Smyrna times., 1940-08-29
! y! II1z1S3EIIA, AN RI,Dr,
"4I ,,,,l Town on s..rstsr rots"''
|ne a. Foreign Commerce

t0ItlSh
prrrc OF NEvsFRlS'
-,rcToN.-Alexandrla, on
HAsHlscr l.' river, is planning to !, re-
sPlian,rs liilaiaro,tional commerce. The Ss
q eI,iss, il,s,Is begun with shipments ,.oOa o.
sd1ll T cargoes Of paper from
sr7in. ..-.viously shipped BY boat
rlia, sIst,Inrs and trucked to Wash. h.
DIX; = {, now are unloaded .ai.s a.
;gl .a.',;s :, a. mort, southern thresn-
' ! he national capital
',,,,,aria came into being as
,sslatilt u 4 ! tobacco warehouse pro 70
y, l. i virginia's tobacco IN
~ !. y ,rt !, Of 1880" says the Ma
'',1I - Geographic society. The
= -, settlers we're accordingly
Ilaa ,rvers. largely represent
'sa''. =. - bo,,ses Of Glasgow. Scot
..rsr was the name con-
= rnop the community by the
Y. y ! honor Of Lord Belhaven'
y 'stnoken ! patriot opposed to the
i Scotland and England. and
s..,tor Of the Scottish Trading
srpany.
Once New York's Rival.
=. warehouse, completed in
n !, "a, On a tract of 5000 acres
.1,.rv owned by Capt. John Al
.'-spr He bought it in 1910 for
n Donds Of tobacco. The Alex
y family thus owned most OF
!, ,,-ly town site and opposed the
.ryorsiQn Of the community.
,ntns the mama from Belhaven
llasndria largely compromised
!, oucsition and the town was
x,orsted in 1749. A 174s map
!. h new town shows it was laid
th The young surveyor, George
;,surun. The town seal shows a
d b full sail.
aressible to all transatlantic
L Alexandria was once a COM
x.r win New York and Boston
! xsn trade. Ships sailed for
rvean ports or the West Indies,
z-ning with hardware, dry goods,
r nulasses and other products.
! as came to the port with bal
X d robble stones and brick for
zlxt
Sidewalks, arched gateways, and
b NO and three story, closely
Vii homes Of the wealthy Alexan-
sr merchants were Of brick.
irs houses we're often wood-sur-
I'D brick Streets were later
zTs With the same material.
Iay fine old homes Of Geor-
o md early federal architecture
~ been preserved in Alexandria,
Ehs tie town in colonial atnos-
xs hat delights thousands of
zHs annually.
lGandria was the town to
ra George Washington sent the
srate Of bis Mount Vernon estate,
fnFnent or sale; it was there he
- NJ
fsaed Christ church and the Ma
nS hdge At Alexandria he vot-
nd maintained his town house.
I nase vas razed in 1857, but
l1l aa mansions survive, partic-
1g . the old part Of the town
y De waterfront, including the
aaa q the Carlyles. the Fair
la george Mason and many 9TH
a'le also is the boyhood home
si&rt E Lee.
Old Homes Restored.
\ Alexandria Of washington's
\ Il, - population of about 2.sOO.
!, ! " census gave it 4,14s. Orig
j y n', nlaln the lo-mile square Of
.Aal'' Of Columbia, Alexan-
!. j 7 y "a popular residence town
Il, ,,,iAngtonians, who have re.
= many Of the city's old homes.
= port Of Alexandria, now
-. ss ! i'r further development,
4, s,sa s,.: Y : federal appropriation
n = are Of million dollars in
y. = improvements and mainte-
=. a depth of "a feet at low
y, = =. provided for a distance Of
u, ~ NJ mile along the Alley.
= .san ssak q the mile-wide po-
Eas Eharves. tes uiar
y town is five mi,e. -,
go 7 !, and los miles from ,bs
y \. \ Ne river at Chesapeake Ike
ks,., saarves have been used
h - years largely for handlins
~ y sfavel, phosphate roct
ta,r Iss. petroleum products and
b ] ,aaa.s materials. The leading
b -,.. soastwise shipment WAS
- ..s,e is an extensive freigb,
as,,' a'lan yard; six tr,,nt.iina leiEns
y H. Connect with the ,H.llle MoL.u
lMIA N