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Christ Church Cemetery

George Gilpin: Revolutionary Hero and Alexandria’s Unsung Architect

In an exciting archaeological development, ground-penetrating radar (GPR) scans conducted on September 14, 2023, may have finally located the long-lost grave of George Gilpin, a Revolutionary War hero and one of Alexandria’s most influential early citizens. This discovery of George Gilpin’s presumptive grave not only solves a historical mystery but also provides us with an […]

Categories
Wilkes Street Complex

From Crisis to Chronicle: The Yellow Fever Epidemic and the Evolution of Alexandria’s Historic Cemeteries

Introduction On August 1, 1803, Alexandria, Virginia—a thriving port city of 6,000 souls—faced one of the most devastating crises in its history. A yellow fever epidemic descended upon the town, leaving in its wake a trail of death, fear, and, ultimately, transformation. This tragic event would lead to the creation of the Wilkes Street Cemetery […]