Town of Potomac
National Register of Historic Places

Town of Potomac

Alexandria (Independent City), Alexandria County, Virginia
Listed
September 9, 1992
Type
District
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
92001186

About this property

Potomac ( ) is an extinct incorporated town formerly located in Arlington County, Virginia (then called Alexandria County). Today the dissolved town's former territory is located within the City of Alexandria after municipal annexation in 1930. As a planned community, its proximity to Washington D.C. made it a popular place for employees of the U.S. government to live. Potomac was located adjacent to the massive Potomac Yard of the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad. The area was developed beginning in 1894 as the communities of Del Ray, St. Elmo, Mt. Ida, and Hume, following a grid plan independent of that of Old Town Alexandria. Potomac was incorporated as a town in 1908. In 1928, the town had 2,355 residents. The Town of Potomac was annexed by the independent city of Alexandria in 1930. Today, the Town of Potomac Historic District in Alexandria designates this historic portion of the city, and includes 1,840 acres (7.4 km2) and 690 buildings. The Town of Potomac was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. As of 2016, the United States Postal Service still recognizes "Potomac, VA" as an acceptable alternate address for ZIP code 22301, although "Alexandria, VA" is preferred. Media related to Town of Potomac (Alexandria, Virginia) at Wikimedia Commons Del Ray History, from the Del Ray Citizens Association Lynhaven History, from the Lynhaven Citizens Association

Location

Alexandria (Independent City), Alexandria County, Virginia
38.82900, -77.05650

Categories

COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTTRANSPORTATIONPOLITICS/GOVERNMENTARCHITECTURESOCIAL HISTORY
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Uptown-Parker-Gray Historic District
Pre Contact
1.2 mi
Rosemont Historic District
Listed
1.3 mi
Southwest No. 3 Boundary Marker of the Original District of Columbia
Listed
1.4 mi
Southwest No. 2 Boundary Marker of the Original District of Columbia
Listed
1.4 mi
Parkfairfax Historic District
Listed
1.4 mi

Nearby Battles

Raid on Alexandria
1814Early Republic
1.8 mi
British Occupation of Alexandria VA
1814Early Republic
1.8 mi

Questions about this property

When was Town of Potomac listed on the National Register?

Town of Potomac was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 9, 1992.

What type of historic resource is Town of Potomac?

Town of Potomac is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Town of Potomac?

The period of significance for Town of Potomac is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Town of Potomac?

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