Alexandria City Hall
Also known as: Alexandria City Hall and Market
Why it's listed
Alexandria City Hall, at 301 King Street, is a brick municipal building completed in 1871 on the site set aside in 1749 for a town hall, court house and market. Washington architect Adolph Cluss designed it after fire destroyed the 1817 town hall. The building was originally U-shaped around a courtyard of market sheds, and it combined town offices, courtrooms, police and fire stations, and the Alexandria-Washington Masonic Lodge. Its Second Empire design features mansard roofs, varied pavilions and Baroque detailing. The structure uses masonry bearing walls and cast-iron columns, reflecting Cluss's concern for safety and strength. The west clock tower is a copy of the earlier steeple attributed to Benjamin Latrobe, rebuilt with money raised by townspeople. A 1960-61 addition filled the courtyard and turned the main entrance toward King Street and Market Square. After the courts moved to a new courthouse in 1981, the building was being renovated for city offices.
Significance in brief: The building stands on the site set aside in 1749 for a town hall, court house and market, which has long been the center of the city. It replaced an 1817 building destroyed by fire in 1871 and is a notable work of Adolph Cluss, who emphasized safety and up-to-date construction technology. It housed city government, courts, police, fire services, a Masonic Lodge and the public market.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 84003491, listed March 8, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 301 King St., Alexandria (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Alexandria |
| Listed | March 8, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84003491 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Adolph Cluss (architect); Edward H. Delahay (local builder) |
| Architectural style | Second Empire |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by the city and in use as city offices; the 1871 building was under renovation at the time of the form, with a 1960-61 addition filling the old courtyard. |
| Acreage | 1.8 |
| Within district | Alexandria Historic District |
| Coordinates | 38.80508, -77.04323 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 84003491.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4720955
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.