On This Day in Alexandria History — “On April 22, 1890, the Alexandria Brick Company opened a new brick kiln off South Washington Street, in the area where the street ended at Hunting Creek, before the construction of the George Washington Memorial Parkway extended the roadway southward in the early 1930’s. Excavation for clay to make bricks took place on land that is now the Hunting Point apartment complex, and on property adjacent to the Freedmen’s Cemetery. Within two years, on March 29, 1892, an article in the Washington Post commented that the excavations within the brickyard had undermined the cemetery grounds to the point that coffins were sticking out of a hillside ‘like cannon from the embrasures of some great fort.’ … This newspaper article led Alexandria Historian T. Michael Miller to discover the existence of the long-forgotten burial place for African American Contrabands and Freedmen, and to the subsequent memorial that opened on the site in 2015.” [Historic Alexandria]
Duke Street Land Use Meeting Today — “Please join us for the Duke Street Land Use Plan Community Meeting #5 on Wednesday, April 22, 2026 from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. online via Zoom. The meeting will introduce the draft framework elements of the future Plan, including proposed Building Heights, Land Use, the Mobility Network, and the Open Space Network.” [City of Alexandria]
Alexandria Restaurants Among OpenTable’s Most Booked — “Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 500,000 new global diner reviews from the past month. They sort the results by location to help you discover new favorite restaurants.” [Alexandria Living Magazine]
Proposed Metro Budget Includes Automated Red Line Trains — “Budget documents posted by Metro this week do not say exactly when the full automation would take effect, but Metro has previously said even after it’s funded, it would take years to launch.” [WJLA]
Reagan, Dulles Airport Merch to Launch — “The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority is getting ready to launch an online store to sell airport-branded merchandise to “AVGeeks, locals and everyone in between. That’s according to an MWAA-affiliated website, which notes that official merchandise for Reagan National Airport and Dulles International Airport is “almost ready for takeoff.” [Washington Business Journal]
Open House on Unit for First-Time Homebuyers — “The City of Alexandria Office of Housing continues to market a resale-restricted condominium unit at 4862 Eisenhower Avenue, #158, Alexandria Virginia, 22304 … To qualify for this home, purchasers must be first-time homebuyers (defined as not having had a homeownership interest in the past three years) who live or work within the City’s corporate limits and have a total (gross) household income at or below 100% of area median income ($114,800 for a one-person household, $131,200 for a two-person household, $147,600 for a three-person household, $163,900 for a four-person household).” [Alexandria Office of Housing]
Vendors Wanted for Cultural Event — “Artists, food vendors, entrepreneurs, and community organizations are invited to apply for a chance to participate in the Asian American, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Month Celebration on May 30 from 3 to 7 p.m. at the Patrick Henry Recreation Center (4653 Taney Ave.).” [Alexandria RPCA]
Court Record Preservation Grant Secured — “Alexandria’s Clerk of the Circuit Court, Greg Parks, is celebrating another win for local history. Parks announced that his office has been awarded a 2026 Circuit Court Records Preservation (CCRP) grant from the Library of Virginia — a competitive statewide program that funds the restoration and digitization of historically significant court records.” [The Zebra]
America250 Poster Contest Unveiling Today — “Everyone is invited to join us for the unveiling of the winning artwork for the America 250 City Art on Wednesday, April 22 at 7:00 p.m. at the Torpedo Factory Art Center where all of the submitted artwork will be on display. Last month the City of Alexandria announced its participation in this nationwide celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026 sponsored by the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) and the National Endowment for the Arts.” [Alexandria Office of the Arts]
It’s Wednesday — Expect scattered showers and thunderstorms before 1 pm, with showers continuing until 2 pm, and isolated thunderstorms after 2 pm. It’s partly sunny with a high near 74°F, and winds will shift from southwest to west at around 8 mph. The precipitation chance is 50%. Wednesday night brings scattered showers and thunderstorms before 8 pm, turning mostly clear with a low of about 55°F. Winds will be from the northwest at 5 mph, becoming light and variable, with a 30% chance of precipitation. [NWS]
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