“From the Archives” The Alms House

The Alms House, built around 1801, was the only institution totally funded by City of Alexandria revenues. Since nursing homes, assisted living facilities and subsidized housing as we know them today did not yet exist, Alexandria, like many American cities, had a “poor house,” the Alms House. It was a large, imposing brick Georgian house located on Monroe Avenue, where the baseball stadium and dog park are today. On the outside, the building resembled a fine plantation home. But most likely the interior was Spartan.

It was a place where the needy could find refuge. The courts often used it as a work facility for petty criminals and a holding place for others who ran afoul of the law. The property included almost 20 acres of land, which the residents farmed for food. Many living there were elderly, infirm or mentally ill. Some were homeless younger women and their children. Both blacks and whites lived there.

Saint Mary parish records show many Alms House residents were Catholics who were visited by Saint Mary priests. Immigrant railroad workers and manual laborers often were Catholic, in poor health, had dangerous jobs and poor living conditions. They were likely candidates for the Alms House. Tuberculosis (consumption) was common in the 19th century; poor TB patients often had no one to care for them but the Alms House.

Funerals of Catholics who died in the Alms House took place at Saint Mary church. A number of these individuals also were buried in Saint Mary’s cemetery, although parishioners at times were vocally opposed to it.

The house served Alexandria’s needy until a larger, more “modern” facility was built outside Manassas in 1926 for the use of the City of Alexandria and four nearby counties. The site of the old Alms House is today commemorated by a marker at the intersection of East Monroe Avenue and Leslie Avenue in Del Ray.

– Kitty Guy, Parish Historian

In 2020, to commemorate the 225th anniversary of our parish, we started “From the Archives” as a weekly feature online and in our bulletin to spotlight the history of Saint Mary’s. Due to its popularity, we are continuing the series in 2021. An archive of the features is located here.