Alexandria, VA
Alexandria, VA, is a part of American history. This is the hometown of George Washington and has grown into one of the desirable places to live in America. A stone’s throw away from DC, Alexandria possesses the charm and delight of old America while also catering for the modern need. This is the fun side of the Potomac.
In the days before the town was called Alexandria, the area was bought by Scotsman John Alexander from an English ship captain in exchange for tobacco and cask. The location by the Potomac River meant growth from tobacco exports. In 1748 local landowners, led by William Ramsey and John Carlyle, petitioned the Virginia General Assembly to establish the town and, named in honour of John Alexander, Alexandria was born.
The Georgian mansion Carlyle House was built by John Carlyle in 1753 and by then the town had become a busy sea port, exporting goods to England and the Caribbean. Schooners and brigs came and went while the brick houses began to grow up as Alexandria expanded.
The seeds of revolution were sparked in Alexandria when, in 1755, British Royal Governors met in Carlyle House and agreed on a tax to help fund the ongoing French and Indian War. The tax was implemented on “all his Majesty’s domains in America”. This colonial tax saw the first unrest that led to the American Revolution.
In 1774 George Washington, George Mason and other local area leaders met in Alexandria in response to the colonial tax and the Boston Port Act. Mason’s Fairfax Resolves was a document that called for an end to trade with England and by 1775 tensions had grown into the American War of Independence.
George Washington became America’s first president in 1789 following the war. Alexandria and Fairfax County became part of the District of Columbia for the next 58 years until a local vote put Alexandria back in Virginia. The townsfolk were unhappy at a lack of financial aid and voting rights while part of DC.
Sadly, Alexandria became part of a bigger war in 1861 when Virginia seceded from the American Union. Federal troops seized the town due to its strategic location near Washington DC and the ports. The locals fled and private homes, churches and other buildings were requisitioned. Alexandria became home to the US Military Railroad. As one of the first seceded state towns taken, Alexandria remained occupied by the Union for the duration of the American Civil War making it the longest occupied territory. The Civil War statue Appomattox stands in the middle of the Washington and Prince Streets intersection. It stands as a memorial to the Confederate soldiers killed.
Alexandria remains proud of its past while also looking towards a bright future. Alexandria became the third US city after Charleston and New Orleans to dedicate a historic area, now known as Old Town. The Torpedo Factory saw extensive use during both World Wars. Over 6,000 workers kept torpedo manufacture going around the clock during the Second World War and now the building is the Torpedo Factory Arts Centre.
Having celebrated its 250th anniversary in 1999 Alexandria continues to be a centre for tourists, business and good food. The mix of architecture from the 18th and 19th Centuries remains and Alexandria is a beautiful town. The shops range from chic boutiques to fine art and antique stores. There are numerous historic attractions and walking tours can take you around the Old Town.
Museums and some of the interesting aspects of Alexandria’s past can be found at:
Alexandria Black History Museum, which was originally a library for blacks during the days of segregation. The museum now looks at the contribution to American society from African-Americans.
Alexandria National Cemetery, one of the 12 sites designated as a military burial ground. The cemetery contains over 3,500 Civil War graves and four men who lost their lives chasing President Lincoln’s assassin John Wilkes Booth.
Carlyle House Historic Park. The former home of John Carlyle. This building is where John Braddock met with royal governors to discuss the funding of the French and Indian Wars.
Fort Ward Museum and Historic Site is patterned after a Union headquarters building and houses one of the best collections of Civil War artefacts and information.
The Lyceum is Alexandria’s History Museum and the Greek Revival Building tells the story of Alexandria from its beginning through the Revolution and Civil War. This is a great starting point for any tourist in Alexandria.
Torpedo Factory Arts Centre was once a torpedo factory during the two World Wars. Now it is an arts centre housing several studios, galleries and shops.
A walking tour around Old Town Alexandria is also highly recommended. Local visitor guides will give you a good plan for a leisurely walk so you can see a number of the buildings that form part of Alexandria?s past. Guided tours during the daytime and nightly ghost walks are also available.
Link: Alexandria, VA – The Fun Side of the Potomac
