A couple of years ago, when I conducted my survey of
commemorative markers, I remember reaching Union Station (Alexandria Station).
One of my favorite markers is found there, about fifty paces from the station on a tall concrete column. The only one of its kind in Old Town, the bronze plaque (Alexandria War Dead) was shaped to fit the curve of the column.
Surprisingly, there are no commemorative markers for the station itself.
That should soon change. The City has submitted a “National Register of Historic Places” nomination form for the historic train station, located between the King Street Metro and the George Washington Masonic Memorial (Ann Horowitz researched the history).
Fascinating to learn the station’s relationship with Washington’s City Beautiful Movement.
Another reason I love reading these forms is the richness of the architectural vocabulary.
At the passenger depot, the hipped roof is accented by dormer windows while eyebrow vents punctuate the roof of the baggage annex. The brick chimney at the north end of the roof is decorated with a recessed elliptical arch and a granite keystone. A Tuscan columned loggia frames three sides of the passenger building. Semi-circular fanlights with spider web tracery and flanking windows draw attention to the four doorways. Windows are distinguished with granite keynote lintels and are recessed within brick elliptical arches. The building is constructed of masonry load bearing walls with a partially exposed rusticated schist fieldstone foundation.
Alexandrians once dodged trains at four different tracks and assembled at three stations. The remnants are few – the railroad tracks ending at the Robinson Terminal North, the Wilkes Street Bridge (three markers there), and Union Station. I can’t imagine it not being awarded with this prestigious honor, and avenue of protection.
Comments