Much of the land on which Alexandria now sits on was part of a land grant from
Sir William Berkeley who was the governor of Virginia. The land was awarded to the English ship captain Robert Howson. Shortly after the land was sold to John Alexander for 6,000 pounds of
tobacco. By 1732, Philip and John Alexander farmed much of the surrounding area. Alexandria become a major trade hub and was incorporated in 1789. Alexandria was known as the "Port City" of the Potomac and was one of the largest ports in the country by 1790. was a Town Trustee, philanthropist, and resident. grew up in Old Town and, just as Washington did, attended
Christ Church. The town was originally laid out in 1749, making it the oldest section of the city, and is a historic district. On July 9, 1790, Congress passed the
Residence Act, which approved the creation of a national capital on the
Potomac River, formed from land donated by the states of Maryland and Virginia, two pre-existing settlements were included in the territory: the port of
Georgetown, Maryland, founded in 1751, and the port city of
Alexandria, Virginia, founded in 1749.
George Washington conducted most of his business in Old Town, as it was a short trip from
Mount Vernon. He was a Town Trustee and owned a house in town that he would use when working late or for extended periods of time. When Washington was 14, he surveyed some of the streets in Old Town. Washington donated money to his church, Christ Church, and money to found the first
Catholic Church in Virginia, Saint Mary's. Both churches still exist, but Saint Mary's was moved closer to a central area of the town. The former location of Saint Mary's is now a Catholic school and graveyard.
Robert E. Lee grew up in Old Town Alexandria after his father could no longer afford for them to stay at Stratford Hall. Lee also attended Christ Church and later moved to the nearby
Arlington House after marrying into George Washington's family.
Market Square in Old Town is believed to be one of the oldest continuously operating
marketplaces in the
United States (since 1753), and, during colonial times, was the site of a
slave market. Today it contains a large fountain, extensive landscaping, and a farmers' market each Saturday morning. Alexandria City Hall, including the mayor's office, is adjacent to Market Square. In the 1830s Alexandria's citizens petitioned Virginia to take back the land it had donated to form the district, through a process known as
retrocession. The
Virginia General Assembly voted in February 1846 to accept the return of Alexandria. On July 9, 1846, Congress agreed to return all the territory that Virginia had ceded. A statue of a lone Confederate soldier that marked the spot at which
Confederate States of America (CSA) units from Alexandria left to join the
Confederate Army at the beginning of the
American Civil War stood in the center of the intersection of Washington and Prince streets for 131 years until June 2, 2020.
M. Casper Buberl cast the piece, entitled
Appomattox, in 1889. The
United Daughters of the Confederacy, which owns the statue, had the monument removed because vandals had recently damaged other segregation-era statues during nationwide demonstrations. Old Town is chiefly known for its historic town houses, art galleries, antique shops, and restaurants as well as its unique cobblestone streets and red brick sidewalks.
Alexandria Archaeology Museum located at the corner of North Royal Street and Cameron Street
Alexandria Archaeology Museum is an institution dedicated to preserve and study
Alexandria, Virginia's archaeological heritage and foster within residents and visitors a connection between the past and present, inspiring a sense of
stewardship and adventure. The museum and its laboratory are located on the third floor of the
Torpedo Factory Art Center, at 105 N. Union Street in historic Old Town Alexandria,
Virginia.
Historic Alexandria Foundation Founded in 1954, the Historic Alexandria Foundation is dedicated to reserving Old Town with preservation grants, restoration work, plaques, and recognition grants. HAF has been credited with saving hundreds of buildings in Old Town. ==Commerce==