Alexandria, Virginia City Records (MS019)

Access and use

Location of collection:
Alexandria Library
Alexandria Library
Local History/Special Collections
717 Queen Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Patricia Walker, Branch Manager
Phone: (703) 746-1719
Phone: (703) 838-4577
Fax: (703) 706-3912
Preferred citation:

Alexandria Virginia City Records, MS019, Alexandria Library, Local History/Special Collections, Alexandria, Va.

[Item identification], Alexandria Virginia City Records, MS019, Alexandria Library, Local History and Special Collections, Alexandria, Virginia.

Summary

Extent:
30.48 Cubic Feet 73 Boxes
Creator:
Alexandria (Va.) (1749-), Alexandria (Va.). City Clerk, Alexandria (Va.). Department of Housing and Community Development, Alexandria (Va.). Office of City Engineer, and Alexandria (Va.). Department of Planning and Urban Renewal
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Alexandria Virginia City Records, MS019, Alexandria Library, Local History/Special Collections, Alexandria, Va.

[Item identification], Alexandria Virginia City Records, MS019, Alexandria Library, Local History and Special Collections, Alexandria, Virginia.

Background

Scope and content:

The collection contains reports, correspondence, account books, minutes, warrants, court orders, vouchers, bills to be paid and to be collected, some printed matter, stocks and bonds, petitions, election returns, and poll books, ranging in date from 1750 to 1983, predominately 1825-1875. Topics include both the city auditor and the city treasurer records of receipts and expenditures for many city functions--the poor house, the police, employee pay records, etc.--, election results, the issuance of Corporation stocks and bonds, railroads, and canals.

Biographical / historical:

Alexandria, a major port city along the Potomac River, was founded in 1749. Ceded by Virginia to the federal government in 1801 to be part of the nation's capital, Alexandria was retroceded in 1847. During the Civil War, Union forces occupied and governed Alexandria. In 1922, the city adopted the Council-City Manager form of government.

Arrangement:

The collection is divided into the following series: I--Auditor (1809-1954)--subdivided into twenty-four (24) subseries (see attached folder listing), each chronological by year; II--Treasurer (1818-1923)--chronological by year; III--Mayor (1831-1877)--chronological by year; IV--City Council (1800-1954)--subdivided into eleven (11) subseries (see attached folder listing), each chronological by year; V--Clerk of the Council (1785-1874)--chronological by year; VI--Commissioners of the Sinking Fund (1845-1876)--chronological by year; VII--Commissioner of the Revenue (1795-1946)--includes commissioner as tax assessor, (see attached folder listing), chronological by year; VIII--Corporation Officers (1795-1876)--arrangement as per the 1898-1899 Annual Report where possible, the rest alphabetically, each chronological by year; IX--Gas Works and Water Works (1856-1876)--chronological by year; X--Court Records (1791-1957)--subdivided into eight (8) subseries (see attached folder listing), each chronological by year; XI--Elections (1808-1883)--subdivided into Poll Books, by ward and year, and returns, chronological by year; XII--City Manager (1936-1966)--subdivided into four (4) subseries (see attached folder list), each chronological by year; XIII--City Engineer (1910-1935)--chronological by year; XIV--City Jail (1956-1957)--Chronological by year; XV--Alexandria redevelopment and Housing Authority (1951-1958)--chronological by year; XVI--Department of Planning and Urban Renewal (1956-1965)--chronological by year; XVII--Various City Officials (1922-1983)--alphabetical by title, then chronological (sse attached folder listing); XVIII--Annual Reports (1954-1983)--chronological by year; XIX--Miscellaneous (175?-1932)--alphabetical by title, XX--Personal Property Tax Records (1870-1950-incomplete) chronolgical by year, XXI-Land Books (1926-1928, 1930-1950), chronological by year.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard