Alexandria will provide an update later this month on stormwater solutions for the historic, and flood-prone, Douglass Memorial Cemetery (1421 Wilkes Street).
The city says that the cemetery, named after abolitionist Frederick Douglass, faces flooding and drainage problems, and that grave markers have been damaged. After two years of developing a plan to mitigate flooding and repair grave markers, the city will present an update on the project on Oct. 29 (Wednesday) from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Lloyd House (220 N. Washington Street).
The cemetery was founded in 1895 (the year that Douglass died) for segregated, nondenominational African Americans. The Office of Historic Alexandria, the Departments of Transportation and Environmental Services, and Recreation, Parks & Cultural Activities are collaborating on the preservation project.
“The City is developing plans to study and determine solutions that are respectful and appropriate to the sensitive nature of the site,” the city said in a release. “Public involvement and feedback are a very important part of maintaining this Alexandria cemetery.”
In advance of the stormwater project, the city is also applying to the Virginia Department of Historic Resources for a permit to excavate human remains.
According to the city:
Previous archaeological testing suggests that intact burials will not be impacted by this work. However, because this is a historic cemetery with unmarked burials, the City of Alexandria is proactively seeking a burial permit so that there is a clear and transparent process in place in the unlikely event that an intact burial or human remains or funerary objects are encountered during construction and cannot be avoided.
In the unlikely event that intact burials are found during archaeological monitoring of construction and cannot be avoided, the permit would allow for archaeological excavation and relocation of intact burials. Any human remains and funerary objects would be respectfully reburied within Douglass Memorial Cemetery. The Douglass Cemetery Descendant Advisory Group would be advised of and included in the treatment and reburial of any human remains or funerary goods.
