Alexandria, VA

Alexandria, Va. City and shire town of Alexandria co., situated on the W. side of the River Potomac, 7 miles S. from Washington city. This city was included in that part of the District of Columbia ceded to the United States by Virginia, as a location for the seat of government. But recently it has been ceded back again, with all that portion of the territory lying on the west side of the Potomac, and now belongs, as at first, to the jurisdiction of Virginia. The river, opposite the city, has a sufficient depth to admit vessels of the largest class to come to its wharves.  The place is pleasantly situated on ground gradually rising from the river, and is laid out with much regularity, the streets crossing each other at right angles.   It has a number of churches, among which are two Presbyterian, two Episcopal, two Methodist, one Baptist, and one Roman Catholic. There are two banks, with a capital of $1,000,000. The termination of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal is at this place. The principal trade of Alexandria is in flour, wheat, Indian corn, and tobacco. Population in 1850, 8,795.