City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: SEPTEMBER 4, 2025
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
THROUGH: JAMES F. PARAJON, CITY MANAGER
FROM: GRETCHEN BULOVA, DIRECTOR, HISTORIC ALEXANDRIA
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Consideration of a Resolution to Authorize the City Manager to Accept a Transfer of an Alexandria Archaeological Collection from the Virginia Museum of Natural History.
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ISSUE: Consideration of a resolution to authorize the City Manager to accept the transfer of an archaeological collection from site 44AX202 excavated in Alexandria that is currently located at the Virginia Museum of Natural History (VMNH).
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council:
1) Accepts the collection from the Virginia Museum of Natural History;
2) Authorizes the City Manager, in coordination with the Virginia Museum of Natural History, to establish clear legal title to the collection; and
3) Authorizes the City Manager to execute all documents that may be required to finalize acceptance of the collection to the City.
BACKGROUND: Alexandria Archaeology (AA), a division of the Office of Historic Alexandria (OHA), seeks to obtain from the VMNH a collection potentially related to the domestic slave trade, excavated during the archaeological investigation of the 1500/1600 block of King Street (44AX202) - a crucial step in the ultimate reanalysis and potential exhibition of this significant resource.
Development work began on the 1500/1600 block of King Street (DSP 2002-00041, DSP 2006-00036) in 2006. Alexandria Archaeology, in carrying out its mandate under the City's Archaeological Protection Code (Ordinance No. 3413 passed November 18, 1989 and Section 11-411 of the 1992 Zoning Ordinance), required documentary research and an archaeological investigation of the property. The applicant ...
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