Travel through history from Old Town to Mason Neck and witness the practice of preservation as it continues to evolve today. Alexandria cares for the places essential to understanding our shared past, from cobblestone streets to the always active waterfront. Visit the numerous museums and historic houses, many of which are iconic in American history. Learn the stories of Alexandria’s African American community, from enslavement to freedom. Discover neighborhoods like Del Ray and Seminary Hill. South of the city, travel the George Washington Memorial Parkway and walk in the footsteps of Washington himself. Historian and preservationist Laura Macaluso draws connections between city and county as well as between past and present.
Laura A. Macaluso researches and writes about monuments, museums and material culture. She has a PhD from the Humanities/Cultural & Historic Preservation department at Salve Regina University. Currently writing her first book of creative nonfiction, her work can be found at www.lauramacaluso.com. She lives in an 1880 house in the historic village of Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania.