Alexandria (Virginia)

Plans for the city of Alexandria were patented in 1657, but the city was not permanently settled until the 1730's. Former president George Washington helped lay out the streets in 1749. Alexandria was part of the District of Columbia from 1789 to 1846. In May 1861, it was occupied by federal troops and it was cut off from the rest of the South throughout the Civil War. The city sits on the western bank of the Potomac River.

Nowadays it has become a suburb of Washington D.C. Although it is primarily residential, Alexandria also has extensive railroad yards and repair shops, a deepwater port and varied industry, including printing and publishing, fiber optics research and machinery and computer-hardware manufacturing. A number of U.S. government buildings and scientific and engineering research firms are in town. Crystal City and Pentagon City are vast office developments. Alexandria is independent and in no state.

Alexandria's historic center is called Old Town Alexandria. It contains countless boutiques, restaurants, antique shops and theaters, so it is very popular with both locals and visitors. There are many historic buildings in Alexandria, including Gadsby's Tavern, which dates from 1752 and was frequently visited by Washington. The former president received his commission as major in Carlyle House, which was also built in 1752. Christ Church was constructed between 1767 and 1773. It was one of the places where Washington and later Robert E. Lee worshiped. Another interesting building is Ramsey House, which was built between 1749 and 1751.

The George Washington Masonic National Memorial Temple was built from 1923 to 1932. It was modeled after the ancient lighthouse at Alexandria, Egypt. It houses Washington mementos and includes an observation deck. Not far from the city is Mount Vernon. Woodlawn, one of the Washington family estates and an 1823 Episcopal seminary, are also in the vicinity. Fort Belvoir and the U.S. Army Engineer Center, with an engineering school and research and development laboratories are also near Alexandria. The United States Patent and Trademark Office includes the National Inventors Hall of Fame Museum. The Oswald Durant Center in the Old Town was named after Dr. Oswald Durant, who was one of the first African American doctors in Alexandria.

Other places of interest include the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Shop, John Carlyle House, Little Theatre of Alexandria, Lee-Fendall House, Alexandria City Hall, Market Square, the Jones Point Light, the south cornerstone of the original District of Columbia, Robert E. Lee's boyhood home, the Torpedo Factory Art Center, the Virginia Theological Seminary, Alexandria Black History Resource Center, Fort Ward Park and Museum, Phoenix Mill and the Alexandria Canal lock re-creation at Canal Office Center.

There are some other interesting sites just outside of town. Some of them are River Farm, Collingwood Library & Museum, Green Spring Gardens Park, Huntley Meadows Park, Historic Huntley, Pope-Leighey House, Woodlawn Plantation and Washington's Grist Mill.

The Alexandria Gazette is among the oldest daily newspapers in the United States. It was first printed in 1784.

There are numerous hotels and restaurants in Alexandria. The city is in the north of Virginia, 140 km north of Richmond and 10 km south of downtown Washington D.C. It is a port of entry on the Potomac River.