ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Alexandria's African American Heritage Trails expanded in a big way over the weekend. The Office of Historic Alexandria and the African American Heritage Trail Committee hosted an open house for the new South Trail Route.
The new trail route consists of 19 stops and is the second in a series of trails covering the waterfront. The North Trail Route, launched in 2021, includes 11 stops. Together, the two trails span a little over three miles from Montgomery Street to the south end of Jones Point Park. Each stop highlights the importance of Black history in Alexandria, what archaeological and historical research reveals about the past, and the impacts of community history initiatives like this one.
Prominent and lesser-known stories of African American people, places, and neighborhoods from the time of Alexandria’s founding through the 20th century are featured. These trails highlight the contributions of Black Alexandrians, free and enslaved, to the history of Alexandria’s waterfront.
The trails can be experienced on a computer or as a StoryMap on a smartphone as you walk the trails along the Potomac River.
More information about the African American Heritage Trails can be found here.