City of Alexandria

1749 Scottish Seaport, George Washington's Hometown & Living Colonial Heritage

Founded in 1749 by Scottish merchants and licensed by the Virginia colonial assembly, Alexandria was surveyed in part by a 17-year-old apprentice surveyor named George Washington. Because of its deepwater harbor on the Potomac River, Alexandria rapidly expanded into one of the busiest and wealthiest seaports in colonial North America, exporting Virginia tobacco, grain, and timber across the Atlantic Ocean. George Washington maintained an intimate lifelong connection with Alexandria: he maintained a townhouse on Cameron Street, drilled his militia at Market Square, worshipped at Christ Church, and dined regularly with Thomas Jefferson and John Adams at Gadsby's Tavern.

In 1791, Alexandria was ceded to the federal government to form part of the new District of Columbia. However, feeling economically neglected by Congress and concerned over maritime shipping laws, Alexandria citizens voted in 1846 to retrocede back to Virginia. In 1946, Alexandria established America's third-oldest designated historic district in Old Town. Today, Alexandria seamlessly blends 18th-century cobblestone streets, gas lantern-lit alleyways, and rowhouses with a thriving international tech and culinary scene along the King Street Mile.

Fascinating Facts & Key Highlights of City of Alexandria

• ✦Old Town Alexandria is the third-oldest locally designated historic district in the United States, preserving more than 4,000 historic 18th- and 19th-century buildings.
• ✦George Washington considered Alexandria his hometown, maintaining a townhouse on Cameron Street, attending Christ Church, and drilling troops at Market Square.
• ✦The 'Spite House' on Queen Street measures just seven feet wide, recognized as the narrowest historic residential rowhouse in the United States.
• ✦The Torpedo Factory Art Center, once a 1918 naval munitions plant on the Potomac riverfront, now houses 82 publicly accessible working artist studios and galleries.
• ✦Gadsby's Tavern Museum hosted America's first five presidents, including the inaugural celebration of President George Washington in 1789.
• ✦King Street Mile was named by the American Planning Association as one of the 'Great Streets in America,' offering water taxi service to Georgetown and National Harbor.

Top School Pyramids Driving Demand in City of Alexandria

In Northern Virginia, school assignments represent one of the primary drivers of long-term property equity. Highly acclaimed pyramids across City of Alexandria include:

• 🎓Alexandria City High School (Titan Pyramid & Connected High School Network)
• 🎓George Washington Middle School
• 🎓Francis C. Hammond Middle School

Featured Subdivisions & Communities in City of Alexandria

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Frequently Asked Questions About City of Alexandria

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