Alexandria Historical Gem 1: Virginia Shipbuilding Corporation
Most people have heard about or seen the old Torpedo Factory, which now hosts art studios. Locals and visitors know it used to manufacture torpedoes in the 1920s and through World War II. Today, it is a location where artists have studios and galleries. There is also an archeological museum.
However, most people don’t know that Alexandria had a shipbuilding industry. In fact, the ships were built during World War I. The company was called the Virginia Shipbuilding Corporation. The initial contract was to build twelve ships out of 9,400 tons of steel.
The Virginia Shipbuilding Corporation built 11 total ships. The first ship to be commissioned was the USS Gunston Hall. President Woodrow Wilson arrived in Alexandria for a ceremony on the day that construction began May 30, 1918.
By the time the Gunston Hall was completed, World War I had ended. The ships were repurposed for commercial use. However, scandals and congressional inquiries ultimately plagued the Virginia Shipbuilding Corporation. By 1921, the shipyard that had once had nearly 2,000 workers lay dormant.
Today, the former location of the Virginia Shipbuilding Corporation is along the shoreline of the Potomac River near Jones Point Park and high-end townhomes. There are still remnants of the shipbuilding past to include a recently discovered wooden rudder.
Alexandria Historical Gem 2: Portner’s Brewery
In the early 20th Century, Alexandria had one of the largest breweries in the southeast. The brewery stretched back to the Civil War era. Prior to the Civil War, German immigrants in America began to manufacture lager beer. One of those German immigrants, Robert Portner, moved to Alexandria during the Civil War in 1861. He went into business selling beer to Union troops.
After the Civil War, the demand for beer dropped significantly. However, Robert Portner never gave up despite mounting bills and anxious creditors. Portner was innovative and incorporated refrigeration technology into different components of the business such as brewing, storage, and distribution.
Portner's business expanded into the late 1800s and early 1900s. By the time of Portner's death in 1906, Portner’s Brewery was an extensive operation and one of the largest employers in Alexandria. Unfortunately, the brewery was a casualty of the Prohibition era. Virginia passed a statewide prohibition on alcohol prior to the 18th Amendment being ratified at the Federal level. The decrease in sales from Prohibition caused the brewery to shut down.
At the zenith of its success, the brewery created many jobs and businesses in Alexandria. Some of these businesses included bottling companies. One of the bottling company locations is still visible on Washington Street. While the bottling company was originally a cotton factory, it later became a Civil War prison, and sparkplug factory. Today, it is an apartment complex.
Meanwhile, the former location of Portner’s Brewery has now been redeveloped as a commercial center that includes a Trader Joes.
(Source: Dennée, Timothy J. (2010). Robert Portner and His Brewing Company (PDF). Alexandria, VA: Saul Centers, Inc. Parsons Engineering Science, Inc. and Alexandria Archaeology.)
Alexandria Historical Gem 3: Flounder Houses
Most people don’t know that the half houses that they see around town actually have a name. They are called “flounder houses.” The reason for the name is that people thought they looked similar to the eyeless side of a flounder fish. This is due to the fact that the long side of the house typically has few or no windows.
Flounder houses were very practical in an urban landscape in which properties continued to get smaller and smaller. They are very narrow. In some cases, they were also built as what can be considered starter homes. To this end, they had the name “anticipation houses.” Half of the house would be built with the anticipation of adding the other half later.
In many cases, we can see the flounder houses attached to an existing home or building. These can be convenient guest houses or a work area off of a main house. While flounder houses are not unique to Alexandria, there are a lot of them around the city that are still visible to this day.
Alexandria Historical Gem 4: Alexandria, D.C.
If you have taken one of our guided walking tours, then you know where to find some true hidden gems. We frequently show places in the urban landscape that still say "Alexandria, D.C." Alexandria was once part of Washington D.C. from 1801 until 1847. In some cases, the date 1846 is used. This is the year when the Federal government and local government voted to allow Alexandria to return to Virginia. However, using 1847, accounts for when the Commonwealth of Virginia approved what is known as the "retrocession."
When Washington D.C. was created, it was a diamond shaped city that measured ten miles by ten miles with a survey stone placed every mile around the perimeter. Alexandria was located inside the southern tip of Washington D.C.
There are still survey stones around Alexandria where the original outline of Washington D.C. was laid out in the 1790s. The first of these survey stones was laid down at Jones Point. There are beautiful parks, walking and biking trails down there to this day. Additionally, there is the Jones Point lighthouse building. It is a fun place to explore and a little off the beaten path for our walking tours. We encourage people to go down there on their own. People can also see the previously mentioned remnants of the Virginia Shipbuilding Corporation.
Although many Alexandria residents know that Alexandria was part of Washington D.C., the references to Alexandria, D.C. are a cool find throughout Old Town. There are more than a handful of these Alexandria historical gems!
Alexandria Historical Gem 5: Alexandria Iron Works
When strolling around Alexandria, people notice the bricks and cobblestones. But, there is also a lot of iron work on fences, stairs, railings, not to mention within the structure of homes and buildings. At one time, Alexandria had a large iron works factory in the heart of the city. In fact, it was near the Wilkes Street tunnel. It was a prominent iron manufacturer for nearly a century from the Civil War era until the 1960s.
The Alexandria Iron Works was also an important part of Alexandria's railroad history. Alexandria was a major railroad center starting in the mid-1800s, and Alexandria Iron Works manufactured parts for the railroads. It was an important industry in the commercial development of Alexandria. Furthermore, the railroads played a major role in turning Alexandria into a center of logistics during the American Civil War from 1861 to 1865.
Today, the original building of the Alexandria Iron Works no longer exists. In fact, the location where the iron works was located now has a Safeway grocery store in the southeastern portion of Old Town Alexandria. However, we like to show pictures of the Alexandria Iron Works especially as people walk around the city and see old pieces of iron from the 1800s.
Alexandria Historical Gem 6: Alexandria Roller Rink Arena
After World War II, a massive roller skating rink was built at the corner of N. St Asaph Street and Madison Street. The roller rink was on half a block and became a popular social destination from 1948 until 1986.
Beyond the roller skating, the Alexandria Arena was known for its popular musical acts. In fact, notable acts included classic rock bands such as The Doors, The Beach Boys, Janis Joplin, and Jethro Tull.
The Alexandria Roller Rink Arena no longer exists, and there is no trace of its existence beyond what has been captured in photos. The current location contains the Sheraton Suites of Old Town Alexandria. Across the street is the location of the Royal Restaurant.
Image Credits:
Virginia Shipbuilding Corporation, MS126, Sampson Collection # 275. Alexandria Library, Local History, Special Archives
Virginia Shipbuilding Corporation, MS126, Sampson Collection # 272. Alexandria Library, Local History, Special Archives
Alexandria Iron Works Image: MS287 Cox Collection. Alexandria Library, Local History, Special Collections.
Alexandria on Wheels Roller Rink, MS394, VF1166A, Alexandria Library, Local History, Special Collections
Alexandria Roller Rink Arena, MS393, Nina Tosara 481, Alexandria Library, Local History, Special Collections
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