The Washington times., 1903-04-23
ALEXANDRIA boasts
Old MARKET SQUARE
One of the Most Ancient PiazaS in
This Country

The Oldest plaza IN any city or town
between Philadelphia and Charleston IS
the market place Of Alexandria. which
low. however. has been so eucroached
upon by buildings that il can be scarce
ly called an open square. Il was left
u.aold when The town lots were DIS
posed Of iu 1919 and noted on the map
O. the town as the market square" Al
first fairs were held there four times
Il year at which Indians. negroes, and
Whites traHcked for skins OF animals.
tobacco. ginseng and the Wild produc-
tons of the new country. About 1854,
Fairfax courthouse was removed there
and the jail. townhouse and courthouse
built on the east side of the square The
Friendship engine house. a mere shed,
was placed on the west side in 1754. and
the Sun engine house on the east side
in 1775
On this plaza Colonel Washington
drilled his first troops before marching
to defend the frontier from the Indians
ana French. and in the courthouse there
Lis troops barracked after their defeat
at Fort Necessity. There occurred his
notable encounter with Colonel Payne,
and there stood the eIdentime stocks and
whipping post as well as small belfry
in which was hung the alarm bell Of
The town All the Fairfax courts were
held I'm the court house on Fairfax Street
for fifty years. In 1888. however. town
courthouse was built near the northwest
corner Of the market square for the
hustings court. made up OF the mayor
and aldermen Of the rowE. In tho 90 IS
the Fairfax court was removed TO carp
Store. where Fairfax courthouse . no"
established. fourteen miles from Alezan-
dria. and the old Fairfax court build
ing on the east side Of the market was
destroyed.
when the District Of Columbia was
established the hastings court OF Alex
andrla was abolished. and the United
States court. Judge Cranch aPd his as
sociates, occupied the hastings court
house at the northwest corner Of the
market. wbich was also occupied by the
Alexandria county court, created under
the District laws. the United States
court SSH using the Fairfax count
isil at the southeast corner OF the
market. but. IN 1913, the corporation q
/ Alexandria required them 10 leave the
Jail. which had been presented as
/ nuisance by the grand jury. and q new
Jail was established at the foot OF Wolfe
Street The old jail was converted into
! watchhouse above and fish market
+ below.
IN 1926 an attempt was made to sink
an artesian well in the center OF the
market. but after several thousand dol
lars had been expended the attempt
was abandoned In 1902, Alexandria
! Washington lodge of Masous built q
Masonic Hall upon arches just east OF
the hastings courthouse on Cameron
/ Street. IL 1928. the Hydraulian Com
/ pany built a two-story engine house
on the east side OF the market near
. the watchhouse.
In 1917 a fine new market BUILDING
was erected extending across the entire
vest side Of the market square. The
lower story was used as meat mar
ket the second story for the mayors
office. council chambers, and city Offices
end the third for the Alexandria MC-
scum. This edifce was crowned witt
la handsome steeple and town clock II
1876 . cannon house. to hold TWO can
non belonging to the city. was put VI
on the east side Of the market betweeI
the HydrauIiau engine house and TIT
watchhouse The Friendship engine
was moved to the western part OF TIT
city and the Sun provided wi,h
better house on the east side OF TIL
market.
This was the condition OF affair
when. on the 18th Of April, all he mar
ket buildings. including the Town eloe
and steepie were destroyed by fire Til
square became again the open spae
/ # was in 1T54. The city. however. 500
erected a fine market house which, wit
the Masonic Hall. the courthouse, tn
mayors office. and the stationhoust
Lowers three sides of the plaza, and thi
is the present status of the Alexandra
market square.