The Alexandria Library, Special Collections with the cooperation of the City of Alexandria Archives and Records Center, was awarded a 2002 LSTA EZ Mini-Grant from the Library of Virginia. Our project is “The Tax Assessor’s Handiwork: Alexandria’s Historic Structures Online.” We are in the process of digitizing 2000 of 6000 tax assessment records that date from the 1960s for buildings in Old Town. After the grant year, we will complete digitizing the remaining 4000 records over the course of two years. These records include a photograph, schematic footprint and other descriptive information about the structure including details about the building materials used, etc. As focused as we are in Alexandria on our historic structures, what has been most interesting to us is the inclusion of documents for buildings that were subsequently razed. At this time, the two structures listed for Oronoco Street are gone. These records are likely to be the only documents available for such buildings. Also of note is the near exponential escalation in the prices paid for some of these properties over time. That escalation has continued unabated to this day. The first group of 874 property tax assessment records is available online at the following link (copy & paste to your browser bar location window if necessary): www.alexandria.lib.va.us/lhsc_online_collection_guides/proprec/proptax.html The records are available in the Adobe Acrobat .pdf format and the free download of the Reader is required to view the digitized files. -- Joyce A. McMullin, Manager Alexandria Library, Special Collections 717 Queen Street Alexandria, VA 22314 USA Phone: 703.838.4577 x 211 FAX: 703.706.3912 Special Collections Gateway: http://www.alexandria.lib.va.us/lhsc/special_collections_home.html To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html