Alexandria and Alexandria County Transferred to District of Columbia

In February 1801, Alexandria and surrounding Alexandria County were officially incorporated into the new District of Columbia under the Organic Act. Although local governance by the Common Council continues, Alexandria loses direct representation in Congress, sparking decades of political resentment. Local public health and cemetery regulations remain under municipal control, but the town’s future becomes increasingly tied to federal decisions.

Chart of the Original Boundary Stones of the District of Columbia, Illustrated by Fred E. Woodward (1850–1930). This chart depicts the original boundary milestones of the District of Columbia, including the portion that once encompassed Alexandria, which remained part of D.C. until its retrocession to Virginia in 1846.