Historical Information:The Alexandria Canal played a brief, but significant, part in the history of commercial navigation on the Potomac River. After the charter of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, which ran from Cumberland, Maryland, to Washington, D.C., Alexandria merchants proposed in 1830 that a canal be constructed linking their city to Georgetown. Congress granted a charter to the Alexandria Canal Company on 26 May 1830. Construction on the aqueduct bridge and canal began in 1833 and was completed a decade later. The Potomac Aqueduct Bridge, which spanned 1000 feet between Georgetown and Rosslyn, allowed boats to cross the Potomac without first unloading in Georgetown. Boats would then continue their trips downstream on the seven-mile canal leading to Alexandria's seaport. The canal officially opened on 2 December 1843 with the arrival of the first canal boat in Alexandria. In 1850, when the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal was completed to Cumberland, Maryland, coal from Maryland's mines became the most important commodity shipped to Alexandria along with wheat, corn, whiskey, corn meal, and flour. Important exports from Alexandria included fish, salt, plaster, and lumber.

The only interruption in service on the Alexandria Canal came during the Civil War when the canal was used to transfer Federal troops and supplies. But in 1886, a break in the aqueduct coincided with the demand for a toll-free bridge across the Potomac River and service on the canal came to an end. The canal structure was abandoned, and, finally, in 1923, the aqueduct bridge was removed. During the 1980s, Alexandria archaeologists discovered and restored the tidal basin and lift lock in Alexandria.

Scope and Content:Alexandria (Va.) Canal Company Account of Tolls Collected, 1845-1853, records the tolls received at Alexandria and Washington, D.C. for both ascending and descending trade. Information found in each entry includes the number and date of the way bill, name of the boat master, boat name, name and quantity of items on board, total amount of freight, number of weekly receipts, and the total toll received. Items shipped on the descending trade included wood, wheat, flour, corn, seed, apples, whiskey, lime, pork, coal, and iron. Fish, salt, plaster, and lumber were among the exports shipped out of Alexandria on the ascending trade.

Historical Information:The unidentified newspaper agent conducted business in Alexandria, Va., during the early nineteenth century.

Scope and Content:Unidentified Agent's Account of Newspaper Subscribers, 1804-1808, records a list of subscribers to various newspapers compiled by an agent operating in Alexandria, Va. Information found in each entry includes the subscriber name, date subscription commenced, and payments made on accounts. Entries are organized by the various newspaper titles. Newspaper titles represented in the volume include , , , , and .

Historical Information:United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company (US F & G) was a prominent American insurance company founded in 1896 in Baltimore, Maryland. It was known for its extensive range of insurance products and significant historical impact in the industry. The company operated until 1998. Along with the home office, the company maintained many branches operating in other states--such as Alexandria and Richmond in Virginia.

Scope and Content:United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company Registers of Bonds and Policies, consist of three volumes recorded in City of Alexandria. The bulk of the bonds and/or policies date from 1920-1941. Each book contains a standardized form including information such as the number of the policy or bond, the date of the bond or policy, the name of the assured or principal, location of risk, the character of the risk (title of person taking out policy--includes notaries, contractors, clerks, receivers, trustees, guardians, etc.), amount of bond or policy, the date premium paid to agent and the date premium paid to company. The first two volumes contain and alphabetical index. Representatives of the company and/or accredited traveling representatives recorded all the entries in each volume.