Progress on my book has been slow, chalked up to the swoon
that seems to come with the –ember months. I do
continue to look around for new markers, and found two yesterday. They’re out of the
coverage of my territory – Old Town and Parker Gray, but I regained that joy of
discovery I felt many times in 2010 when I conducted my survey of the
commemorative markers.
This pair of markers focus on the Bloxham Family
Cemetery. Quite frankly, I
had never heard of them or their cemetery. T. Michael Miller’s, “Pen Portraits” has one entry, a roster
published in the Alexandria Gazette showing the men of Company B of the First
Virginia Regiment who departed Alexandria for the Mexican War in December
1846. Private William P. Bloxham is one of
these soldiers.
The location of the cemetery and the
two markers is on the east side of the new Witter Park (2700 Witter Drive). Those of us who have rushed
our pets to the Alexandria 24-hour pet hospital on Duke Street can use that
bearing – it’s behind that building. Blue Line
and Amtrak riders can look to the left as they approach the Telegraph Road
Bridge. The small cemetery lies between the new soccer fields and the
not-quite-finished softball field for the Lady Titans.
Every historical marker has a story behind it, but not
all have a commanding or unique presence. The physicality of these two is quite remarkable. The pair and the cemetery are fenced off with a
black iron fence, evoking a sense of honor and dignity.
Once again, we tip our hat to the various agencies behind these efforts, including the Office of Alexandria Archaeology and the URS Corporation.
Additional Reading
Report at Alexandria Archaeology
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