City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: FEBRUARY 5, 2026
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
THROUGH: JAMES F. PARAJON, CITY MANAGER
FROM: DANA WEDELES, STRATEGIC INITIATIVES OFFICER
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Consideration of a Resolution Rededicating Calhoun Avenue, Stevens Street, and Frost Street
BODY
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ISSUE: Next phase of Renaming Streets Recognizing Confederate Military Leaders.
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council:
1. Approve the rededication of Calhoun Avenue, Stevens Street, and Frost Street.
2. Direct staff to proceed with public engagement on the proposed renaming of Iverson Street to Edmonson Street.
BACKGROUND: On January 10, 2023, then Mayor Justin Wilson introduced a proposal to rename streets in the City of Alexandria that currently honor Confederate military leaders. Many such names originate from a 1953 ordinance directing that north-south streets, “insofar as possible,” be named after Confederate leaders. The ordinance was adopted one year after the City annexed the West End, where many streets had not yet been named, and just before the Supreme Court’s decision in Brown v. Board of Education. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, similar acts during this period reflected a broader segregationist backlash, including the naming of streets and public buildings after Confederate figures.
City staff have confirmed at that time that 41 streets in Alexandria are named for Confederate soldiers, 21 of which were named in 1953. At the request of the then-Mayor, the Historic Alexandria Resources Commission (HARC), with support from the Office of Historic Alexandria (OHA), compiled a list of individuals and places worthy of recognition, including but not limited to, underrepresented communities, including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), women, and historically marginalized groups, as well as to retired or historic street names.
The City Council Naming Committee, consisting of three members of City Council, was charged with overseeing the renaming process.
In 2023 - 2024, the City Council Naming Committee <https://www.alexandriava.gov/city-council/program/city-council-naming-committee> completed its 1st public process of renaming or rededicating four (4) streets. Changes Included:
• N. Breckenridge Pl. renamed Harriet Jacobs Pl.
• Forrest St. renamed to Forest St.
• N. Jordan St., S. Jordan St. and Jordan Ct. rededicated to Thomasina Jordan Street/Ct.
• N. and S. Early St. renamed to N. and S. Earley St., honoring Lt. Col. Charity Earley
On September 24, 2025, the City Council Naming Committee met to receive staff recommendations for Phase 2 and directed staff to:
1. Proceed with rededication of Calhoun Avenue, Stevens Street, and Frost Street, as further described in the discussion below. Rededication does not require address changes or system updates.
2. Initiate a public process to rename Iverson Street to Edmonson Street, including community engagement, a Naming Committee public hearing, and a City Council public hearing.
3. Research the strategy and timeline for restoring Beauregard Street to its original name, South Walter Reed Drive, and return to the Naming Committee with findings.
DISCUSSION: That City Council consider the following recommendations.
Recommendation #1: Rededication
Rededication assigns new historical meaning to an existing street name without changing the name itself. This symbolic act allows the City to remove honors previously granted to Confederate figures, many designated during the 1953 ordinance, while avoiding logistical burdens for residents.
In partnership with the Office of Historic Alexandria, local high school interns, and community stakeholders, staff conducted research to identify individuals whose lives and contributions reflect Alexandria’s values and history. Rededication allows the City to acknowledge these individuals while preserving existing street names and ensuring no impact on addressing systems.
1. Calhoun Avenue
Length: 0.17 miles
Addresses: 9
Currently named for: J. Lawrence Calhoun, Major, CSA
Proposed honoree: Robert “Bob” Calhoun
Bob Calhoun was a Yale-educated attorney and respected Republican leader who served on the Alexandria City Council from 1976 to 1982, including as Vice Mayor, and again from 1984 to 1988. Widely known for his intelligence, civility, and leadership on transportation policy, he helped establish the City’s DASH bus system. Calhoun later represented most of Alexandria in the Virginia Senate from 1988 to 1995 and served as a director of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority from 1997 to 2003. He practiced law in Alexandria and passed away in 2020 at age 83. The proposed rededication honors a local civic leader and does not affect addressing or navigation systems.
2. Stevens Street
Length: 0.36 miles
Addresses: 21
Currently named for: Clement H. Stevens or Walter H. Stevens, Confederate generals
Proposed honoree: Moses Stevens
A pioneering Black businessman in post-Civil War Alexandria, Moses Stevens operated a successful livery business, founded Mt. Jezreel Baptist Church, and was an early adopter of telephone and automotive technologies. Rededication elevates a community leader whose contributions shaped Alexandria’s civic and economic life.
3. Frost Street
Length: 0.16 miles
Addresses: 3
Currently named for: Daniel Marsh Frost, Brigadier General, CSA
Proposed honoree: John Frost
A Union soldier from Alexandria buried in Alexandria National Cemetery, John Frost represents the nearly 4,000 men of the Union Army of the Potomac interred there. Rededicating the street reframes the honor from a Confederate general to a Union supporter.
Rededication of these streets would include historical signage, communications, and new street signs that would include sub-text recognizing the full name of the honorary, as was done in the case of Thomasina Jordan Street in phase 1.
Recommendation #2: Renaming Iverson Street to Edmonson Street
Length: 0.13 miles | Addresses: 144
Named for: Alfred Iverson, Jr., Brigadier General, CSA
Proposed Name: Edmonson Street
Mary and Emily Edmonson were Black sisters born into slavery who made national headlines after their escape attempt aboard the schooner Pearl in 1848. After being captured and imprisoned at the Bruin Slave Jail in Alexandria, they were eventually freed with the help of their father and abolitionist supporters. The sisters later became well-known abolitionists. Today, they are honored with a statue in Edmonson Plaza, near the site of their imprisonment. Changing the name to “Edmonson Street” not only aligns with Alexandria’s history but also maintains a similar phonetic structure to “Iverson.” This name was proposed by an Episcopal High School intern and was also included in the HARC recommendations.
Staff recommend initiating the full public engagement and legislative process required for a street renaming. Proposed outreach includes:
• Online engagement, including website content and social media promotion
• Multilingual postcards to all Iverson Street addresses with QR codes linking to a public input survey
• Yard signs with QR codes linking to a public input survey
• A Naming Committee Public Hearing (anticipated March 2025)
• A City Council Public Hearing
Recommendation #3: Beauregard Street
Length: 2.38 miles | Addresses: 588
Named for: Pierre G.T. Beauregard, General, CSA and designer of the Confederate battle flag
Proposed Names: South Walter Reed Drive
Staff recommend continuing research into the process, cost, and timeline necessary to restore Beauregard Street to its original name, South Walter Reed Drive. No action is proposed at this time.
FISCAL IMPACT:
1. Estimated cost for rededication signage under Recommendation #1 is $3,000 (including street signs and historical signage).
2. Estimated cost for renaming of Iverson Street signage under Recommendation #2 is $1,000 (including street signs and historical signage).
3. Estimated cost for renaming Beauregard Street signage under Recommendation #3 is $20,000.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Draft Resolution
STAFF:
Jack Browand, Deputy Director, RPCA & Staff Liaison to the Naming Committee
Gretchen Bulova, Director, Office of Historic Alexandria