Old Town Civic Association (MS291), 1951/1992

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:
Phone: (703) 746-1706
Restrictions:

This collection is open for research.

Preferred citation:

[item description], Old Town Civic Association Records, MS291, Alexandria Library, Local History / Special Collections, Alexandria, Virginia.

Summary

Extent:
5.94 Cubic Feet 12 document boxes, 4 folders in assorted oversize box, 4 items in assorted media box
Creator:
Myers, Jacob Christian and Tuttle, Thomas
Language:
English .
Preferred citation:

[item description], Old Town Civic Association Records, MS291, Alexandria Library, Local History / Special Collections, Alexandria, Virginia.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection contains the records of the Old Town Civic Association (OTCA), documenting the administration and activities of the organization. Materials in this collection date from the founding of the organization in 1951 through the early 1990s, though the bulk of materials are from the 1980s and 1990s. Included are administrative records, outreach and publicity materials, correspondence, memos, notes, meeting minutes, newsclippings, legal documents, legislative reports, ephemera, architectural drawings and blueprints, maps and plans, audiovisual media, and memorabilia objects.

Biographical / historical:

The Old Town Civic Association (OTCA) is a local civic organization in Alexandria, Virginia which was originally founded in 1951 and later incorporated as a 501(c)(4) nonprofit in 1971. The stated mission of the OTCA is to "preserve the historic and residential character of Old Town [Alexandria]" and the organization aims to serve as a "collective voice" for residents of the Old Town neighborhood. Past presidents of the Old Town Civic Association include Jacob Christian Myers, Thomas Tuttle, William Lynch, Andrea Diamond, Kleber Masterson, Carol Anderson, and Gil Zimmerman.

During the early years of the OTCA (c.1950s-1970s), the major focus of the organization and its members was urban renewal. By the 1980s-1990s, their main concerns had shifted towards efforts to limit commercial development in Old Town Alexandria. Through the history of the Old Town Civic Association (and these records), it is possible to track the local community's interest in historic preservation and urban planning and the politicization of these issues.

Arrangement:

This collection was originally arranged and described in 1993. The finding aid was later updated in 2023 and some minor changes were made to the arrangement. Whenever possible, the original filing scheme of the Old Town Civic Association has been maintained.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard