# Timeline of Alexandria, Virginia

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Alexandria, Virginia, USA.

## 18th and 19th centuries

* 1749 – Alexandria founded.
* 1752 – Carlyle House (residence) built.
* 1754 – Fairfax County Courthouse built.
* 1773 – Christ Church consecrated.
* 1779 – Town of Alexandria incorporated.
* 1783 – Masonic lodge No. 39 (now Alexandria-Washington Lodge No. 22) established.
* 1784 – Virginia Journal and Alexandria Advertiser begins publication.
* 1789 – A portion of Fairfax County, including Alexandria, is ceded to the federal government.
* 1790
** Presbyterian Meeting House built.
** Population: 2,748.
* 1792
** Bank of Alexandria established.
** Stabler Apothecary in business.
* 1794
** Gadsby's Tavern in business.
** Alexandria Library founded.
* 1801 – Alexandria organized as a county of the District of Columbia.
* 1817 – Market House built.
* 1818 – St. Paul's Episcopal Church consecrated.
* 1823 – Virginia Theological Seminary founded.
* 1825 – Hallowell School opens.
* 1828 – Franklin and Armfield slave traders in business.
* 1830 – Population: 8,241.
* 1833 – St. John's Academy established.
* 1834 – Alexandria Gazette newspaper in publication.
* 1839
** Lyceum built.
** Episcopal High School founded.
* 1840 – Population: 8,459.
* 1843 – Alexandria Canal to Georgetown opens.
* 1847 – Alexandria retroceded to Virginia.
* 1852 – City of Alexandria incorporated.
* 1860 – Population: 12,652.
* 1863 – August: Alexandria becomes seat of Restored Government of Virginia.
* 1865 – Convention of the Colored People of Virginia held in city.
* 1870 – City becomes independent of Alexandria County.
* 1873 – Alexandria City Hall rebuilt.
* 1897 – The lynching of Joseph H. McCoy.
* 1899 – The lynching of Benjamin Thomas.

## 20th century

* 1906 – Union Station built.
* 1923 – Cornerstone of the George Washington Masonic National Memorial laid.
* 1930 – Potomac becomes part of city.
* 1937 – Alexandria Free Public Library opens.
* 1940 – Robinson Library and Vernon Theatre open.
* 1945 – Centre Theatre built.
* 1946 – Old Town Alexandria historic district established.
* 1952 - Part of Fairfax County annexed to city.
* 1954 – Historic Alexandria Foundation chartered.
* 1960 – Population: 91,023.
* 1961
** Woodrow Wilson Bridge opens.
** Frank E. Mann becomes mayor.
* 1967 – Charles E. Beatley becomes mayor.
* 1974 – Torpedo Factory Art Center opens.
* 1975
** Alexandria Packet newspaper begins publication.
** City archaeological commission formed.
* 1976 – Gadsby's Tavern museum opens.
* 1983
** Washington Metro King Street–Old Town station, Braddock Road station, and Eisenhower Avenue station open.
** Gifts in Kind International headquartered in Alexandria.
* 1985
** Vola Lawson becomes city manager, the first woman to hold the position.
** Jim Moran becomes mayor.
* 1990 – Population: 111,182.
* 1991
** Van Dorn Street station opens.
** Patsy Ticer becomes mayor.
* 1996
** City website online.
** Kerry J. Donley becomes mayor.

## 21st century

* 2003 – William D. Euille becomes mayor.
* 2005 – United States Patent and Trademark Office headquartered in city.
* 2010 – Population: 139,966.
* 2015 – Don Beyer becomes U.S. representative for Virginia's 8th congressional district.
* 2016 – Allison Silberberg becomes mayor.
* 2017
** Congressional baseball shooting occurs on June 14.
** The National Science Foundation relocates their headquarters to the Eisenhower Valley neighborhood from Arlington.
* 2019
** Justin Wilson becomes mayor.
** Construction begins on Potomac Yard station, slated to be the fifth Washington Metro station in the city,
* 2020 – Population reaches 159,467.
* 2022 – Landmark Mall is demolished as work begins on its redevelopment.