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Local History and Special Collections Branch, Alexandria Library
717 Queen StreetWritten by J. Kaplan, August 1993. Revised and updated by Katherine Crowe, Special Collections Librarian, October 2023.
This collection is open for research.
[item description], Old Town Civic Association Records, MS291, Alexandria Library, Local History / Special Collections, Alexandria, Virginia.
The Old Town Civic Association (OTCA) is a local civic organization in Alexandria, Virginia which was originally founded in 1951 and later incorporated as a 501(c)(4) nonprofit in 1971. The stated mission of the OTCA is to "preserve the historic and residential character of Old Town [Alexandria]" and the organization aims to serve as a "collective voice" for residents of the Old Town neighborhood. Past presidents of the Old Town Civic Association include Jacob Christian Myers, Thomas Tuttle, William Lynch, Andrea Diamond, Kleber Masterson, Carol Anderson, and Gil Zimmerman.
During the early years of the OTCA (c.1950s-1970s), the major focus of the organization and its members was urban renewal. By the 1980s-1990s, their main concerns had shifted towards efforts to limit commercial development in Old Town Alexandria. Through the history of the Old Town Civic Association (and these records), it is possible to track the local community's interest in historic preservation and urban planning and the politicization of these issues.
This collection contains the records of the Old Town Civic Association (OTCA), documenting the administration and activities of the organization. Materials in this collection date from the founding of the organization in 1951 through the early 1990s, though the bulk of materials are from the 1980s and 1990s. Included are administrative records, outreach and publicity materials, correspondence, memos, notes, meeting minutes, newsclippings, legal documents, legislative reports, ephemera, architectural drawings and blueprints, maps and plans, audiovisual media, and memorabilia objects.
This collection was originally arranged and described in 1993. The finding aid was later updated in 2023 and some minor changes were made to the arrangement. Whenever possible, the original filing scheme of the Old Town Civic Association has been maintained.
This series contains administrative records of the Old Town Civic Association. Materials include meeting notes and minutes, correspondence, membership records, financial records, and records documenting strategic planning for the organization.
This series contains records documenting the Old Town Civic Association and its relationship with the Alexandria City Council in the early 1990s.
This series contains materials documenting the specific issues (cases) that were of concern to the Old Town Civic Association. During the 1950s the major focuses were parking, traffic, parks and trees, and housing codes. During the 1970s-1990s the major focuses were development in Alexandria, as well as zoning and planning concerns. Materials in this series include memos, correspondence, notes, ephemera, newsclippings, and plans and blueprints. Newsclippings and plans can also be found in Series 6: Plans and Blueprints.
This series contains records documenting the outreach and public relations efforts of the Old Town Civic Association. Materials include reports, newsletters, newsclippings, and marketing materials. This series includes oversized materials.
This series contains records documenting the Old Town Civic Association's partnerships and interactions with other local Alexandria organizations and city government agencies. Materials include correspondence, memos, notes, and ephemera.
This series contains oversized plans, architectural drawings, maps, and blueprints from various projects.
This series contains audiovisual media records documenting the activities of the Old Town Civic Association. Included in this series are two video recordings on VHS tapes and one audio recording on microcassette.
Access to materials in this series are restricted due to format and preservation concerns. Please contact Local History and Special Collections staff for more information.
Audio recording of the comments made by candidates for Alexandria City Council at an event at Lyles Crouch School in April 1991. Recordings were made by Jane Knarr on her personal recording device
Video recording of a public hearing held by the Alexandria City Council about the Community "Y" project on 24 March 1990. Handwritten label on the VHS tape identifies the content of the recording. A handwritten note attached to the VHS case reads, "Polaroid tape, CC Pub Hear on Carr Project April 18, 1990, Bob has it"
Video recording of a 1993 meeting of the Old Town Civic Association. Handwritten label on the VHS tape identifies the content of the recording and also says, "Keith - copy, Past presidents"