Alexandria embodies the sweep of American history and experience in ways unmatched by cities of similar or even larger size. As the only port city on the Potomac with a vibrant and accessible waterfront, Alexandria captures and showcases the nation‘s maritime past, its history, and its commercial ambitions. - Alexandria Waterfront History Plan
Perhaps like no other place in the country right now, the focus of the camera eye is sharp along a three-blocks-long portion of Alexandria’s waterfront. This land-filled stretch south of King is one of the final pieces of a re-development that started in the 1960s, but began in earnest in the 1980s.
The waterfront has not seen this much excitement since who knows when? Where archaeologists recently discovered and extracted the hull of an eighteen-century ship, an attractive new boutique hotel with a new restaurant ran by Cathal Armstrong brings in new faces. The Old Dominion Boat Club’s spiffy new building is headed for a coming-soon Grand Opening. Where the Robinson Terminal South stood for many years, archaeologists have uncovered, so far, more than a dozen foundations and the original stone-lined Strand. Point Lumley Park, for many years a lonely desolate place, is attracting people even before its planned improvements. A visiting tall-ship is moored there, evoking images of the city's heady days as a seaport.
We purchased this 1949 view from Historical Aerials and juxtaposed it with a view from Google's most recent.
What stands out to you?
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