Carlyle Neighborhood: More History Than You Might Think

The most fascinating history of a neighborhood in Alexandria?   Carlyle, believe it or not, is certainly in the conversation. 

Note:  The area for our coverage is, at least on planning maps, called Eisenhower East.   Carlyle is a part of it and the more used name, and more developed, so we used it.

After being a backwater for many years, Rip Van Winkle woke up in the 1990s and began  a mercurial rise.   But even during those slow years, there were a variety of stories.   The one older marker in the neighborhood touches on the village of Cameron, but as the timeline shows, there are other candidates.   

From time to time in the past ten years or so, we have written about Carlyle.  “Rising” is the word we used to describe it.   Although the full buildout is still a distance away, the neighborhood is now a mature adult.  For many who whizz past the city on I-95, Carlyle’s impressive building scape might be their main visual take away.

In a piece (1990) in The Washington Post, Roger Lewis, Washington’s longtime architectural critic, had great things to say about the plans for the Carlyle neighborhood in Alexandria:

“Carlyle represents a significant, positive step in the evolution of urban design theory and practice, public land use policy and entrepreneurial initiative…  Alexandria has wisely sanctioned a durable, understandable, compelling urban design.”

We thought it a good idea to pay tribute to the neighborhood with some photos and the following timeline.  The most remarkable thing about Carlyle is just how long it remained a backwater.  Having said that, there was activity here.

For future hopes, we would like to see the construction of the “Old Cameron Run Trail,” a pedestrian and bicycle trail still on the planning boards.   A mural or two three would be great.  One idea we have is a transportation mural.   Through the years, the land that is Carlyle has seen a number of transportation stories, including horses and carts on old paths, the tall ships coming in from the Potomac, railroad tracks and yards, metro, automobiles and its infrastructures.

Note:  We give a big thank you to all the archaeologists who have conducted their studies and published their reports on this part of the city.

 

 

Timeline for Carlyle/Eisenhower East Neighborhood

 

1730s

The village of Cameron (site probably near I-95 and Telegraph Road) lies at the junction of the road to Colchester/Potomac Path (Telegraph Road) and Great Hunting Creek.

1749

Alexandria founded.  A road runs northeastward from Cameron to the seaport.

1754

Hugh West (1705-1754) buried in West Family Cemetery (vault) near village of Cameron (site on western portion of Carlyle Crossing).

1760

John West, Jr. owns 25 enslaved humans near Cameron. 

1786

Col. George West buried in West Family family cemetery.

1787

Sybil Harrison West (1705-1787) buried in family cemetery beside husband, Hugh West.

1790s

A pair of mills and a mill race built near West Family cemetery.

Early 1800s

West End rises up, teeming with the activity of “butchers, tanners, millers, carriage maker, tavern keepers, wheelwrights, blacksmiths, soap and candle makers.  Later came the selling of enslaved humans, glassmaking, brewing beer, selling dry goods and food, providing water, as well as growing flowers."

1810

Bridge built over Great Hunting Creek at modern day Route One.   Gives quicker access to Alexandria than the Cameron path.

1848

Rueben and Robert Roberts, Quaker brothers from New Jersey, acquire land and mill. 

1851

Roberts brothers sell eastern mill to the Alexandria Water Company. Continue to farm the land.

1850s

Mention is made of “Cameron Valley” in the Alexandria Gazette. 

The Orange and Alexandria RR inaugurates its service.  The line runs under a tunnel on Wilkes Street and eventually reaches Gordonsville.  

1861-1865

Fort Lyon overlooks and protects Alexandria.   Soldiers have bird’s eye view of the city.  Any timber in the area would have been cut down for firewood. 

1932

George Washington Masonic National Memorial opens.  Not within the boundaries of the neighborhood, but the temple certainly serves as a landmark.

1940s

Southern RR continues to use their Cameron Yards facilities.  Site is on and near USPTO).

1950s

Temple Trailer Village built for veterans and Federal Government workers.   Dirt roads include Lee, Temple Terrace, Mason, and Washington Drive.

City annexes land from Fairfax County.

1958

Developer Hubert Hoffman Jr (1920-2002) purchases 80 acres.   Land still mostly a back water.

1960s

Interstate 95/Capitol Beltway built, as well as Holiday Inn and Hoffman Building I.

1970s

Hoffman Building II and parking lots.

American Truckers Association built.  Site near ParcMeridian.

1980s

Metro’s Yellow Line, Eisenhower Avenue Station and Eisenhower Avenue.

“Eisenhower Valley” and “Cameron Valley” begins to show up in The Washington Post.

1990s

Roger Lewis article in The Washington Post praises plans for Carlyle, mixed-use development on 76 acre site. 

Hoffman Town Center Development

Discovery of West Family burials

2000s

Office Buildings, Residential, Hoffman 22 Theaters, US Patent and Trademark Office, Courthouse, slip ramp as part of part of new Wilson Bridge and thru/local.

2010

Lost Boy Cider

National Science Foundation

2020

Construction starts for Carlyle Crossing, which will include a Wegman’s.

2021

Marker Erected for Hubert Hoffman at end of Hoffman Street on Foundry Apartments Building.