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Alexandria, Virginia

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Alexandria is a city in Virginia, USA. It covers 15.4 sq mi (39.9 sq km) and has a population of 140,000 people (2011 estimate). It is regarded as an independent city as it is not part of a county. The city is on the west bank of the Potomac River.

European settlement in Alexandria dates back to 1695, when it was part of the British Colony of Virginia. It was established in 1745 as a site for tobacco warehousing, but was found unsuitable for the purpose, and the warehouse was erected further upriver. The settlement at Alexandria remained.

George Washington Masonic National Memorial, Alexandria, VirginiaGeorge Washington Masonic National Memorial, Alexandria, Virginia
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Front_View_of_George_Washington_Masonic_National_Memorial.jpg
Author: Joe Ravi
photo licensing
Alexandria was initially named Belhaven, after Scottish patriot John Hamilton, the 2nd Lord Belhaven and Stenton. When it was incorporated in 1779, Alexandria was renamed in honor of Captain Philip Alexander II and his family members, all regarded as the town's founder. By then the name Belhaven had fallen out of favor. They provided land from their estate for the establishment of the town.

Alexandria was part of the area earmarked by George Washington as the District of Columbia, and ceded to the Federal Government. However the Alexandria portion of the District felt like they were being treated as poor cousins and neglected by Congress. Also, as Alexandria had a a market for slave trading, its residents were afraid that abolitionists in Congress would ban slavery in Alexandria, affecting their source of income. So they petitioned Virginia to take back Alexandria, and it was retroceded to Virginia in 1846.

Visiting Alexandria

Highways leading towards the Greater Washington DC area, which includes Alexandria, are the I-270, I-66, I-95, US Highway 50 and US Highway 295. Take I-495, the Capital Beltway that forms a ring road around the metropolitan area. Alexandria is on the south side, accessed via Exit 177.

Places of Interest in Alexandria

  1. Alexandria City Hall
    Originally the site of a market, the city hall was built in 1871 and is today listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

  2. Cameron Run Regional Park
    Public park operated by the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority. It includes a water park with wave pool and toddlers pool.

  3. Christ Church
    Episcopal church in Alexandria completed in 1773.

  4. Gadsby's Tavern Museum
    Cultural history museum housed in the tavern built in 1785 and the city hotel built in 1792.

  5. George Washington Masonic National Memorial
    Masonic building completed in 1970 and dedicated to the memory of George Washington.

  6. John Carlyle House
    Historic mansion of Scottish merchant John Carlyle. It was completed in 1753.

  7. Jones Point Light
    A small river lighthouse on the Potomac River, built in 1855.

  8. Lee-Fendall House
    Urban plantation family home in Old Town Alexandria. It was completed in 1785.

  9. Little Theatre of Alexandria
    Community theater founded by Mary Lindsey in 1934.

  10. Mount Vernon
    George Washington's plantation estate, with stately buildings in the neoclassical Georgian style.

  11. Pope-Leighey House
    One of three suburban homes in Virginia designed by famous American architect Frank Lloyd Wright.

  12. River Farm
    Landscaped property that was owned by George Washington until his death in 1799.

  13. South Cornerstones of the Original District of Columbia
    Boundary markers placed in 1791 and 92 to mark the original boundaries of the District of Columbia.

  14. Torpedo Factory Art Center
    Art center occupying the former torpedo factory and munitions storage site.

  15. Virginia Theological Seminary
    Formerly the Protestant Episcopal Theological Seminary in Virginia, this is the largest accredited Episcopal seminary in the United States. It was founded in 1818.

  16. Woodlawn
    Historic home that was originally part of George Washington's plantation estate of Mount Vernon.

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Hello and thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy and my hobby is in describing places so that I can share the information with the general public. My website has become the go to site for a lot of people including students, teachers, journalists, etc. whenever they seek information on places, particularly those in Malaysia and Singapore. I have been doing this since 5 January 2003, for over twenty years already. You can read about me at Discover Timothy. By now I have compiled information on thousands of places, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and I continue to add more almost every day. My goal is to describe every street in every town in Malaysia and Singapore.
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