The Alexandria History Newsletter from Gravestone Stories

An Alexandria History Newsletter, Once a Month

Each month my Alexandria history newsletter brings you a short note from the city’s historic burial grounds: a new story, tour dates before they’re announced anywhere else, and upcoming talks.

Sign up and I’ll send you a free copy of A Guide to Alexandria’s Historic Cemeteries & Burial Grounds.

Your address is never shared or sold, and every email has an unsubscribe link.

What’s in the Alexandria History Newsletter

Every month you’ll get one short story drawn from Alexandria’s graves: the merchants, ministers, soldiers, and families, free and enslaved, who built this city. Many come from my research in the Wilkes Street Cemetery Complex, where thirteen burial grounds sit side by side. Others come from churchyards and family plots across Old Town.

Some stories reach back to the Revolution and the patriots who are buried within a few blocks of King Street. Others follow Alexandrians through the War of 1812, the Civil War, and the long years in between. Each one starts with a name on a stone, or sometimes a grave with no stone at all, and works outward to the life behind it.

Readers of the Alexandria history newsletter also hear about new tour dates first, along with upcoming lectures and my history columns in the Alexandria Gazette Packet.

About Gravestone Stories

Gravestone Stories is a digital museum of Alexandria’s historic burial grounds. I’m David Heiby, an independent historian and superintendent of the Presbyterian Cemetery since 2015, and I’ve been leading tours through these cemeteries since 2012. The Alexandria history newsletter is the easiest way to follow along as new stories come to light.

Rather walk the grounds in person? See tour information and dates, or read more about me.

Page last updated: October 2026