Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1899-10-07
EARLY HISTORY OF .ALEXAN-
DRIA.
(Continued

\OOutluQOu./
Let no one Imagine for one moment
that the old town of the trustees whose
lots are being auctioned of with sue.
cess that was slow but sure-Gn 1754
there were only 10 unsold aud those 10
the extreme southeastern corner) =
bears suy proportion to Alexandria OF
the present. Like To!sy We have
"growed," Notwithstanding the fish
ing domes across the w5v--the big city
whose mild jest we ere.
To obtain some idea of this plan ol
Alexandria town as it existed then on
paper, draw eight parallel liDes, repre-.
senting Duke, Prince, X Dg, Cameron,
Queen, Princess and Orouoco streets,
across these at right angles run one
line (allowing for row of lots above)
for Royal street, and another below fol-
Fairfax. This street laid out with
wooden stakes was designated Main
street, intended to be the principal
thoroughfare of the embryo city. Water
street might have been so named be-
cause it was a street at either end and
water in the middle, the river in those
days washing the banks of Fairfax
street from half. way of Prince to Queen
street, forming well-shaped crescent
ard curving sharply to Point Luptry on
the left, and more gradually to West
Point on the right. These points were
both below what was later Union street.
On the right side of Oronoco and JUST
above West Point, 90 named perhal 8
because Hugh West owned the 'front.'
age there of two lots on the rivers
bend, the lots began to be numbered.
Nos. l, 2, 8, 4 were long and narrow in
shape, all the others, except on q
slanting boundary line just above,
which cut of part each of 5, 6 and Z
aud on the two river curves were half
squares of one half acre each. Four OF
these formed a square OF two acres
each. The streets were 66 feet wide,
except Water street, which was 80 feet
wide.
Counting up from the river were lots
s to Is inclusive and from IA to l9 be
tween Oronoco and Princess. Five
lots we're on either side of Queen, Cam
eron and King; six on the left (56 to 6l)
and seven on the right of Prince; eight
on the right and left each of Duke; S4
lots in all. Such was Alexandria town
one hundred and fifty years ago.
Or the first bid of the lots, those on
the river front were taken by the trus-
tees and others at highest prices, as
most desirable, and most of them
bought two contiguous lots or one acre
to the waters edge. upon which they
were to build within certain period
under penalty of forfeiture and resale.
There were not 30 many but that we
can refill in imagination the homes aud
spacious grounds that bordered the riv
er in the new town a century and
half ago. Sweep away the ware
houses, the stores with which we
are so familiar, let the water wash
over the streets which we now
walk, till it breaks against the
old garden beeches of the generations
gone by, and it will not be hard to re
people those old homes with names
that are familiar, handed down to us
with the blood that beats in the veins
! of many in our midst. For instance
Alan Macrae is on the right of Queen
street with John Alexander to complete
the square. Gerard Alexander is across
the street with two lots to the river
and John Dalton adjoins with bis two
fronting Cameron. John Carlisle owns
the Braddock House site, and his gar.
den also is on the waters edge Side
by side with him is William Ramsay
| whose boundary lines are on King
street. Where Burke & Herbert's Bank
now is are the two half acres of Angus
tine Washington to the shore. Hal
way of that square commence the two
lots of William Fairfax on Prince street
for the river begins its bend here. This
is the site of the Citizens Bank. Col
George Fairfax's full lot and part O.
another begin at Water street. Lower
down on the bend Col. Harrson's We
lots front Duke street Uee siest es a
present would divide then) and across
the street facing them aud taking II
Point Luntry we find Naihauiel Chap
man. The last two and the river 10
each of Mr.. Carlisle aud MIR. Ramsa!
commanded highest prices.
Where the National Bank now is
Mr.. Augustine Washirg:on's half 10
was located facing Far!rx street, ant
side by side with him John West. VIM
Henry Terrett (whose widow John Yves
married as his second wife) and Pearson
Terrett own the square ON which tn
Gazette office stands. The Vests hav
the entire length of Duke street on IT,
left from Water street to the boundary
and the square on the west side Q
Royal. Crossing Prince street we agai'
fnd Mr.. Ramsay, and next him Georg
Mason. Col. Mason is also on Kin
and Fairfax, where Mr.. Leadbeater'
ore is located, and adjoining hum O
Fairfax street. We find Col. William
Fitzhugh.
Surely in the circumsoribed space G
sixty acres allotted to the town, can I'd
colonial history of the county be cha
lenged to fnd names of greater Wortf
wealth, prominence or standing. Th
banks of the James, whose homes or
historic for all that ennobles Virginia
past, can not take precedence OF ou
old Potomac when we call the roll wit
pride and reverence of men who ON