks the 275th anniversary of the City’s founding, explores the evolution and history of Alexandria through the words of its residents. Their reflections and experiences show that oral history is a valuable means of documenting and preserving local history.

What is your story?

Through this exhibit at the Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum, we invite you to be part of this process by sharing your own memories of Alexandria. Record your story in the exhibit, or contact the Alexandria Oral History Center at OralHistoryCenter@alexandriava.gov or 703.946.2687. 

If you are interested in being interviewed, please complete the online survey. One of our staff oral historians will reach out to you to schedule an appointment and explain our process.

Share Your Story

What is Oral History?

Francesco with microphone, interviewing Verdella Jennings
Francesco interviewing Verdella Jennings.
Photograph by Mary Bramley, 2024.

Oral history is a field of study and a method of gathering, preserving, and interpreting memories and reflections of living people about their past experiences. An oral history consists of a recorded interview between an interviewer and a narrator. The interview is then preserved in an archive, so that future generations can access these stories. Oral histories are important for historians because they can help explain what happened in the past, and reveal how an individual experienced and felt about a historical moment. Narrators collaborate with interviewers on historical interpretation and preservation. Oral history offers everyone an invitation to the table of history-making.  

Stories of a Changing City

Francesco with microphone, interviewing Verdella Jennings

1: Introduction

This exhibit, which marks the 275th anniversary of the City’s founding, explores the evolution and history of Alexandria through the words of its residents.

View from Pioneer Mills, 1965 (Andrew J. Russel photograph, Library of Congress)

2: Shaped by River and Land

Native Americans have been stewards of this land for tens of thousands of years. Europeans founded Alexandria in 1749 along the banks of the Potomac River.

Aerial view looking north

3: We Built This City

Early Alexandrians built along the natural features of the landscape, but soon sought to alter them to suit their needs.

Majorette marching in Uptown Parade, snapshot

4: A Segregated City

From the 18th century on, neighborhoods in Alexandria were segregated by race and economic status.

Urban renewal construction site with artifacts visible.

5: The City Steps In: Urban Renewal

Like many cities across the country, urban renewal impacted Alexandria.

Women in dance costumes

6: New Arrivals

Newcomers from around the country and the world have shaped the diverse make-up of Alexandria.

A few students in front of wooden schoolhouse

7: School Days

Residents have shared stories about a variety of Alexandria schools and student experiences over the decades.

A group of people lined up for the photograph, in front of Chinquapin Village housing

8: Life in the Neighborhood

Oral histories about living in Alexandria show varied day-to-day life experiences.

Banner, balloons, staff and TWIG members

9: Pillars of the Community

What people and places make a difference in your community?

GIS city base map with words Draw the neighborhood

10: Build Your Neighborhood

What does a healthy neighborhood need?

headphones and book over the city map outline

11: Oral History Map

The Oral History Map displays the City’s entire 200+ oral history collection by neighborhoods and individuals. You can access it here.

Learn More

Wayfinding sign, Friendship Firehouse

Plan Your Visit

The Museum, at 201 S. Washington Street, is open Thursday through Sunday. This page has everything you need to plan your visit.

Alexandria's History Museum at The Lyceum (exterior)

About The Lyceum

Learn about the museum and its collections, events and more.

Two people speaking into recording microphones

The Alexandria Oral History Center

Learn more about the Oral History Center.

Birds Eye View of Alexandria, Charles Magnus1863 (Library of Congress)

About Historic Alexandria

Visit City of Alexandria museums and historic sites and discover our past, present and future!