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City of Alexandria, VA

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  • Live

    Make the most of Alexandria's outstanding quality of life with information and services of interest to residents.

    • Be Prepared

      Are you ready? Find resources and information to help residents, businesses and visitors to prepare for all types of emergencies, and to stay safe.

      • Flooding Preparedness
      • Snow and Ice Control
      • Hurricane Preparedness
      • Emergency Preparedness
      • Public Health Emergency
    • Community Life

      Learn more about pets and animals, schools and libraries, parks and farmers' markets, community gardens, and more.

      • Community Gardens
      • Farmers' Markets
      • Parks
      • Pets
      • Recreation
    • Get Involved

      There are many opportunities to get involved to help better the City of Alexandria. Opportunities include serving on a Board, Commission or Committee, providing input on a new City project or speaking at a City Council meeting.

      • Boards and Commissions
      • Civic Engagement Policy
      • City Academies
      • Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
      • Speak at a Meeting
      • Volunteering
    • Getting Around

      Information on how to get to and through the City of Alexandria, including walking, biking, bus, rail, air, ridesharing, and more.

      • Bicycling in Alexandria
      • Bus and Rail
      • King Street Trolley
      • Parking in Alexandria
      • Street Maps
      • Taxis
      • Water Taxis
    • Historic Preservation

      Historic Alexandria is a treasure trove of early structures, artifacts, and records that creates a unique way of life for its citizens and provides enjoyment for thousands of people who visit this special community every year. The City continues to add resources to its collection of local and nationally designated historic districts.

      • Alexandria History
      • Board of Architectural Review
      • Historic Alexandria
      • Historic Districts
    • Licenses & Permits

      Find out whether a permit is required, the type of permit needed, fees involved, and what requirements are necessary for the activity you want to engage in Alexandria.

      • Building & Construction
      • Business Licenses
      • Health Permits
      • Marriage Licenses
      • Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
    • Parking

      Information about parking in the City of Alexandria, including parking options, enforcement, districts and permits.

      • Contest a Parking Ticket
      • Guest Parking Permits
      • Parking Permits
      • Parking Studies
      • Parking in Old Town
      • Pay a Parking Ticket
    • Public Health & Wellness

      Alexandria is committed to ensuring our residents thrive through physical, mental, and social health.

      • Aging & Adult Services
      • Domestic Violence
      • Environmental Health
      • Environmental Quality
      • Health Department
      • Health Clinics
      • Sexual Assault
      • Substance Abuse Prevention
      • Substance Abuse Services
      • Teen Pregnancy Prevention
      • Teen Wellness Center
    • Public Safety & Courts

      Agencies and programs that help maintain our safety and overall quality of life. These links contain information about the City of Alexandria's law enforcement agencies and public safety organizations, courts and judicial system.

      • Fire Department
      • Police Department
      • Sheriff's Office
      • Circuit Court
      • Clerk of Circuit Court
      • General District Court
      • J&DR Court
      • Court Service Unit
    • Public Works

      Learn more about how the City maintains streets, sidewalks, bridges, and other infrastructure in the City.

      • Bridge Maintenance
      • Paving and Potholes
      • Sewer Maintenance
      • Street Sweeping
    • Real Estate & Taxes

      The City collects car and real estate taxes, maintains tax relief programs and assesses property values. Taxes can be paid in a variety of ways including online, by phone and by mail.

      • Payments
      • Personal Property/Car Tax
      • Real Estate Assessments
      • Real Estate Tax
      • Tax Guide
      • Tax Relief
    • Schools & Libraries

      Did you know that ACPS is one of the most diverse school systems in the country? Our students come from more than 80 different countries, speak more than 60 languages, and represent a myriad of ethnic and cultural groups. The Alexandria Library is an educational, user-oriented service institution providing free public access to recorded knowledge and ideas.

      • Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS)
      • Alexandria Library
      • Child Care
      • Higher Learning
      • Out of School Time Programs
    • Social Services

      The City provides public assistance as a safety net for individuals and families, including help with homelessness prevention, food, rent, utilities, medical coverage and prescriptions, job training and placement assistance, and much more.

      • Aging & Adult Services
      • Child Care Assistance
      • Homeless Services
      • Housing Resources
      • Mentoring Programs
      • Military & Veteran Services
    • Trash & Recycling

      Find information on the City's refuse, recycling and yard waste collection programs.

      • Recycling
      • Refuse Collection
      • Yard Waste
    • Utilities

      The City of Alexandria does not operate any public utilities. The following companies are the primary providers of their respective service:

      • Cable TV (Comcast / Xfinity)
      • Drinking Water (Virginia American Water)
      • Electricity (Dominion Energy)
      • Natural Gas (Washington Gas)
      • Sewage/Water Treatment (Alex Renew)
      • Wired Telephone (Verizon)
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  • Play

    Whether you live here or are just visiting, Alexandria is a great place to shop, dine, take in the arts, get outdoors, and just have fun.

    • About Alexandria

      If you are looking for small-town charm and big-city amenities, Alexandria is the place to find them. Alexandria has a fascinating history, and many of its historic buildings are still preserved today. The City's many historic homes, churches, businesses, and museums allow residents and visitors alike to experience the past that makes it the charming town it is today.

      • Alexandria's History
      • Demographics & Statistics
      • Maps & GIS
      • Visit Alexandria
    • Arts & Culture

      Through engaging the community, encouraging participation, and facilitating access to arts and culture, the City builds a vibrant community for its residents, workers, and visitors.

      • City Concerts
      • City Events
      • Historic Property Rentals
      • Museums & Historic Sites
      • Office of Historic Alexandria
      • Office of the Arts
    • Entertainment

      Find events and activities, shops and restaurants, concerts and performances, arts and culture, historic attractions, parks and libraries, farmers' markets, and more.

      • City Concerts
      • City Events
      • Office of the Arts
      • Visit Alexandria: Things to Do
    • Getting Around

      Information on how to get to and through the City of Alexandria, including walking, biking, bus, rail, air, ridesharing, and more.

      • Bicycling in Alexandria
      • Bus & Rail
      • King Street Trolley
      • Parking in Alexandria
      • Street Maps
      • Taxis
      • Water Taxis
    • Museums & Historic Sites

      Alexandria is a desirable location to live, work and play. The City owns many of the premier historic sites in Alexandria and it is charged with the conservation, interpretation and promotion of these links to the past.

      • City Museums
      • Historic Sites & Attractions
      • Office of Historic Alexandria
    • Parks & Recreation

      Alexandria is an active community that offers more than 900 acres of parks and dedicated public space, and a wide variety of neighborhood and recreation centers, pools, dog parks, farmers' markets, waterfront activities and more.

      • Classes & Camps
      • Dog Parks
      • Facility & Park Rentals
      • Farmers' Markets
      • Marina & Waterfront Parks
      • ParkLink Interactive Map
      • Parks & Trails
      • Pools & Aquatics
      • Recreation Centers
      • Sports Leagues & Programs
    • Visit Alexandria

      Information about visiting Alexandria, including shopping, dining, attractions, accommodations, events listings and more. Plan your visit with an itinerary builder, interactive maps, hotel booking, online restaurant reservations and much more.

      • Group Tours
      • Meet in Alexandria
      • Plan Your Visit
      • Trip Planning Assistance
      • Visitor Center
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  • Services

    We are here to serve you. Browse the topics to the right to learn more about the programs and services we offer.

    • Alex311

      Connect with professional and knowledgeable staff for City service and information requests from every City department.

      • Missed Collection
      • Parking
      • Potholes
      • Street Cleaning
      • Trash & Recycling Containers
      • Trees
      • Yard Waste / Bulky Items Pickup
    • Animals

      What you need to know about animals, pets and wildlife in Alexandria.

      • Animal Adoption
      • Animal Control
      • Dog Parks
    • Buildings & Construction

      The City provides services to residents, businesses, contractors, and visitors needing permits for constructions and other developments.

      • Building Codes
      • City Code
      • Code Administration
      • Green Building
      • Land Use & Zoning
      • Permit Center
      • Permits & Land Use Applications
    • Environment

      "Green" initiatives, air quality, noise, water conservation, mosquito and rodent control.

      • Air Quality
      • Clean Waterways
      • Climate Change
      • Eco-City Alexandria
      • Green Building
      • Mosquito Control
      • Noise Control
      • Rodent Control
      • Stormwater Management
    • Jobs
      • City Government Jobs
      • Alexandria City Public Schools
      • Job Search Assistance (Workforce Development Center)
      • Collective Bargaining
    • Maps & GIS

      Geographic Information Systems (GIS) centrally manages, shares and analyzes information about locations through specialized mapping technology. This information increases transparency, improves many City technology applications and provides critical data to decision makers and the public.

      • Interactive Maps
      • Open Data
      • Standard Maps
    • Parks & Recreation

      Alexandria is an active community that offers more than 900 acres of parks and dedicated public space, and a wide variety of neighborhood and recreation centers, pools, dog parks, farmers' markets, waterfront activities and more.

      • Classes & Camps
      • Dog Parks
      • Facility & Park Rentals
      • Farmers' Markets
      • Marina & Waterfront
      • Parks & Trails
      • Pools & Aquatics
      • Recreation Centers
      • Sports Leagues & Programs
    • Property & Housing

      The City administers various housing-related programs and services.

      • Housing Master Plan
      • Landlord & Property Manager Resources
      • Maps & GIS
      • Office of Housing
      • Parcel Viewer
      • Real Estate Assessments
    • Public Health & Wellness

      Alexandria is committed to ensuring our residents thrive through physical, mental, and social health.

      • Aging & Adult Services
      • Emergency Mental Health Services
      • Environmental Health
      • Environmental Quality
      • Health Department
      • Health Clinics
      • Sexual and Domestic Violence Services
      • Substance Abuse Services
      • Teen Pregnancy Prevention
      • Teen Wellness Center
    • Public Safety & Courts

      Agencies and programs that help maintain our safety and overall quality of life. These links contain information about the City of Alexandria's law enforcement agencies and public safety organizations, courts and judicial system.

      • Fire Department
      • Police Department
      • Sheriff's Office
      • Circuit Court
      • Clerk of Circuit Court
      • General District Court
      • J&DR Court
      • Court Service Unit
    • Public Works

      Learn more about how the City maintains streets, sidewalks, bridges, and other infrastructure in the City.

      • Bridge Maintenance
      • Paving & Potholes
      • Sewer Maintenance
      • Street Sweeping
    • Real Estate & Taxes

      The City collects car and real estate taxes, maintains tax relief programs and assesses property values. Taxes can be paid in a variety of ways including online, by phone and by mail.

      • Payments
      • Personal Property/Car Tax
      • Real Estate Assessments
      • Real Estate Tax
      • Tax Guide
      • Tax Relief
    • Social Services

      The City provides public assistance as a safety net for individuals and families, including help with homelessness prevention, food, rent, utilities, medical coverage and prescriptions, job training and placement assistance, and much more.

      • Aging & Adult Services
      • Child Care
      • Children & Families
      • Discrimination & Disabilities
      • Gang & Youth Violence Prevention
      • Homeless Services
      • Housing Assistance
      • Human Rights
      • Job Search Assistance (Workforce Development Center)
      • Mentoring Programs
      • Military & Veteran Services
    • Trash & Recycling

      Find information on the City's refuse, recycling and yard waste collection programs.

      • Recycling
      • Refuse Collection
      • Yard Waste
    • Transportation

      Information on how to get to and through the City of Alexandria, including walking, biking, bus, rail, air, ridesharing, and more.

      • Bicycling in Alexandria
      • Bus & Rail
      • King Street Trolley
      • Parking in Alexandria
      • Street Maps
      • Taxis
      • Transportation Planning
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  • Business

    Ideally located just across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C., Alexandria is nationally recognized as one of the best places to live and do business on the east coast. Learn how we can help you start or relocate your business in Alexandria, and access resources for existing businesses and commuters.

    • Business Resources

      The City provides services and resources to help existing businesses expand within the City and promotes recruiting new businesses in Alexandria.

      • Alexandria Economic Development Partnership (AEDP)
      • Alexandria Small Business Development Center (SBDC)
      • BIPOC Small Business Program
      • Doing Business with the City
      • New Business Guide
      • Public-Private Partnerships
    • Jobs

      Alexandria offers wide range of job opportunities and services. Work for City government or City Public Schools, find out about an internship opportunity or learn about workforce development and career training options.

      • City Government Jobs
      • Job Search Assistance (Workforce Development Center)
      • Collective Bargaining
    • Licenses & Permits

      Find out whether a permit is required, the type of permit needed, fees involved, and what requirements are necessary for the activity you want to engage in Alexandria.

      • APEX Permitting & Land Use System
      • Business Licenses
      • Business Outdoor Program & Permits
      • Health Permits
      • Permit Center
      • Zoning Information
    • Real Estate & Taxes

      The City collects car and real estate taxes, maintains tax relief programs and assesses property values. Taxes can be paid in a variety of ways including online, by phone and by mail.

      • Business License Tax
      • Business Personal Property Tax
      • Lodging Tax
      • Meal Tax
      • Payments
      • Real Estate Assessment Search
      • Real Estate Assessments
      • Sales Tax
    • Transportation

      Information on how to get to and through the City of Alexandria, including walking, biking, bus, rail, air, ridesharing, and more.

      • Getting Around
      • Vehicle Registration
      • GO Alex Commuter Resources
      • Parking in Alexandria
    Close Menu
  • Government

    Learn more about Alexandria's accountable, effective, and well-managed government.

    • City Council

      The Alexandria City Council is composed of a Mayor and six Council members who are elected at-large for three-year terms. The Mayor, who is chosen on a separate ballot, presides over meetings of the Council and serves as the ceremonial head of government.

      • City Council Calendar
      • Communicate with City Council
      • Council Assignments
      • Meeting Dockets & Video
      • Speak at a Meeting
    • Boards & Commissions

      The City of Alexandria has a strong commitment to citizen participation as evidenced by the number of citizen boards and commissions established by City Council. These bodies compose a formal system through which citizens can advise City Council on all major issues affecting the City.

      • Meeting Dockets & Video
      • Apply for a Board or Commission
      • Boards & Commission Calendar
      • Boards & Commission Vacancies
      • Board of Architectural Review
      • Board of Zoning Appeals
      • Planning Commission
      • Park & Recreation Commission
      • Transportation Commission
    • Departments & Agencies

      View a list of City departments, offices and other agencies, and learn about their role in the organization.

      • City Government Departments & Offices
      • Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
      • Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA)
      • Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS)
      • Alexandria Economic Development Partnership (AEDP)
      • Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority (ARHA)
      • Alexandria Transit Company (DASH)
      • Animal Welfare League of Alexandria (AWLA)
      • Small Business Development Center (SBDC)
      • Visit Alexandria (Official Tourism Site)
    • Public Safety & Courts

      Information about the City of Alexandria's law enforcement agencies and public safety organizations, courts and judicial system.

      • Police Department
      • Fire Department
      • Sheriff's Office
      • Courts
      • Office of Emergency Management
      • Emergency & Customer Communications
      • Community Policing Review Board
    • Elected Officials

      Alexandria voters elect a Mayor and City Council and three local officers, as well as state and federal representatives.

      • City Council
      • Clerk of Circuit Court
      • Commonwealth's Attorney
      • Sheriff
      • Voting in Alexandria
    • Get Involved

      There are many opportunities to get involved to help better the City of Alexandria. Opportunities include serving on a Board, Commission or Committee, providing input on a new City project or speaking at a City Council meeting.

      • Boards & Commissions
      • City of Alexandria Academy Programs
      • Civic Engagement Policy
      • Speak at a Meeting
      • Volunteering
    • Transparency

      The City government acts with integrity in an open process, and provides timely access to clear, trustworthy information, presented and employed by all parties from the beginning to the end of the process, including the reasoning that leads to and supports the policy conclusion.

      • Operating Budget & Capital Improvement Program
      • Meeting Dockets & Video
      • Performance Analytics
      • Alexandria's Strategic Plan
      • Race & Social Equity
      • Community Policing Review Board
      • Collective Bargaining
      • City Code
      • Open Data
    Close Menu
  • Projects & Plans

    Much of our work involves creating and improving infrastructure and planning for the future. Learn more about major projects and plans here, and how you can get involved!

    • Arts & Culture

      Information about arts, culture and historic projects in the City.

      • Arts & Culture Master Plan
      • Public Art Implementation Plan
    • Development

      Information about commercial and residential development projects in the City.

      • Landmark/Van Dorn Area Planning
      • North Potomac Yard Implementation / Virginia Tech Innovation Campus
      • Potomac River Generating Station Redevelopment
    • Environmental

      Information about environmental and "green" projects in the City.

      • 500 Block N. Pitt St. Sewer Separation Project
      • Flood Action Alexandria
      • Franklin St. Sewer Relocation Project
      • Holmes Run Trail Repairs
      • Lucky Run Stream Restoration
      • Oronoco Outfall Remediation Project
      • Wheeler Ave. Sanitary Sewer Pipe Relining
      • Windmill Hill Park Project - Phase II
    • Neighborhoods

      Information about neighborhood projects in the City.

      • Alexandria West Planning
      • Duke Street and West Taylor Run Project
      • Eisenhower Avenue Metrorail Station Pedestrian Crossing Improvements
      • King-Callahan-Russell Intersection Improvement Project
      • Mount Vernon Avenue North Complete Streets
    • Parks & Recreation

      Information about parks and recreation projects in the City.

      • Beauregard Street Multi-Use Trail Project
      • Bicycle Parking
      • Eugene Simpson Park Renovation Projects
      • Joseph Hensley Park Renovation
      • Old Cameron Run Trail Project
      • Robinson Terminal South Update: Historic Ship Stabilization
    • Public Facilities

      Information about public facilities projects in the City.

      • Alexandria Waterfront
      • King Street-Old Town Metro Access Improvement Project
      • Municipal Broadband
      • Potomac Yard Metrorail Station Project
    • Social Services

      Information about social services projects and plans in the City.

      • Aging and Adult Services
      • Early Care & Education Common Agenda
      • The Partnership to Prevent & End Homelessness
    • Transportation

      Information about transportation projects and plans in and around the City.

      • Adaptive Traffic Signal Control
      • Alexandria Mobility Plan
      • Complete Streets
      • Duke Street in Motion
      • Potomac Yard Metrorail Station Project
      • Smart Mobility
      • Traffic Mitigation
      • Vision Zero
      • West End Transitway
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  • Calendar

    There's always something to do in Alexandria! Browse community events, government meetings and activities, and important deadlines.

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Finding Historic Locations Through Wayfinding

The City of Alexandria’s wayfinding signage system helps people find their way around the city. Take a look at some of the map and history panel “mini-kiosks” in Old Town.
Page updated on December 29, 2021 at 1:08 PM

Historic Sites

  • About Historic Alexandria
  • City Museums
    • Alexandria Archaeology Museum
    • Alexandria Black History Museum
    • Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum
    • Fort Ward Museum & Historic Site
    • Freedom House Museum
    • Friendship Firehouse Museum
    • Gadsby's Tavern Museum
    • Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum
  • City Historic Sites
    • Alexandria African American Heritage Park
    • Alexandria Union Station
    • Contrabands and Freedmen Cemetery Memorial
    • Lloyd House
    • Murray-Dick-Fawcett House
    • The Fort: A Post-Civil War African American Community
  • Alexandria Oral History Center
  • Archives and Records Center
  • Commissions Supporting Historic Alexandria
  • More Historic Sites
    • African American Heritage Trail
    • Del Ray and the Town of Potomac
    • Historic Cemeteries
    • Union Hospitals during the Civil War
    • Wayfinding: Historic Signs
  • News Releases
  • Stay Connected
  • Support Historic Alexandria
    • Donate
    • Become a Member
    • Join a Commission
    • Volunteer

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Wayfinding Signage on King Street

The City of Alexandria’s wayfinding signage system helps people find their way around the city. The distinctive signage also presents a consistent image for the city; reduces visual clutter; and helps promote walking, biking, and transit use. The comprehensive system ranges from directional signs along the city’s major roadways to pedestrian-oriented maps and interpretive panels conveying the city’s rich history.

For a closer look at some of the map and history panel “mini-kiosks” in Old Town, and their locations, click on the individual pages listed below. 

The listings are arranged from west to east along King Street, from the Masonic Temple on Shuter's Hill to the waterfront.

A successful wayfinding system… [uses] signage as a communication tool to not only facilitate access, but also to reflect the civic culture and complement the environment of its setting.

-- City of Alexandria Wayfinding System, Volume One: Design Guidelines Manual

Shuter's Hill

View from the Masonic Memorial on Shuter's Hill

Shuter’s Hill is now the site of the George Washington Masonic National Memorial. Archaeologists have uncovered evidence of Native Americans living on the site, vestiges of a late 18th century plantation, a mid-19th century estate, and Union troops from Civil War times. The elegant mansion, built on the hilltop in 1781, burned in 1842 and was replaced by several smaller houses in subsequent years. Two Civil War fortifications, Fort Dahlgren and Fort Ellsworth, were built upon Shuter's Hill as part of a series of 160 forts and batteries built to protect the nation’s capital, known as the Defenses of Washington. 

This wayfinding sign is located on the north side of King Street at Diagonal Road.  

Freedom House Museum

The former Franklin and Armfield slave pen, during the Civil War

Freedom House Museum at 1315 Duke Street opened in 2008 to educate visitors about slavery. This building once housed the headquarters of Franklin and Armfield, one of the largest slave traders in America. The property housed a slave pen from 1828 until the start of the Civil War, and then served as a Union jail. The building is dedicated to Rev. Lewis Henry Bailey—a former slave who was sold through the slave pen to a family in Texas. Freed in 1863, he walked back to Alexandria and founded several churches and schools in Virginia, still in existence today. 

This wayfinding sign is located on the south side of King at West Street. 

Alexandria, DC

Gilpin Map 1798

Alexandria was included in the District of Columbia from 1801 until 1847, when it was retroceded to Virginia. Alexandria was established by Virginia’s colonial assembly in 1749, over four decades before the U.S. Congress authorized creation of a national capital on the banks of the Potomac River. Once the final site for the Federal city was selected by President George Washington, part of Alexandria was incorporated into the District of Columbia in 1801. To mark the new capital’s boundaries, large stones were set in a ten-mile square at one mile intervals by Andrew Ellicott, assisted by men such as African American astronomer Benjamin Banneker. 

This wayfinding sign is located on the north side of King at Payne Street. 

Port City

Port drawing from the Fry Jefferson Map 1751

Alexandria, the “Port City” on the Potomac, was one of the largest ports in the United States in the 1790s. In the West End, Commerce Street connected Duke and King streets at an angle, to facilitate the passage of farm wagons from the agricultural lands in the west to waiting ships on the Alexandria waterfront. Historically, Alexandria’s development moved from east to west, and three distinct areas of the city have unofficially been known as the “West End.” The first West End ended at Shuter’s Hill, the current site of the George Washington Masonic National Memorial. In the 1930’s, the second West End extended to Quaker Lane, about two miles west of the Memorial. The final West End moved about four miles further west in 1952. 

This wayfinding sign is located on the south side of King at Fayette Street.

Carver School

Carver school, black-and-white photograph

The Carver School, still standing at Queen and Fayette streets (at 224. N. Fayette), was built in 1944 as an African American nursery school. The school, built using federal funds offered during World War II, operated as a segregated school until 1950. The building then became an African American post of the American Legion. Earlier, the Old Powder House stood on this site, built in 1791 to store gunpowder. 

This wayfinding sign is located on the north side of King at Fayette Street. Walk to the School to see the Heritage Trail Sign.

Friendship Firehouse

Friendship Firehouse cupola, black-and-white photograph

Friendship Firehouse, at 107 S. Alfred Street, is now a museum open to the public. It was built in 1855 for the Friendship Fire Company, established in 1774 as the first firefighting organization in Alexandria. Volunteers of Friendship, Sun, Relief, Hydraulion and other local fire companies served the city faithfully for decades. Over time, as buildings grew taller, the old volunteer companies were replaced by a paid professional fire department. 

This wayfinding sign is located on the south side of King Street at Alfred Street.

The Alexandria Furniture District

Koons Furniture Advertisement

Between 1820 and 1860, Alexandria had a thriving cabinet and furniture-making industry, primarily along King Street, between Royal and Alfred streets. Among the city's best-known furniture makers-and business rivals-were Charles Koones and James Green. Green's first shop was on King Street between Pitt and Royal streets, while Koones' was located at the corner of King and Alfred streets, later moving here to King and Columbus. 

This wayfinding sign is located on King at the corner of S. Columbus Street.

Barrett Library and Black History Museum

Story time to a group of children at the segregated Robinson Library

In 1939, the Barrett Library (717 Queen Street) was the site of the first “sit-down” demonstration in the United States, protesting segregation. As a result of these actions, the city built the Robert H. Robinson Library in 1940. This small building is now the Alexandria Black History Museum (902 Wythe Street). This wayfinding sign is located on the north side of King at Alfred Street. 

Christ Church

Christ Church, old black-and-white photo

Christ Church was designed by James Wren and opened in 1773. Prominent worshippers included George Washington. The church, located at 118 N. Washington Street, is open for worship and public tours. 

This wayfinding sign is located on King at the corner of S. Columbus Street.

 

The Lyceum

Benjamin Hallowell portrait
Benjamin Hallowell

The Lyceum, at 201 S. Washington Street, was formed as a public education organization by Quaker schoolmaster Benjamin Hallowell, pictured here. The Greek revival building, constructed in 1839, is now opened to the public as The Lyceum, Alexandria's History Museum. 

This wayfinding sign is located on King at the corner of S. Washington Street.

Timberman Brothers

Timberman Drug Store

The Timberman brothers owned pharmacies in Alexandria throughout the 20th century. The store at 106 N. Washington Street operated from around 1950 to 2004, and its neon sign is now in the collection of The Lyceum: Alexandria’s History Museum. 

This wayfinding sign is located on King at the corner of S. Washington Street.

George Washington Memorial Parkway

George Washington Memorial Parkway Reference Map

The George Washington Memorial Parkway was built in 1932, to commemorate the 200th birthday of the nation’s first president. Within the City of Alexandria, the parkway travels the same path as historic Washington Street, laid out in 1749. Nearly 200 years later, in 1946, the City Council established the “Old and Historic Alexandria District”, America’s third municipal historic district, in part to protect the commemorative nature of the parkway. 

This wayfinding sign is located on King at the corner of N. Washington Street.

The Lee-Fendall House

Light Horse Harry Lee (National Archives)
Light Horse Harry Lee

The Lee-Fendall House, built by Light Horse Harry Lee’s cousin Philip Richard Fendall, was home to 37 members of the Lee family from 1785 until 1903. Labor leader John L. Lewis, President of the United Mine Workers lived here from 1937 until his death in 1969. The restored Lee-Fendall House and Garden is a period house museum that is open to the public. 

This wayfinding sign is located on King at the corner of N. Washington Street.

Retail in Alexandria

Rembrandt Shoes, King and St. Asaph Street, 1960s

The 500 block of King Street has long been associated with retail trade in Alexandria. Adam Lynn, Sr., a baker, owned a quarter of the block in the 18thcentury, and his son, a silversmith, became a major speculator in Alexandria real estate. By the early 1850s, more than thirty Jewish families, most from Germany, had moved to Alexandria seeking dignity, freedom and fortune in America. These new immigrants were all involved in the retail trade, selling clothing, shoes, dry goods and scrap in small shops and emporiums along King Street and its adjacent side streets. 

This wayfinding sign is located on King at the corner of N. St. Asaph Street.

George Washington in Alexandria

George Washington and the 1749 map of Alexandria

George Washington considered Alexandria his hometown after its founding in 1749, and it is here that he came to do business, learn the events of the world, pick up mail, and visit friends. He was a town trustee, attended services at Christ Church, owned a town house on Cameron Street, and dined at Gadsby’s and other local taverns. At 508 Cameron Street is the modest, reconstructed town house (now privately owned), first built by George Washington in 1769. 

This wayfinding sign is located on King at the corner of N, St. Asaph Street.

Cohen, Hirschkop & Hall (Loving v. Virginia)

Mildred and Richard Loving
Mildred and Richard Loving

The law office of Bernard Cohen and Philip Hirschkop was here at 110 N. Royal Street on June 12, 1967, the day they were notified that their Supreme Court case Loving v. Virginia had been decided unanimously in their favor. The plaintiffs, Mildred and Richard Loving, had sued the Commonwealth of Virginia for its ban on interracial marriage. 

This wayfinding sign is located on King at the corner of N. Pitt Street.

Marshall House

Marshall House hotel, black-and-white photograph

Within minutes of arriving in the Alexandria on May 24, 1861, Colonel Ellsworth attempted to remove a secessionist flag from the rooftop of the Marshall House hostelry that once stood at the corner of King and S. Pitt Streets. As he descended the stairs after removing the flag, proprietor James W. Jackson killed Ellsworth with a gunshot to the chest at point blank range. Jackson himself was then immediately shot and bayoneted by Corporal Francis Brownell. As the first two deaths of the Civil War, both Ellsworth and Jackson became martyrs to the defense of their country on native soil and were immortalized as heroes in popular culture and in commemorative wares of the period. 

This wayfinding sign is located on King at S. Pitt Street.

Gadsby's Tavern

Gadsby's Tavern, mid-20th century postcard

In the 1920s, the American Legion purchased and restored the structures known as Gadsby’s Tavern, and opened them to the public for tours. In 1972, the Legion gave the buildings to the City of Alexandria, which restored both buildings again and reopened them in time for the Nation’s bicentennial celebration in 1976. Gadsby’s Tavern Museum is open to the public. 

This wayfinding sign is located on Cameron at the corner of N. Royal Street.

Gadsby's Tavern Museum

Gadsb'ys Tavern and City Hotel during the Civil War,Alexandria Library, Special Collections

This tavern and hotel provided a place for locals to gather around food and entertainment as they discussed business and events of the day. For travelers, the tavern offered overnight accommodations. Gadsby’s elegant hotel became the destination for distinguished guests from both sides of the river. Famous events include the Birthnight Ball hosted to celebrate George Washington’s birthday, which Washington himself attended the last two years of his life. 

This wayfinding sign is located on King at S. Royal Street, across Royal Street from City Hall.

Market Square

Market vendors, 19th century

Alexandria’s Market Square was established only a few years after the town was founded in 1749. By the start of the Civil War, buildings framed the block fronts of the square, with the marketplace reduced in size to an interior courtyard accessed by two small alleys. In the 1960s, a large urban renewal project was implemented to revitalize the downtown business district, resulting in the demolition of dozens of buildings to recreate the openness of the original public square. The current brick plaza and fountain serve as the focal point of a new, modern Alexandria. 

This wayfinding sign is located on Market Square in front of City Hall (King Street between Fairfax and Royal Streets).

Hall, Bank & Tavern

City Hall from Cameron Street, black-and-white photograph

When Alexandria was founded in 1749, the corner of Fairfax and Cameron Streets was planned as the main intersection in the new town. City Hall and the market area and were established here by 1752, although the current building dates to 1871 with later additions. Wise’s Tavern was built diagonally across the intersection in 1777, and the Bank of Alexandria, across Fairfax Street, was built in 1807. 

This wayfinding sign is located near City Hall, on Cameron at the corner of N. Fairfax Street. 

Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum

Apothecary retail shelving with glass bottles

Founded in 1792 and operated until 1933, the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum traces one of America's oldest, continuously-run family businesses. The Apothecary sold a wide variety of products to both city and country residents – from Martha Washington to Robert E. Lee, from the local doctor to the local farmer. Open to the public, the museum displays a remarkable collection of herbal botanicals, label-under glass display bottles, and pharmaceutical equipment from the 19th- and 20th-centuries. 

This wayfinding sign is located on King at S. Fairfax Street, across Fairfax from the museum.

The Athenaeum

Athenaeum with old car, black-and-white photograph

The Athenaeum, the columned building at 201 Prince Street, was constructed between 1851 and 1852 as the Bank of the Old Dominion, which claimed Robert E. Lee as a customer. During the Civil War, it was Chief Commissary Office of the U.S. Commissary Quartermaster and later a triage hospital for wounded soldiers. The Northern Virginia Fine Arts Association bought the building in 1964, restored it to its current condition, and renamed it the Athenaeum. 

This wayfinding sign is located on King at S. Lee Street.

The Port City

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

When Alexandria was founded in 1749, the new town was perched on a high bluff some 20 feet above the river. The town was established on the shore of a crescent-shaped bay that extended inland to current-day Lee Street, then called Water Street. Efforts to fill the muddy bay began immediately to extend the shoreline of the newly founded town to the deeper river channel. By 1798, the shoreline extended two full blocks into the river to create the “Port City.” Archaeologists have excavated remnants of the early wharves that extended out into the river to reach the channel. 

This wayfinding sign is located on King at N. Lee Street.

Electric Railway

Electric street car

Alexandria’s electric streetcar system, the Washington, Alexandria & Mount Vernon Railway, was established in 1892, and extended into Washington in 1896. The line traveled from Mount Vernon Estate into Alexandria, up South Royal Street and for a time, South Fairfax Street, to King Street, then west to Commonwealth Avenue and north across Four Mile Run, into Arlington and then Washington. By 1930 service to Mount Vernon was abandoned south of Alexandria to make way for the George Washington Memorial Parkway, and in 1932, service from Alexandria to Washington also ended. 

This wayfinding sign is located on King at S. Royal Street, across from City Hall.

Torpedo Factory Art Center

Alexandria Naval Torpedo Station with ferry and cars, black-and-white photograph

The United States Naval Torpedo Station was built during World War I, but it was barely completed when that war ended in November 1919. It was ready for service when World War II began, and greatly expanded during the war. The Torpedo Factory Art Center was created in 1974 as a Bicentennial project. It stands as one of the nation’s earliest examples of the adaptive reuse of a historic building. 

This wayfinding sign is located across from the Torpedo Factory Art Center, on N. Union Street between King and Cameron Streets.

The Civil War Comes to Alexandria

Major General Charles W. Sanford. photograph
Major General Charles W. Sanford

During the 1860 Presidential campaign, business-minded Alexandrians were decidedly pro-Union. But when South Carolina fired on Fort Sumter and President Lincoln subsequently called for 75,000 troops to crush the rebellion, the mood of Alexandrians shifted dramatically from accommodation to war. On May 23, 1861, townsmen went to the polls and voiced their approval of Virginia’s articles of secession. The next day, a regiment of New York Fire Zouaves, led by Colonel Elmer Ellsworth, landed near this location at the foot of Cameron Street. Alexandria remained an occupied city throughout the Civil War. 

This wayfinding sign is located at the foot of Cameron Street, next to the Torpedo Factory Art Center.

War of 1812

War of 1812 carronade, on display at Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum

In August 1814, British ships sailed up the Potomac, and Alexandria’s militias were ordered to cross the river and take up post near Fort Washington, Maryland. They took with them nearly all the arms belonging to the town, leaving Alexandria defenseless. On the morning of August 28, 1814, a local committee rowed south to meet British Captain James Gordon to request terms of surrender. On Christmas Eve 1814, American and British peace commissioners signed the Treaty of Ghent, formally ending the War of 1812. 

This wayfinding sign is located on King at S. Union Street.

Alexandria Archaeology Museum

Excavation of a bakery and cistern at the Lee Street Site

City Council established the Alexandria Archaeological Commission, the first of its kind in the United States, in 1975, and hired a professional City archaeologist in 1977. The archaeology program continues today with collections of more than two million artifacts spanning 13,000 years of the City’s history. 

This wayfinding sign is located on King at N. Union Street.

River Ferries

River Queen ferry

Potomac River ferries date back to as early as 1740, while the first bridge was not constructed until 1797. Following the War of 1812, ferries that travelled between Washington and Alexandria primarily had horse-powered paddle wheels. A steam ship was first used as a ferry on the Potomac in 1816. 

This wayfinding sign is located on King Street at The Strand, between S. Union Street and the river.

 

 

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