Alexandria va

The area on the west bank of the Potomac River that is now Alexandria has been settled on far before it was founded in 1749 by Scottish merchants. In his exploration of the Chesapeake Bay in 1608, John Smith sailed up the Potomac River recounts many different indigenous peoples that were settled on the banks of both sides of the river. Artifacts found along the banks and throughout Alexandria indicate that Native Americans visited the area beginning about 13,000 years ago.

Alexandria today mainly consists of a 6,000 acre parcel that was traded to John Alexander in 1669 for 6,000 pounds of tobacco. Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, Alexandria because a massive shipping port that was renown for their tobacco, thriving as a trading hub. Rolling into the 19th century, Alexandria became the center of the slave trade, sending thousands of enslaved black people to the south. In contrast, the city was also well known for having flourishing “free black communities”. Over the last century, this city has transformed from a city of industry into an extremely diverse, affluent community.