Three ships carrying more than 100 settlers arrived at a swampy peninsula along the James River and established Jamestown—the first permanent English settlement in North America. The Virginia Company sought wealth through exploration and trade, but early struggles with famine, disease, and Native resistance nearly doomed the colony. This marked the beginning of Virginia’s colonial experiment and the plantation economy that would define it.
Explore More on This Site
Join a Cemetery Tour
Step into history with our expert-led walking tours of Alexandria’s most storied cemeteries.
David Heiby
Public Historian & Tour Leader
Reflections from a Recent Tour
“This morning’s tour of the Wilkes Street Cemetery with my DAR chapter was outstanding. Historians David Heiby and Madeline Feierstein of Gravestone Stories brought early U.S. and Virginia history to life with depth and insight. Truly fascinating!"
— Amy D., Daughter of the American Revolution member
Invite Gravestone Stories to Speak
We offer engaging historical talks tailored to museums, genealogical societies, preservation groups, and other organizations interested in Alexandria’s rich past.
Featured in the News
“Gravestone Stories brings forgotten voices back into view.”
We were recently featured in Emerging Civil War, a national publication that spotlighted our work uncovering the untold history of Alexandria’s Wilkes Street Cemetery Complex.
Featured Blog Story
The final resting places of four civilian victims of the Black Diamond disaster are located at Alexandria National Cemetery, part of the Wilkes Street Cemetery Complex.
Terror on the Potomac: The Sad Story of the Black Diamond
In the chaotic days following Lincoln’s assassination, tragedy struck the Potomac River. In the early morning hours of April 24, 1865, the coal-carrying barge Black Diamond—positioned as part of a naval blockade to prevent John Wilkes Booth’s escape—was accidentally rammed by the steamer Massachusetts just before 1:00 a.m. Eighty-seven lives were lost, including paroled Union prisoners of war and four civilian employees of the U.S. Quartermaster Department from Alexandria, whose service and sacrifice are now largely forgotten.
Featured Gravestone
Joseph McCoy
Lynching Victim — No Known Grave
Joseph McCoy: Lynching Victim — No Known Grave
On April 23, 1897, 18-year-old Joseph McCoy was lynched by a white mob in Alexandria after being forcibly removed from police custody. Beaten, shot, and hanged at Cameron and Lee Streets, McCoy was buried in an unmarked pauper’s grave in Penny Hill Cemetery. His story endures as a solemn reminder of racial terror and injustice. Say his name.
No gravestone. Buried in Penny Hill Cemetery, Alexandria, VA. →
Discover Alexandria’s Burials by Cemetery
Are you wondering who lies beneath the stones? These featured stories offer just a glimpse into the lives buried in our historic cemeteries.
- Major Samuel Cooper – Boston Tea Party participant and Revolutionary War officer
- Wilmer McLean – His homes witnessed both the first and last battles of the Civil War
- Fields Cook – African American leader in education and civil rights
- Julius Campbell – Star player of the 1971 T.C. Williams Titans, portrayed in Remember the Titans, and a powerful symbol of Alexandria’s struggle and progress in civil rights
- Joseph Bruin – Slave trader involved in the 1848 Pearl escape attempt
Explore the Alexandria History Timeline
Step through the city’s past—one decade at a time. This interactive timeline connects the lives of those buried in Alexandria to the national and global events that shaped them.
Recent Discoveries & Rediscovered Graves
- Col. George Gilpin Rediscovered (2024)
Revolutionary War officer and Washington’s pallbearer found after more than 200 years.
Read the Full Story → - Winter Archaeology at Wilkes Street
Ground-penetrating radar revealed long-lost burials—including firefighter Charles Glasscock and the Adam, Irwin, Dundas, and Black family plots. Explore the Discoveries →
Discover Alexandria’s Civil War Legacy
Alexandria was the first Southern city seized by Union forces—just one day after Virginians voted to secede. Its cemeteries, hospitals, and historic homes became central to the Civil War’s human story.
Explore the lives of soldiers, civilians, contrabands, and spies who shaped Alexandria’s wartime legacy.
Explore at Your Own Pace
Want to explore on your own schedule?
Download our printable brochure and enjoy a self-guided walk through Alexandria’s most historic cemeteries—featuring 35,000+ stories in one extraordinary complex.
Gravestone Stories in the Community
No Upcoming Talks (for now!)
Our recent spring talks have wrapped up—but we’re already planning new events for later this year. Stay tuned for announcements!
Recent Appearances
May 7 – Wilkes Street Cemetery Complex Walking Tour
Nine members of the Mount Vernon Genealogical Society joined David Heiby for a guided walk through seven of the 13 historic cemeteries that make up the Wilkes Street Cemetery Complex. The group explored stories spanning the Revolutionary War to the Civil Rights era—so many, in fact, that a second tour is already being discussed!
May 6 – D.A.R. Chapter Talk (Private)
A private presentation for the Richard Bland Lee Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution—an especially fitting audience given the chapter’s namesake family ties to the Lee-Fendall House.
May 2 – Lee-Fendall House Museum Wine & Art Night
David Heiby, Vice President of the Virginia Trust for Historic Preservation—which owns and operates the museum—attended this spring fundraiser celebrating women artists and local winemakers. The evening was featured in The Zebra, with photos capturing the vibrant gathering. Read the article in The Zebra →
April 15 – Mount Vernon Genealogical Society
A full house joined us at the Hollin Hall Senior Center for a deep dive into Alexandria’s Wilkes Street Cemetery Complex—home to more than 35,000 stories of American history.
April 5 – Honoring Civil War Sacrifice
We marked the 160th anniversary of Grosvenor Branch Hospital’s closure at the Lee-Fendall House, reading the names of 10 Union soldiers buried in Alexandria.
Community Partners
Alexandria’s rich history is preserved and interpreted by dedicated organizations that engage the community through research, education, and historic site preservation.
The Alexandria Historical Society works to document and promote the city’s past.
The Lee-Fendall House Museum, owned and operated by the Virginia Trust for Historic Preservation, offers insight into Alexandria’s evolving history through one of its most significant historic homes.
