[Archived] City of Alexandria Celebrates Historic Preservation Month

­­For Immediate Release: April 30, 2021

Join the City of Alexandria and other cities around the country in celebrating National Historic Preservation Month in May. The public is invited to participate in this year’s events, focused on equity in preservation. 

The City invites the community to virtual lectures on the free Black population of Alexandria before the Civil War; the demographic evolution of neighboring Washington, D.C.; a history of Franklin and Armfield, the notorious slave trading firm that once operated out of what is now the Freedom House Museum; and housing practices in Alexandria from the Civil War until today. You can also join walking tours of Alexandria's historic buildings. All walking tours follow COVID-19 safety requirements, including wearing masks at all times and maintaining 6 feet of physical distance from members of other households.

A longstanding leader in historic preservation, Alexandria established the nation’s third oldest historic district in 1946, and in the 1960s, formed the first archaeological commission in the United States.

Historic Preservation Month was created in 1973 by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as a time for communities across the country to celebrate preservation. Associated events promote historic places and heritage tourism, and show the economic benefits of historic preservation while instilling national and community pride. This year’s events are presented by the Office of Historic Alexandria, Department of Planning and Zoning (Historic Preservation Section), Board of Architectural Review, FOAA (Friends of Alexandria Archaeology), Carlyle House, Lee-Fendall House, Alexandria Library Special Collections, and NOTICe (North Old Town Independent Citizens' Association).

For virtual event and walking tour information, visit the Historic Preservation Month webpage. Visit alexandriava.gov/Historic for more information about Historic Alexandria.

For inquiries from the news media only, contact Andrea Blackford, Senior Communications Officer, at andrea.blackford@alexandriava.gov or 703.746.3959.

For reasonable disability accommodation, contact Nicole.Quinn@alexandriava.gov or 703.746.4554, Virginia Relay 711.