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Discovering Alexandria

Virginia
"More Tons, Less Huns": World War I Shipbuilding in Alexandria

"More Tons, Less Huns": World War I Shipbuilding in Alexandria

12/23/2016 in Virginia by Lila Spitz

World War I fueled a rapid buildup in industrial production and, in particular, merchant shipbuilding. America needed cargo vessels—fast—and, as luck would have it, Alexandria was prepared. Between 1910 and 1912, the Army Corps of Engineers had infilled a 46-acre bay and wildlife preserve – Battery Cove – near Jones Point Lighthouse. The land’s proximity to the Potomac River and its enormous size made it an ideal site for shipbuilding. Alexandrians rejoiced when the Virginia Shipbuilding Corporation came to their city but the enthusiasm would not last.

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DC
Washington Rolls Out the Red Carpet for Charles Lindbergh

Washington Rolls Out the Red Carpet for Charles Lindbergh

12/01/2016 in DC by Mark Jones

When word came from Paris that Charles Lindbergh successfully completed the first trans-Atlantic flight on May 21, 1927, the world celebrated. Overnight the young pilot became a household name and hero. Cities around the globe prepared to fete him. But to Lindbergh, one greeting stood out in particular, “Paris was marvelous and London and Brussels as well, and I wouldn’t for the world draw any comparisons, but I will say this, the Washington reception was the best handled of all.”

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Virginia
George Washington's Bicentennial Birthday Bash

George Washington's Bicentennial Birthday Bash

11/29/2016 in Virginia by Max Lee

Across the country, members of high society celebrated George Washington's 200th birthday by attending costumed balls. But only Alexandria could boast that their ball occurred at the location of Washington's last birthday party.

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Virginia
Alexandria Library Sit-In, 1939

Alexandria Library Sit-In, 1939

11/29/2016 in Virginia by Claudia Swain

In 1939 — decades before Virginia schools were integrated, and sit-ins emerged as a primary strategy for protesting segregated businesses and public facilities in the South — Alexandria, Virginia lawyer Samuel Tucker organized a successful sit-in to demonstrate against the Alexandria Library's "whites only" policy. It is believed to be the first sit-in for desegregation in American history.

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Virginia
The Making of Old Town Alexandria

The Making of Old Town Alexandria

03/18/2016 in Virginia by Jamila Jordan

The picturesque Old Town we know today didn’t just happen naturally. It was planned in response to America’s burgeoning historic preservation movement, mid-century urban renewal efforts and a lot of involvement from local citizens.

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Virginia
Robert Portner and Alexandria's Pre-Prohibition Brewing History

Robert Portner and Alexandria's Pre-Prohibition Brewing History

01/27/2016 in Virginia by Mike Williams

The history of brewing beer in the United States is a rich and storied one. Cities like St. Louis, Missouri and Milwaukee, Wisconsin resonate with most beer drinkers across the country as centers for American brewing. For Virginia residents, you might not realize how close Alexandria, Virginia came to being one of those brewing capitals. From the closing years of the Civil War until prohibition turned Virginia into a dry state, the Robert Portner Brewing Company was the leading brewery and distributor in the southeastern United States. Led by its visionary namesake, the Portner Brewing Company became the largest business in Alexandria and remains a fascinating tale of innovation.

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DC
First Union Officer Killed in Civil War Was a Friend of Lincoln

First Union Officer Killed in Civil War Was a Friend of Lincoln

01/07/2016 in DC by Patrick Kiger

Possibly the toughest part of being a President is having to send U.S. forces into combat, knowing that some of them will not return alive.  After the Civil War began in 1861, President Abraham Lincoln had to face that terrible reality very quickly. On the morning of May 24, 1861, a personal friend of the President, Col. Elmer Ellsworth, became the first Union officer to be killed in the conflict in nearby Alexandria, Virginia.

 

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Virginia
The Torpedo Factory Art Center: Alexandria's World War II Landmark

The Torpedo Factory Art Center: Alexandria's World War II Landmark

10/20/2015 in Virginia by Mike Williams

Sitting on the waterfront of the Potomac River, the 85,000 square foot Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria is a landmark of Northern Virginia history. Today, the building houses artist studios, galleries, art workshops, and even an archeology museum. Yet during the tumultuous years of World War II, workers produced something very different in the space — the Mark 14 submarine torpedo used by U.S. Navy personnel in the Pacific theater of the war. Over 70 years after its decommissioning as a munitions depot, the history of the Torpedo Factory is a fascinating tale of politics, faulty weapon engineering, and local spirit.

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DC

Origins of the George Washington Memorial Parkway

03/11/2015 in DC by Mark Jones
Origins of the George Washington Memorial Parkway

David Lassman discusses the creation and of the George Washington Memorial Parkway.

Thousands of people drive on it everyday, but sometimes we forget that the George Washington Memorial Parkway is not just a commuter highway. It's a national park. And like our other national parks, the Parkway tells a story about our nation's past.

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Boundary Stones explores local history in Washington, D.C., suburban Maryland and northern Virginia. This project is a service of WETA and is supported by contributions from readers like you.

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