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Alexandria City Public Schools, 2000 N. Beauregard St., Alexandria, Virginia 22311
Information: 703.824.6600 | TDD: 703.824.6666 | Dr. Morton Sherman, Superintendent

Emergency Announcements

RSS feeds will keep you informed whenever new information is … RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds are free content feeds from Web: http://www.acps.k12.va.us/news/rss/emergency.php

School closing announcements, due to inclement weather, are made in the following order:

1. ACPS Hotline: 703-866-5300
2. ACPS Web Site: www.acps.k12.va.us
3. ACPS Emergency E-news: subscribe to this e-mail announcement list via City of Alexandria Web site*
4. ACPS-TV, Channel 71 in the City of Alexandria
5. Local television and radio stations

Please use your browser’s “refresh” or “reload” option each time you visit this page to be certain you are viewing the latest information.

LINK: Emergency Announcements: http://www.acps.k12.va.us/emergency/

* For emergency announcements, e-mail notifications are sent out as soon as decisions are reached but Internet conditions can significantly delay their arrival. Being on the notification list is not a substitute for monitoring your local media (newspapers, radio, TV and so on) in situations where a delay in opening or school closing is an obvious possibility (such as when the weather forecast calls for snow). The ACPS information hotline, 703-866-5300, is updated even before any media calls are made.

The Department of Communications coordinates all emergency communication. During an emergency situation, Communications serves as the liaison between the schools and the public/media.

When we close or open late because of inclement weather, Communications is usually notified by 4:30 a.m. The first thing updated is the ACPS Information Hotline (703-866-5300). Next, an e-mail is sent to people who subscribe to our E-news/emergency information list. Then, the information is posted on our Web site and ACPS-TV (Channel 71). All of these things are done first so that parents and ACPS employees will have a number of different ways to get reliable information directly from ACPS sources. Then, local radio and television stations are called.

In the case of other emergencies, information will be announced as early as possible. Parents should make arrangements for the care of their children.

When schools close early or for the entire day, all after-school activities and athletic events are canceled for the day.

THE OPENING OR CLOSING OF THE FEDERAL OR ALEXANDRIA CITY GOVERNMENT DOES NOT CAUSE THE OPENING OR CLOSING OF SCHOOLS.

All supervisors should have a list of employee home phone numbers and establish telephone trees to facilitate communication during school closures.

The district cannot guarantee that facilities and/or staff will be available to distribute checks during school closures. In such cases, checks will be held in payroll and distributed to staff in the buildings when schools reopen. Employees are encouraged to establish direct deposit of paychecks.

Radio and Television Announcements

In the event ACPS offices or schools are to be closed because of inclement weather or emergencies, information will be disseminated through local media outlets.

Delayed Openings and Early Closings

Early closings will be communicated to the principals and supervisors as soon as the decision has been made by the superintendent. Do not call the superintendent or the clerk of the board’s office.

Link: http://www.burkeandherbertbank.com/history.cfm

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Arthur Herbert, Maj./Lt. Col./Col. Born in Carlyle House, Alexandria, 7/27/29; raised in Loudoun Co.; banker, Alexandria, 1852; Capt., Alexandria Riflemen, 1858; 1st Lt., Old Dominion Rifles, 1/61. Enl. 4/17/61, in Alexandria; Capt., Co. H. Elected Major, 17th Va. Inf., 4/27/62. Promoted to Lt. Col., 11/1/62. Detached to command 29th Regt. Va. Inf., 1863. Appointed Colonel, 17th Va. Inf., 7/8/64. Paroled at Appomattox C. H., 4/9/65, commanding Corse’s Brigade. Postwar occupation banker. Member R. E. Lee Camp No. 2, C. V., Alexandria. Active in affairs of Episcopal Theological Seminary, Alexandria, and Episcopal H. S. Died 2/23/19. Buried in Ivy Hill Cemetery. The neglected grave plot was beautifully restored in 1968 through the untiring efforts of Dr. Lon W. Keim, Omaha, Neb., and David M. Frantum, Falls Church, Va., with the aid of Burke and Herbert Bank and Trust, Alexandria.

Link: http://www.fairfaxrifles.org/fld_staff.html
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Jones’ Division – Brig. Gen. David R. Jones -> Kemper’s Brigade – Brig. Gen. James L. Kemper -> 7th Virginia Infantry: Maj. Arthur Herbert
Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antietam_Confederate_order_of_battle

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History of the Seventeenth Virginia infantry, C. S. A.

By George Wise

COMPANY H.

(“old Dominion Rifles.”)

Arthur Herbert, Captain, elected Major, April, 1862; Lieutenant Colonel, November, 1862; Colonel, August, 1864.

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Early in February, 1861, the Alexandria Battalion having been organized, Captain Corse was elected its major, and First Lieut. A. Herbert succeeded to the ommand of the ” Old Dominion Rifles.” The quota of troops furnished by old Alexandria to the Battalion was composed of the following companies : Alexandria Riflemen, Captain Morton Marye; Old Dominion Rifles, Captain A. Herbert; Mount Vernon Guards, Captain S. H. Devauglm; Alexandria Artillery, Captain D. Kemper.

The 22d of February was properly commemorated by the general turnout of citizens, soldiers and fire companies, in honor to the “Father of his Country.” Much enthusiasm was evinced; addresses suitable to the occasion were delivered by Messrs. K. Kemper, H. Snowden and others to a large concourse of attentive listeners.

The fall of Fort Sumter, and the stirring events rapidly transpiring in the South, having occasioned great excitement and alarm, it was deemed expedient, (in order to allay somewhat these feelings in the people, and to strengthen the tone of military power for the protection of life and property,) to call out a guard. On the 18th April, 1861, the Battalion met at its armory and the first guard was detailed. This step was hailed by all with satisfaction. On the 23d, a picket detail in charge of Lieut. W. H. Fowle, Jr., of the Old Dominion Rifles, was sent out upon the Washington and Alexandria turnpike.

Leaving the city after dark, the detachment proceeded to the Little Bridge, and, posting the reserve at that point, continued the line along the pike to the intersection of the two roads south of the Long Bridge.

The post at this point was occupied by Sergeant K. and Corporal W. of Lieut. Fowle’s company, and was the only infantry post ever stationed by the Confederates so near to Washington city.

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The American Civil War (1861–1865), also known as the War Between the States (among other names), was a civil war in the United States of America. Eleven Southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America, also known as “the Confederacy.” Led by Jefferson Davis, the Confederacy fought against the United States (the Union), which was supported by all twenty free states (where slavery had been abolished) and by five slave states that became known as the border states.

In the presidential election of 1860, the Republican Party, led by Abraham Lincoln, had campaigned against the expansion of slavery beyond the states in which it already existed. In response to the Republican victory in that election, seven states declared their secession from the Union before Lincoln took office on March 4, 1861. Both the outgoing administration of President James Buchanan and Lincoln’s incoming administration rejected the legality of secession, considering it rebellion. Several other slave states rejected calls for secession at this point.

Hostilities began on April 12, 1861, when Confederate forces attacked a U.S. military installation at Fort Sumter in South Carolina. Lincoln responded by calling for a volunteer army from each state to recapture federal property. This led to declarations of secession by four more slave states. Both sides raised armies as the Union assumed control of the border states early in the war and established a naval blockade. In September 1862, Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation made ending slavery in the South a war goal, and dissuaded the British from intervening.

American Civil War Date April 12, 1861 – April 9, 1865 (last shot ended June 1865) Location Southern United States and Northern battle sites including Antietam and Gettysburg Result Union victory   Territorial integrity of the United States of America preserved Reconstruction Slavery abolished Belligerents United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders and leaders Abraham Lincoln Winfield Scott George B. McClellan Henry Wager Halleck Ulysses S. Grant Gideon Welles   and others Jefferson Davis P.G.T. Beauregard Joseph E. Johnston Robert E. Lee Stephen Mallory   and others Strength 2,100,000 1,064,000 Casualties and losses 110,000 killed in action 360,000 total dead 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action 260,000 total dead 137,000+ wounded

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In 1877, another partner was taken into the firm – Julian Thompson Burke, son of John W. Burke by his first wife. He was the first in a long line of sons, grandsons and great-grandsons to serve in the family and Alexandria institution.

During the succeeding years Burke and Herbert Bank continued to prosper and expand. Among its many assets was The Greenbrier Hotel at White Sulphur Springs, W.Va.

In 1899, Col. Arthur Herbert decided it was time to retire, although at 77 he was four years younger than Burke and he had no sons to follow him into the firm. He and his wife, Alice, had five daughters.
On his decision to retire, he sold his interest in Burke and Herbert to the three Burke brothers who were then active in the bank. He lived for another 19 years at his family estate at Muckross near the Episcopal Seminary. John Burke continued on as president at age 81.
Link: http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=230462&paper=%2059&cat=104

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Documenting the American South, or, The Southern Experience in 19th-century America.

Recollections
Grave and Gay:
Electronic Edition

Harrison, Mrs. Burton, 1843-1920

Near Vaucluse lived our cousin Arthur Herbert, of Muckross (he was like the youngest son of grandmamma’s household), who was to go off to war as captain in the Seventeenth Regiment of Alexandria Volunteers, and after four years of hard fighting, through almost every battle of the army of northern Virginia, come back as colonel, with a record of many gallant deeds, and settle again in his old home. He found the crest of the hill on which his former house had stood bare of everything – dwelling, trees, fences, and outhouses all gone; but a United States fort built upon the site had left behind casemates of solid masonry, serving as fine cellars for the new house. Colonel Herbert married Miss Alice Gregory, of Petersburg, and, with their family, has continued to reside at Muckross – named for the original home of the Herberts near Killarney, in Ireland.
Link: http://docsouth.unc.edu/fpn/harrison/harrison.html

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The residence at 3908 Seminary Road was built as the original gatehouse for the Muckross Estate. The estate, later known as the Moss Estate, is the land upon which the current neighborhood of Seminary Ridge was built in the 1970’s. During the Civil War, the Muckross Estate was also the site of Fort Worth.

The land was originally developed in the mid 1800’s by Colonel Arthur Herbert of the Herbert Family, who came to be associated with Burke and Herbert Bank. He named the estate aft er Muckross Abbey of Killarney County, Ireland. The estate was guarded by the gatehouse at 3908 Seminary Road & the driveway into the main residence of the estate was St. Stephens Road.

It is writt en that Colonel Herbert assembled the property in fi ve parcels between 1856 and 1901. The lot occupied by 3908 Seminary Road is listed as the 3rd division of the Muckross tract. In fact, one of the pillars from the original gate is located among the boxwoods in the backyard. It is marked “Muckross”. Presumably, the “Gatehouse” was built by Colonel Herbert at the point that he acquired some or all of the land to complete Muckross in the late 1800’s.

Louis E. Jeff ries purchased Muckross from the Herbert family in 1923. Jeff ries had the garage that still stands at the back of “The Gatehouse” built for his Ford Model A car. Shortly aft er, in 1936, Jeff ries sold the estate to the gatehouse’s current owner’s grandfather, Fred A. Moss, making the Moss family (and current owners of The Gatehouse) the third family to own the main estate over its history. From this point until 1970 when the land was subdivided to create the current neighborhood of “Seminary Ridge”, the estate was referred to as The Moss Estate. In 1970 when the land was developed, Mrs. Moss, wife of Fred Moss, moved into “The Gatehouse”. The Gatehouse has remained in the same family from that time to present day. In 2000, the current owners undertook an extensive renovation and with all new systems, creating the stunning property that you see today.

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George Brown Goode – 1887 – Reference – 538 pages – Page ???

Col. ARTHUR HERBERT, of Alexandria, Va., son of William and Maria Dulany Herbert, married Alice Goode Gregory, daughter of William A. and Maria Harrison Gregory, granddaughter of William H. and Louisa Goode Harrison, No. 248, p. 120. Children:

4570, May Gregory. 4571, Alice. 4572, Marianne. 4573, Florence. 4574, Nora.

Col. Herbert is a descendant of the Fairfax family of Belvoir. and greatgreat-grand son of the first William Fairfax of “Belvoir,” President of the Council of Virginia, whose son, the Rev. Bryan Fairfax, succeeded to the title of Lord Fairfax, of Greenway Court, upon his death in 1781.* He was a gallant officer of the 17th Virginia Infantry, C. S. A., and since the war has been a banker in Alexandria. His home, ” Muckross,” occupies a commanding position on the heights back of Alexandria, about midway between “Arlington” and “Mount Vernon,” the house being picturesquely placed within the earthworks of an old fortification.

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Mr. Lincoln’s Forts: A Guide to the Civil War Defenses of Washington

Link: http://www.fortwortharchitecture.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=3358

http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Lincolns-Forts-Defenses-Washington/dp/0810860678/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1295736650&sr=8-1-catcorr

http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~2250~160116:—Surveys-For-Military-Defences—#

Fort Worth Part of the Civil War defenses of Washington, D.C.
Alexandria, Virginia, Type Earthwork fort

Coordinates 38°48′54″N 77°05′56″W / 38.815°N 77.099°W / 38.815; -77.099

Built 1861
Built by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Construction materials Earth, timber

In use 1861–1865
Demolished 1865

Current condition Dismantled

Controlled by Union Army
Battles/wars American Civil War

Author’s Notes: As a child in the 1970′s, I played with my friends all around this Seminary Ridge, Alexandria neighborhood, and I do believe this is how the Fort was positioned in Seminary Ridge, Alexandria, Virginia. As noted in many books the developer (Pulte Homes sub contractors) destroyed what was reported as a well preserved Fort in the old Seminary Hill/ Ridge neighborhood pre 1970.

1. Fort Worth is reported to have been 450 yards in diameter. link:
2. The current Harris Place culdesac and the old Fort Worth share the same entrance off present day St. Stephens road.
3. Home is – was in corner of Fort.
4. And where having been a 5+year old running around this Seminary Ridge neighborhood; Harris Place is still on a sort of perch. In other words the homes that run along the back edge, along Fort Worth Avenue have steep hills leading up to Harris Place.
5. As I continue to investigate and uncover facts, I will update them here. For Example, whether this Muckross home was in fact a hospital during the Civil War.

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Outer Defense
Resource Area 9
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Fort Worth was a timber and earthwork fortification constructed west of Alexandria, Virginia as part of the defenses of Washington, D.C. during the American Civil War. Built in the weeks following the Union defeat at Bull Run, Fort Worth was situated on a hill north of Hunting Creek, and Cameron Run, (which feeds into it). From its position on one of the highest points west of Alexandria, the fort overlooked the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, the Little River Turnpike, and the southern approaches to the city of Alexandria, the largest settlement in Union-occupied Northern Virginia. In modern times, the site of Fort Worth sits within the boundaries the City of Alexandria (the land west of Quaker Lane, was annexed from Fairfax County in the 1950s) just off Seminary Road. Fort Worth Ave, a residential street approximates Fort Worth’s Civil War location.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Worth,_Virginia

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The following information was found in Mr. Lincoln’s Forts:  A Guide to the Civil War Defenses of Washington.  Benjamin Franklin Cooling III and Walton H. Owen II.   (c) 1988 Friends of Fort Ward.  White Mane Publishing Company, Inc., Shippensburg.  ISBN: 0942597060 (pbk)

Although Fort Worth was reportedly still in an excellent state of preservation, the site was destroyed in 1970 for the development of the area.  One home was reportedly built upon the solid masonry walls of the south powder magazine by Colonel Arthur Herbert, CSA, whose pre-war home of Muckross had been erased by the construction of Fort Worth.  Construction of Fort Worth began on September 1, 1861  The fort was reportedly garrisoned at various times by the following units:  3rd Battalion New York Artillery;  2d New York Heavy Artillery  1st Connecticut Heavy Artillery; 2d Connecticut Heavy Artillery;  and Independent Battery I, Pennsylvania Light Artillery.

There is reportedly a unit history of the 2nd Connecticut Heavy Artillery (reportedly formed as the 19th Connecticut Infantry) written in 1868 by First Lieutenant and Adjutant Theodore Vaill that includes discussion of his unit’s service there.

Vaill, Theodore F.  History of the Second Connecticut Volunteer Heavy Artillery.  1868, Winstead Printing Company, Winstead, Connecticut.

The American Civil War Homepage This site contains information about both the Union and the Confederacy, with links on such topics as battles, regiments, the secession crisis, and Civil War reenactors.

Built in America: Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record 1933 – Present Several Alexandria properties are included in this collection, which can be searched by keyword and is also indexed by subject and location. Part of the American Memory project.

CivilWar@Smithsonian A web resource showcasing materials from the Smithsonian Institution’s collections that relate to the Civil War. Includes digital images of photographs, postcards, letters, clothing, weapons and other artifacts.

Civil War Maps CollectionThis exhibit, part of the Library of Congress’s American Memory project, lets you search for maps by keyword or browse by location, subject, creator or title. Once you select a map, you can zoom in to see a high level of detail.

Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Find out about archaeological discoveries, take a virtual field trip, or plan your visit to Colonial Williamsburg.

Documenting the American South: The Southern Homefront, 1861-1865This project, created by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Libraries, uses primary sources to fill in the details about non-military life in the South during the Civil War.

Early Virginia Religious PetitionsA joint project of the Library of Congress and the Library of Virginia, this exhibit lets you view digital reproductions of original documents relating to religious history in Virginia.

Freedmens’ CemeteryA site devoted to the post-Civil War African-American burial ground in Alexandria. Useful resources include information about individuals originially buried in the cemetery and a list of free blacks in Alexandria before the Civil War.

George Washington Papers at the Library of Congress Includes letters, diaries, account books and military records which cover the years 1741-1799.

George Washington’s Mount Vernon Information about visiting Mount Vernon, along with historical details about Washington’s life there.

Historical Newspaper Index This searchable index, created by the Fairfax County Public Library’s Virginia Room, includes selected years of the Fairfax Herald, the Alexandria Gazette, and the Washington Star, among other papers.

The History Channel The official web site, including a “Today in History” feature, resources for teachers, and exhibits on historical topics.

The Valley of the Shadow: Two Communities in the American Civil WarThis project, created by the University of Virginia, provides primary source materials to tell the stories of one Northern and one Southern community.

The Virginia Civil War Home Page Contains information about battles, people, pensions and other information. With links to similar sites for other states.

Map Legend 1. Old Town 2.Potomac 6. Taylor and Timberbranch Run 7. Shuter’s Hill 8. Cameron and Backlick Run 9. Outer Defense 10. Seminary 11. Holmes Run 3. Del Ray/St. Elmo 4. Rosemont/Braddock 5. Mt. Ida White areas: Land not included in Archaeological Resource Areas: Site plans, development special use permit plans, erosion control plans, subdivision requests and rezoning requests are reviewed for archaeological potential at the time of submission.

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Archaeological Resource Areas are like overlay Historic Districts, but for archaeology. The areas are defined as having distinct resource types relating to the history, archaeology and geology, and have a level of protection under the Archaeological Resource Protection Code. Preliminary Site Plans for development in these areas require reasonable archaeological evaluation reports and resource management plans. The following are historic summaries of these areas and an evaluation of the significance of the resources in these areas. link: http://alexandriava.gov/historic/archaeology/default.aspx?id=39410

• Archaeological Resource Areas
• Resource Areas Map
• Archaeological Resource Protection Code
• Complying with the Code

Map Legend

Blue areas: Land that may have the potential to contain significant archaeological materials: All development requiring a site plan, development special use permit or erosion control plan shall follow the Archaeological Protection Procedure.

1. Old Town

2.Potomac

6. Taylor and Timberbranch Run

7. Shuter’s Hill

8. Cameron and Backlick Run

9. Outer Defense

10. Seminary

11. Holmes Run

Green areas: Land where only specific properties may have the potential to contain significant archaeological materials: All developments requiring a site plan, development special use permit or erosion control plan on these properties shall follow the Archaeological Protection Procedure.
3. Del Ray/St. Elmo
4. Rosemont/Braddock
5. Mt. Ida

White areas: Land not included in Archaeological Resource Areas: Site plans, development special use permit plans, erosion control plans, subdivision requests and rezoning requests are reviewed for archaeological potential at the time of submission.

Archaeological Resource Areas

Old Town
Resource Area 1

The Old Town Area is the historic urban core and, since the town’s incorporation in 1749, has been the urban center for Northern Virginia. King Street was, and continues to be, a thriving commercial corridor offering wares and entertainment to the region. The area includes the historic port, production and commercial sites, churches, cemeteries, schools, and residences, including historic black neighborhoods. It also includes prehistoric sites at Jones Point, boundary markers for the District of Columbia, evidence of Civil War military occupation, and craft and industrial sites such as breweries, glass companies, furniture factories, shipyards, flour mills, brickyards, potteries and tanneries. Much of Old Town is included in a National Register Historic District.

Significance of the Old Town Resource Area
The Old Town area encompasses the original city site and generally the land laid out as blocks by 1798. A survey of the degree of ground disturbance on the blocks included within this area indicates that 72% of the land has the potential for containing archaeological resources. Excavation of more than 70 sites in Old Town demonstrates that virtually all properties contain artifacts. Excavation of a typical townhouse backyard yields approximately 25,000 artifacts. If the yard also contains a trash-filled well or privy, this number of artifacts doubles. Most Old Town properties also contain foundations of older buildings and other historic features. This segment of Alexandria is of great archaeological significance since it has sites representing the full development of the City, from the tobacco warehouses at West’s Point (Oronoco Street) to the Belle Pre Bottle Company on West Street.

Potomac
Resource Area 2

The Potomac Area encompasses the northern part of Old Town, Potomac Yard and tracts of undeveloped land including large parcels on Daingerfield Island. This area would have been used by American Indians for hunting and fishing. It was part of a 6,000 acre tract purchased by John Alexander in 1669. There may have been a house on Daingerfield Island prior to 1730, although much of the area was wetlands. The Alexander family plantation was built here in the 1730s, near Four Mile Run. Other plantations were established in the area in the 18th and 19th centuries. A section of the Alexandria Canal extended through the area, from the turning basin at First and Washington Streets to Four Mile Run. Potomac Yard’s large railroad freight facility was first developed in 1906. The Yard incorporated large tracts of land owned by the Swann and Daingerfield families, and its resources include the location of early homes and family cemeteries. By 1894 a neighborhood known as “St. Asaph Junction” was situated near Powhatan Street. South of the Corporation Line (midway between First and Second streets), between Washington, Patrick, Montgomery and Second Streets, was the 19th and 20th century African neighborhood known as “The Hump.” Another Black neighborhood, “Cross Canal” was located on the north side of the Canal Locks along First Street.

Significance of the Potomac Resource Area
The Potomac Area is extremely important for archaeology, since it has large areas of relatively undisturbed land that may contain American Indian sites. An early plantation and elite homes were located here, and a large section of the Alexandria Canal traversed the area. This was also a major transportation corridor, with the Alexandria and Washington Turnpike, the Alexandria, Loudon and Hampshire Railroad, and its successor the Washington & Old Dominion Railroad tracks, and Potomac Yard.

Del Ray/St. Elmo
Resource Area 3

From the early 18th to the mid-19th century, the Alexander family and their descendants owned and lived in this area. In the early 19th century the Alexandria and Washington Turnpike was built along the eastern boundary (Route 1). Most of the land was undeveloped or had agricultural use, although a race course was built north of Mt. Ida Avenue by 1845. Railroad tracks were laid through the area in the 1850s. By the 1870s, several farmhouses had been built on the former Alexander land. The St. Asaph Race Track was incorporated in 1888, with legal betting. Two subdivisions platted in 1894, St. Elmo and Del Ray, joined together in 1908 as the incorporated town of Potomac. Potomac exemplifies suburban growth based upon transportation development in the latter part of the 19th century. Residents commuted by train or trolley to jobs in Alexandria and with the expanding Federal government in Washington, D.C. At one time a third of the residents walked to work at the nearby Potomac Yards, a major railroad switching facility. Several houses and a Gold Bond Portable Chapel at 2701 DeWitt Ave. illustrate the commercial phenomenon of mail order buildings. The town of Potomac was annexed by the City of Alexandria in 1930, and is now a National Register Historic District.

Significance of the Del Ray/St. Elmo Resource Area
The area is significant because of the many 19th century structures that still remain as well as archaeological sites under the ground. These resources relate to the area’s early settlement and suburban life. The turnpike, canal, railroad and streetcar are evidence of an important transportation corridor. The race track site illustrates an interesting aspect of the community’s early social history.

Rosemont/Braddock Heights
Resource Area 4

This former Alexander land was owned by early settlers such as the Baldwin Brothers and Sybil West by the mid-18th century. At an early date, the road from Alexandria to Leesburg was constructed along what is now Braddock Road. In 1791, surveyors laid out the proposed boundary of the District of Columbia and boundary marker #2 was located near the intersection of King and Russell Road. In the 19th century larger country houses were built in the heights, such as the Anchorage and the Quinn house. The more level land toward Alexandria was characterized by smaller farms. The late 1890s saw the suburban development of Spring Park (now Rosemont) and Braddock Heights. These were streetcar suburbs like Del Ray and St. Elmo, also served by the Washington, Alexandria and Mt. Vernon Electric Railway. Rosemont is now a National Register Historic District. OHAPreservationNationalRegister.doc Its houses, the majority of which were constructed between 1908 and 1930 in a variety of styles and sizes ranging from small Craftsman bungalows to large Arts and Crafts and Colonial Revival houses, have retained exceptional architectural integrity. The original street layout of the subdivision survives, reflecting the suburban planning ideals of the City Beautiful movement.

Significance of the Rosemont/Braddock Resource Area
The area is significant because of the many 19th and early 20th century structures and archaeological resources relating to the area’s early settlement and suburban life. The Old Leesburg (Braddock) Road and the electric railway are evidence of an important transportation corridor.

Mt. Ida
Resource Area 5

As early as 1719, a mill was built on the south bank of Four Mile Run. In 1800, a sixth generation descendent of John Alexander built the house known as Mt. Ida, now home to St. Mary’s Academy. After the Civil War, the “Gingerbread House” was built on an adjoining property. Other ante-bellum houses included Mt. Auburn, Warwick, and the Russell and Fractius farms. Military maps from the Civil War show a cemetery in the vicinity of Park Fairfax and several smaller farmsteads in other locations.

Significance of the Mt. Ida Resource Area
The area is significant because of the many remaining 19th century structures and archaeological resources under the ground. These resources relate to the area’s early settlement and suburban life. The railroad and electric railway are evidence of an important transportation corridor.

Taylor and Timberbranch Run
Resource Area 6

Two streams, Taylor and Timberbranch Run, flow through this area. During prehistoric times, wildlife was attracted to these water sources and as a result, the stream valleys became hunting grounds for Native Americans. Evidence of temporary hunting camps has been found in the form of stone tools and flakes produced during their manufacture, and cracked rocks resulting from the heat of camp fires. The land was patented in 1678 by John Carr and John Simpson, who may have built a residence in this area and farmed the land. By the 1760s prominent Alexandrians including William Ramsay and John Carlyle owned land within this area. They lived in the Old Town area, with tenants or overseers and slaves working their farms. Three major transportation arteries – the Alexandria Leesburg Turnpike (King Street), the Old Leesburg Road (Braddock Road) and Quaker Lane – converge in the northwest corner of this area. A tollgate was located on the Turnpike near this intersection, and by 1861 half a dozen houses stood nearby. An historic African American community, “Mud Town,” was located where T.C. Williams High School now stands. On the site of Circle Terrace Hospital, a house and dairy farm known as “Oakland” was built in 1888. Two cemeteries were situated in this area, including Ivy Hill that still can be seen on King Street.

Significance of the Taylor and Timberbranch Run Resource Area
This area is significant because it contains important sites from virtually all time periods. Potential archaeological resources include American Indian hunting camps, early farms both large and small, two cemeteries, and an African American community. Two major roadways traverse this area and acted historically as the connection between Alexandria and the countryside to the west.

Shuter’s Hill
Resource Area 7

Shuter’s Hill is the high land west of Old Town, where the George Washington Masonic Memorial now stands. This area is bounded by two turnpikes, The Alexandria Leesburg Turnpike (King Street) and the Little River Turnpike (Duke Street). In the 1760s, John Alexander owned this land. About 1781, a two story frame mansion was built, which was later used as a summer residence. It burned to the ground in 1843, and in the 1850s, a brick mansion was built nearby. In 1851, the Alexandria Water Company’s reservoir was built on the hill. At the start of the Civil War, Fort Ellsworth was built on the hill as part of the Defenses of Washington. The fort included 29 guns, bomb-proofs, powder magazines, and two wells. Barracks were built on the east side, and the brick mansion was used for military purposes. A Civil War period house still stands on Janney’s Lane, and many of the walls are covered with graffiti from the soldiers. A tollgate stood on at the intersection of King Street and Janney’s Lane, described as old on an 1887 plat. In 1907, a large part of the hill was developed as a high income residential area. Ground was broken from the Masonic Memorial in 1922, with work completed a decade later.

Significance of the Shuter’s Hill Resource Area
This area is highly significant for containing resources relating to 18th century and later residential settlement, Civil War period defensive structures and early road development. The site of Fort Ellsworth and its associated entrenchment lines offer perhaps the greatest resources left in Alexandria for gaining knowledge of Civil War defensive structures.

Cameron and Backlick Run
Resource Area 8

This area has a long and complex history which includes nearly all phases of Alexandria’s development. Back Lick Run, Homes Run, Cameron Run, and Hooff’s Run create riverine environments that attracted much wildlife and offered prime hunting grounds for American Indians. Cameron, a small settlement that predated Alexandria, was probably situated at the head of Hunting Creek. John Carlyle and other early founders of Alexandria lived in this hamlet. If the Virginia Assembly had selected the Cameron petition instead of Hugh West’s in 1749, the new port town would have been established near the intersection of Telegraph Road and Cameron Run, rather than at the foot of Oronoco Street on the Potomac River.

A mill was established in the vicinity of Cameron by 1752. Prior to 1798 a second mill, Cameron Mills, was constructed nearby. A long millrace provided water power for the mills, with a viaduct carrying the millrace over Taylor Run. One of the early mills was incorporated into the Alexandria Water Company in 1851. Near the Water Company’s reservoir on Shuter’s Hill stood Cameron Mills Farm. A 19th century distillery was located north of Mill Road and west of Telegraph, and two Civil War period entrenchments ran just west of the distillery. Union blockhouses were built south of this area and near Duke and Colvin Streets. Other mills in this area include ones dating to 1733 and 1760. One building from the Brown’s Mill complex still stands on Wheeler Avenue.

The Little River Turnpike operated as a toll road from 1806 to 1896. The “West End,” a village just outside Alexandria’s 19th century town limits, clustered along Little River Turnpike from Hooff’s Run west to the toll gate. Homes, businesses, the Bruin slave pen, Catts’s Tavern, a brewery, slaughterhouses, many butchers, and the toll gate were once located on the 1400 to 2000 blocks of Duke Street. A stone bridge spanned Hooff’s Run at Duke and Peyton Streets.

The western section of this area was scattered with small farms and one large plantation, Bush Hill. Established in 1797, the plantation included a 12-room dwelling, overseer house, slave quarters, brick barn, frame granary, cow and sheep shelter, log corn house, blacksmith shop, seed house, carriage house, chapel, icehouse, smokehouse, limekilns, greenhouses, family cemetery and slave burial ground. In the 1850s the Orange and Alexandria railroad was built in the southern part, and two cattle stops were built beside the tracks on Bush Hill land.

Significance of the Cameron and Backlick Run Resource Area
This area is one of the most likely places in Alexandria to contain evidence of American Indian life. The filling of certain areas within the Eisenhower Valley may provide a protective cover to Indian sites dating back 10,000 years. From the 1740s, this area served as a connection between Alexandria and the west. The Turnpike, a major mill race and the railroad traversed this region. At least five mill complexes operated here. The remains of these resources, as well as the early village of Cameron, may still be extant underground.

Outer Defense
Resource Area 9

This rural area had a history of agricultural production, country estates, and military defenses. It also served as a major transportation corridor, connecting Alexandria with the west. American Indians left traces of hunting camps, some dating back 10,000 years. European settlement came in the early 18th century when small farmsteads were established. There were at least four country estates in this area.

Prospect Hill stood on the current site of Bradlee Shopping Center, near a major intersection of the Alexandria Leesburg Turnpike (King Street) and the Old Leesburg Road (Braddock Rd.). By 1861 a cluster of houses surrounded the crossroads. To the west was the mid-19th century Monokin estate, which survived into the 20th century. The Vauxcleuse estate was destroyed in 1861, rebuilt in 1901 and demolished in 1972 to provide parking for the Alexandria hospital. Transportation arteries included Duke Street, an 18th century country road that became a toll road (Little River Turnpike) in 1806, and the Leesburg Turnpike (King Street), built in 1813. The Orange and Alexandria was completed in 1859.

The Civil War had a major impact on this area. From 1861-1865 the Cameron Run Valley was scattered with semi-permanent troop encampments that destroyed local agricultural production and decimated the woodlands. Three major forts and 10 batteries from the Defenses of Washington were located in this area, along with miles of entrenchments. Fort Worth was built on the site of “Muckross,” home of Confederate Colonel Arthur Herbert. This home was rebuilt after the war, using one of the stone powder magazines as its basement. Another Confederate officer’s estate, “Cameron,” was the site of Fort Williams. Bricks from the house were used to build a powder magazine that is still extant.

Significance of the Outer Defense Resource Area
This area is significant for its American Indian hunting grounds, 18th and 19th century agricultural settlements and country estates. This area includes the majority of Civil War defense remains still preserved in Alexandria. While most of the above ground structures no longer exist, many resources may still lie underground.

Seminary
Resource Area 10

The Seminary Area is a relatively undisturbed tract of land in the center of Alexandria composed of the property of the Virginia Theological Seminary and Episcopal High School. Three major roads form the boundaries: Braddock Road, Quaker Land and Seminary Road. The remains of American Indian hunting camps may be located in this area, but the first recorded settlement began in the 19th century. The Seminary was founded in the early 19th century, stemming from the Educational Society and the School of Prophets. In 1827 Jonah Thompson sold his estate, “Oakwood,” to the Seminary. The home is still in use today. Another large mansion, “Araby,” once stood near the intersection of Stadium Drive and Braddock Road. Other significant 19th century structures are still in use, including Melrose Abbey, Aspin Wall Hall and the small frame post-office on Seminary Road. During the Civil War these grounds and buildings were used as a Union headquarters and a staging area for troops.

Significance of the Seminary Resource Area
The Seminary Area is one of the most significant properties in the City. It has many historic buildings, and large sections of relatively undisturbed land which may contain archaeological resources. The Civil War had a major impact on the Seminary. Its buildings were used for Union headquarters, five batteries and entrenchments were constructed along the western boundary, and troops camped on the grounds.

H olmes Run
Resource Area 11

This area, located farthest from the core settlement of Alexandria was historically a sparsely settled agricultural community. The remains of hunting camps, dating as early as 10,000 years ago, have been found in many areas. Twenty of these sites have been registered with the Virginia Department of Historic Resources. John Carlyle’s plantation, “Tortherwald” (later “Morven”) dates to 1756 and covered 640 acres. A three-story house was built by 1770 and stood until the 1930s. The estate included a detached kitchen, overseer’s house, meat-house, barn, stables for 27 horses, cow house, dairy, weaver’s shop, smithy, grist mill and miller’s house. “Oakland” was built in 1741 by William Henry Terrett, and still stands at Palmer Place. The Strathblane estate included a family cemetery and a large home used during the Civil War as headquarters for Camp California. Mills and mill races, including Cloud’s Mill, were constructed in the 18th and 19th centuries. Union Forces launched observation balloons in this area, to follow the movements of Confederate forces in the Springfield area. A battery of two guns at the north end of an entrenchment line extends south to Fort Ward. The community of Lincolnia, in the southwest corner of this area, was established in the late 19th century. The Lincolnia Cemetery contains graves from the 19th and 20th centuries.

Significance of the Holmes Run Resource Area
The area was a hunting ground for American Indians and a sparsely settled agricultural region in colonial times. Until the 20th century, the area remained a rural hinterland. John Carlyle, a founder of Alexandria, established a farm in this area and exemplified the connection between the rural and urban communities. Because of the relatively sparse populations and large tracts of undeveloped land, the Holmes Run Area offers high potential for containing many prehistoric and historic archaeological sites.

Oral Histories are indexed by name, neighborhood and subject.

• Name Index
• Neighborhood Index
• Subject Index

Mount Vernon as it was when bought by the Mount Vernon Ladies Association’ Albumen print. Ca. 1860. The neglected Mount Vernon is pictured as it appeared when acquired by the Mount Vernon Ladies Association in 1858, with architectural features added after Washington’s death, and since removed. umich.edu : National Building Museum.

Mission Statement – Today

• The mission of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association is to preserve, restore and manage the estate of George Washington to the highest standards and to educate visitors and people throughout the world about the life and legacies of George Washington, so that his example of character and leadership will continue to inform and inspire future generations.

Endowment

• Approximately $78 million.

Budget

• The total budget is approximately $40 million annually.

Support and Revenue

• Approximate annual figures: Admission fees, $12 million; Food sales, $6 million; Product sales, $8 million; Unrestricted contributions, $4 million; Endowment income, $2.4 million.

Financial Sources

• No tax dollars are expended to support Mount Vernon. The Association does not accept grants from the federal, state or local governments. Mount Vernon is supported through the generosity of patriotic individuals, foundations and corporations, together with income from gate receipts and gift shop and restaurant revenue.

Contributions

• Mount Vernon has more than 200,000 donors and received $13 million in donations and pledges during 2008 from individuals, corporations, and foundations. The contributions include unrestricted donations, temporarily restricted donations for specific education and preservation programs and projects and permanently restricted donations for endowment purposes.

Membership

• The Friends of Mount Vernon includes 5,000 donors from all 50 states. The Friends receive benefits for their membership and fall into three categories: Friends from outside of the region; the Capital Friends; and Neighborhood Friends. This latter group consists of 1,200 contributors who reside on land that was once part of George Washington’s original five farms.

Staff

• 500 full and part-time staff.

Volunteers

• 400 volunteers contribute approximately 23,000 hours annually.

Visitation

• Annual visitation averages 1 million people, with total visitation approaching 80 million.

Estate

• Size 500 acres; 50 acres are open to the public. Mount Vernon consisted of 8,000 acres during George Washington’s lifetime. Gardens comprise over six acres, and the George Washington: Pioneer Farmer site encompasses four acres.

Affiliated Groups

• The Mount Vernon Advisory Committee; Friends of the Collection; The Life Guard of Historic Mount Vernon; and The Founders, Washington Committee for Historic Mount Vernon.

Public Hours

• Open every day of the year. April – August, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; March, September, and October, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; November – February, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Admission

• 2010 admission: $15 adults; $14.00 seniors 62 and older; $7.00 children 6-11; free for children 5 and under.

Visitor Amenities

• Mount Vernon Inn, open daily for lunch (except Christmas Day) from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Open for dinner Monday through Saturday from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Food Court at Mount Vernon offering breakfast, lunch, and snacks is open daily with some seasonal closings. The Shops at Mount Vernon are open daily and feature a broad selection of unique gifts and the largest George Washington bookstore in the country.

Public Information

• Main: 703-780-2000. Group Tours Office: 703-799-8688; 800-429-1520. Mount Vernon Inn: 703-780-0011. Website: Visit.MountVernon.org. Mount Vernon is located at the south end of the George Washington Memorial Parkway.