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Local History and Special Collections Branch, Alexandria Library
717 Queen StreetThis collection was begun circa 1976 and continues to expand through small donations and acquisitions. Accession information is unavailable for many of the items.
The manuscripts vertical file is an open artificial collection containing a wide variety of unique manuscript items relating to Alexandria, Virginia residents, businesses, organizations, and history.
The majority of the items are manuscript pages but the collection also includes books and ephemera. It is strong in local business advertisements, stationary, and records as well as correspondence, legal and financial papers, memorabilia, and school-related documents. The majority of the documents date from the 19th century, although 18th and 20th century documents are also present.
Some notable documents include: a book of auction records from 1837-1840 including sales of houses, ships, and slaves; an apothecary formula book, several examples of late-18th century legal papers, Civil War passes into Washington for the Leadbeater family, an Alexandria High School student exercise book from 1859-1863, apprenticeship indentures, an 1841 retrocession petition, and records of fires in the city from the 1930s and 1950s.
The collection is arranged alphabetically by subject. Due to the likelihood of accretions, which can be added at any point in such an arrangment, they are not given individual folder numbers. The collection is further split by size, with 2 additional oversize boxes containing material from the same subjects as the smaller 15.
The subjects are described as follows.
African-American History Alexandria-Juvenile Businesses Civil War and Reconstruction Collectables Culture Events Fire Government Historic Places Library Magazines Organizations Personal Business Personal Politics Railroads Religion Schools Tourism and Foodways TransportationThis subject concerns African American history in Alexandria including records relating to slavery and Black political and religious rights as well as a flyer from the Robert Robinson Branch Library. Most records documenting the activities of free blacks in Alexandria in the antebellum period fall into this category as do modern records that are notable due to an association with African Americans or their communities.
This subject covers Alexandria-related juvenilia with no known association with any particular individual, business, government, or organization with which it might be grouped by purpose or provenance and currently includes a juvenile work on the history of Virginia.
This subject consists of records from Alexandria businesses from banks and industrial enterprises to small businesses like wholesalers. They include financial records, receipts and billheads, but also catalogs, advertisements and account books. Also listed here are some promotional materials about the Alexandria business community in general.
This subject contains documents relating to or stemming from the war and its aftermath, primarily consisting of Civil War letters. It also contains some Confederate memorabilia, but for Confederate currency see under the Collectables-Coins and Currency subject.
This subject contains anniversaries, commemorations, and celebrations of historical events not uniquely associated with specific organizations including anniversaries relating to the history of Alexandria and the life of George Washington.
This subject contains records relating to various fire departments and services of Alexandria. For additional material on these subjects see related collections.
This subject contains records concerning the government of Alexandria, official notices and other government interactions, bonds from the Alexandria Corporation, as well as some records from Potomac and Fairfax.
This subject includes information on specific properties in Alexandria, cemeteries, and a historical building survey from the 1950s. It is recommended that individuals researching the properties documented here first consult the non-manuscript vertical file in the main reading room in most cases.
Documents regarding the Alexandria library and other libraries as well as some collected material on Alexandria history sent to the library in the 1980s.
This subject includes two print publications, one containing an article on a historic house and the other consisting of an almanac listing significant dates in Confederate history.
This subject covers local private organizations, lodges, and clubs prominently including masonic and Confederate groups.
This subject includes business records primarily relating to named individuals. For the records of named businesses see: businesses, for correspondence relating to personal and private matters see: personal.
This subject includes personal letters, diaries, and memoirs as well as personal certificates.
This subject contains political speeches and tracts, as well as records concerning election campaigns and advocacy on political issues. It also includes appointments to public offices in Alexandria, for other offices see: personal. For actual government administrative records and records about the legal status of Alexandria see: government.
This subjects consists of assorted material relating to railroads, principally in the Alexandria region. These include bills, tickets, schedules, and bonds.
This subject includes documents concerning houses of worship and non-school religious institutions as well as sermons. Also includes a print magazine article about the dioceses of Virginia.
Documents relating to educational institutions in Alexandria and the educational system in general. Includes records about named individuals.
This subject contains tourism related material as well as restaurant menus.
Includes materials relating to the transportation infrastructure of the Alexandria region and related businesses including shipping, the canal, and the harbor, but also bus lines, roads and Army Corps of Engineers infrastructure projects.