It’s Indigenous Peoples’ Day, a day honoring and celebrating Native American history and culture, and in Alexandria, there are several closures or changes to services.

Alexandria’s DASH bus network is operating on a Saturday schedule today. The King Street Trolley is running from the King Street Metro station to City Hall every 15 minutes from 11 a.m.-11 p.m.

Alexandria’s recreation centers are closed except the Charles Houston and Patrick Henry rec centers, which are open from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

October 9, 2023 (Monday) – Indigenous Peoples' Day Hours of Operation
Charles Houston and Patrick Henry: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
All Other Facilities: Closed pic.twitter.com/3y05n2n6vE

— RPCA, Alexandria VA (@RPCA_AlexVA) October 9, 2023

All of Alexandria’s libraries are also closed today.

All Alexandria Library branches are closed today in observance of Indigenous Peoples' Day. https://t.co/NdSe97f3f9 pic.twitter.com/94hKgCS6wT

— Alexandria Library (@alexlibraryva) October 9, 2023

The courts, DMV, impound lot and schools are all closed today, except for Samuel W. Tucker Elementary School.

The Torpedo Factory Art Center is open from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. today.

The Freedom House Museum, Gadsby’s Tavern Museum and Stabler–Leadbeater Apothecary Museum will be open from 1-5 p.m., but all other City museums are closed.

Parking enforcement is suspended today at metered spaces, residential permit parking districts, and other areas with time limits.

“This suspension of enforcement applies only to the restrictions at legal parking spaces and does not permit parking in any location normally prohibited (for example, no-parking zones, loading zones, or spaces for persons with disabilities),” the city said in a release.

For those hoping to use the day to learn a little more about Native American history in Alexandria, the City’s website covers the history of indigenous peoples in the city.

“Despite the past 250 years of construction and development, remnants of the Native American past still remain buried within the city,” the city’s website says. “To date, archaeologists have identified more than 30 sites containing Indian artifacts and features and have registered them with the Virginia Department of Historic Resources. The types of artifacts discovered in Alexandria indicate that Indians visited the area beginning about 13,000 years ago.”

Photo via Running Strong for American Indian Youth/Facebook

Monday, Oct. 11, is Indigenous Peoples’ Day and there are some ways to celebrate around Alexandria, though locals should also be aware of what will be closed.

Visit Alexandria put together a list of activities locals can do around Alexandria if they’re looking for ways to celebrate Native cultures. Suggestions include shopping at Intertribal Creatives (106 N. Lee Street) gallery in Old Town — an art gallery that highlights Indigenous artists — or attending a virtual lecture on Chichén Itzá on Tuesday (Oct. 12) hosted by George Mason University professor Lisa Breglia.

Several city services around Alexandria will be closed on Monday. According to a press release from the city:

• Animal Welfare League of Alexandria: On Oct. 11, the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria (4101 Eisenhower Ave.) will be open weekend hours by appointment only. To make an appointment, visit their website or call 703.746.4744.
• Courts: The following Commonwealth of Virginia offices in Alexandria will be closed on Oct. 11.
• Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV): On Oct. 11, all Virginia DMV locations in Northern Virginia (including 2681 Mill Rd.) will be closed.
• Health Facilities: The Alexandria Health Department (4480 King St.), the Flora Krause Casey Health Center (1200 N. Howard St.) and the Teen Wellness Center at Alexandria High School (3330 King St.) will be closed Oct. 11.
• Historic Alexandria: On Oct. 11, the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum (105-107 S. Fairfax St.) will be open regular hours from 1 to 5 p.m. All other City museums will be closed.
• Impound Lot: The City’s Impound Facility (5249 Eisenhower Ave.) will be closed Oct. 11.
• Libraries: All Alexandria Library branches, and the Alexandria Law Library, will be closed Oct. 11.
• Parking: On Oct. 11, the Alexandria Police Department will suspend enforcement of parking restrictions at metered spaces, residential permit parking districts and other areas with posted parking time limits.
• Recreation and Arts Centers:  On Oct. 11, Chinquapin Park Recreation Center & Aquatics Facility (3210 King St.), and Charles Houston (901 Wythe St.) and Patrick Henry (4653 Taney Ave.) Recreation Centers will be open 9 a.m-3 p.m. The Torpedo Factory Art Center (105 N Union St.) and all other recreation and nature centers will be closed.
• Resource Recovery: Residential refuse and recycling will not be collected Oct. 11. Collection services will slide by one day during the week of Oct. 11.
• The Household Hazardous Waste & Electronics Recycling Center (3224 Colvin St.) will be closed Oct. 11.
• Schools: There will be no school for students Oct. 11, and it will be a professional development day for all Alexandria City Public Schools staff.
• Transit: On Oct. 11, the Alexandria Transit Company’s fare-free DASH bus service will operate on a Saturday schedule. The free King Street Trolley will operate from King Street Metro to Alexandria City Hall/Market Square, with service every 15 minutes, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Photo via Intertribal Creatives/Facebook

Weekend Flooding in Old Town — “There are several road closures in the old town area due to coastal flooding. The unit block of Prince Street, The Strand and Unit block of King Street High Tide are temporarily closed. Avoid the area.” [WJLA, Capital Weather Gang, Twitter, Twitter]

City Offices Closed for Holiday — Numerous Alexandria city government offices and facilities are closed today for the Indigenous Peoples’ Day holiday. ALXnow will not be publishing additional news articles today, except in the event of breaking news.

Fire in Old Town North — “Engine 204 arriving with smoke showing in the 1100 Block of North Pitt Street. Crews have located and knocked down a fire on the second floor. Battalion 211 with the command.” [Twitter]

Va. Tech Launches Major Fundraiser — “Virginia Tech has embarked on a $1.5 billion fundraising campaign, the largest in the university’s history, in part to help fund its $1 billion planned innovation campus in Alexandria.” [Washington Business Journal, Virginia Tech]

Reflections on Old Alexandria — “‘In those days Alexandria was very different from what it is now,’ Robinson added. ‘Landmark Mall was a municipal airport and Duke Street was a two-lane asphalt road.’ But he said that the physical layout has not changed as much as what Alexandria has become. Robinson said change was gradual until, one day, it was as if someone ‘stomped their foot on the gas’ and it became a major metropolitan city.” [Zebra]

This coming Monday, Oct. 14 is Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Alexandria and a number of city government offices and facilities will be closed.

Thanks to a recent Alexandria City Council vote, the second Monday in October is now known as Indigenous Peoples’ Day in the city, though it is still a state and federal holiday known as Columbus Day.

“Alexandria joins more than 130 cities across the country that have recognized this day as Indigenous Peoples’ Day since 1994,” the city noted in a press release on Sept. 10. D.C. voted this week to also rename Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

A separate city press release listed some of the closures and other changes planned on Monday:

All Alexandria City government offices will be closed on Monday, October 14, in observance of Indigenous Peoples’ Day. The following list includes schedule information for other City facilities and partner agencies.

Resource Recovery: Residential refuse and recycling will not be collected on October 14. Collection services will be delayed by one day during the week of October 14. The Household Hazardous Waste & Electronics Recycling Center (3224 Colvin St.) will be closed on October 14.

Animal Shelter: On October 14, the Vola Lawson Animal Shelter will observe holiday hours and will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Animal visiting hours will begin at noon.

Health Facilities: The Alexandria Health Department (4480 King St.), the Flora Krause Casey Health Center (1200 N. Howard St.), and the Teen Wellness Center at T.C. Williams High School (3330 King St.) will be closed on October 14.

Historic Alexandria: On October 14, Gadsby’s Tavern Museum and the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum will be open from 1 to 5 p.m., and Alexandria’s History Museum at the Lyceum will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Alexandria Black History Museum, the Alexandria Archaeology Museum, the Fort Ward Museum and the Friendship Firehouse Museum will be closed on October 14. For more information, visit alexandriava.gov/Historic or call 703.746.4554.

Hotlines: All emergency hotlines operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, including the child protective services hotline at 703.746.5800; the domestic violence hotline at 703.746.4911; the emergency services for mental health or substance abuse crisis hotline at 703.746.3401; the adult protective services hotline at 703.746.5778; and the sexual assault hotline at 703.683.7273.

Libraries: All Alexandria Library branches will be closed on October 14. The Alexandria Law Library (520 King St.) will also be closed on October 14.

Parking: On October 14, the Alexandria Police Department will suspend enforcement of parking restrictions at metered spaces, residential permit parking districts and other areas with posted parking time limits. This suspension of enforcement applies only to the restrictions at legal parking spaces, and does not permit parking in any location normally prohibited (for example, no-parking zones, loading zones, or spaces for persons with disabilities). Temporary no-parking signs will be enforced on October 14.

Impound Lot: The City’s Impound Facility (5249 Eisenhower Ave.) will be closed October 14.

Recreation and Arts Centers: On October 14, Chinquapin Park Recreation Center & Aquatics Facility will be open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Charles Houston and Patrick Henry Recreation Centers will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and the Torpedo Factory Art Center will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. All other City recreation and arts centers will be closed on October 14.

Schools: All Alexandria City Public Schools and administrative offices will be closed on October 14.

State Offices: The following Commonwealth of Virginia offices in Alexandria will be closed on October 14: the Circuit Court, Clerk of Circuit Court, General District Court, Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court, and the Court Service Unit located in the Alexandria Courthouse (520 King St.); and the Department of Motor Vehicles office (2681 Mill Road).

Transit: On Monday, October 14, Alexandria Transit Company’s DASH bus service will operate on a Saturday schedule. The free King Street Trolley will operate on its Saturday schedule, every 10 to 15 minutes, between the King Street Metro Station and the Potomac River waterfront, from 10:30 a.m. to 12 midnight. For more information, visit dashbus.com.