Del Ray is a 100+ year old community within Alexandria, Virginia in the suburbs of Washington, DC. Del Ray is the area bounded on the south by Braddock Road, on the west by Russell Road, on the north by East Glebe and West Glebe Roads, on the east by Jefferson Davis Highway (U.S. Route 1), and on the southeast by the CSX rail tracks intersecting Jefferson Davis Highway to Braddock Road.
Del Ray currently has a unique mix of apartments, duplexes, single-family detached, and condominium homes as well as vibrant commercial areas and industrial activities. Our “Main Street” — Mount Vernon Avenue — runs north-south and is the center of much of our community’s activities and functions throughout the year.
The area was developed beginning in 1894 as the communities of Del Ray, St. Elmo, Mt. Ida, and Hume, following a grid plan independent of that of Old Town Alexandria. A planned community, its proximity to Washington D.C. made it a popular place for employees of the U.S. government to live. Additionally, the area was located adjacent to the massive Potomac Yard of the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad, making it convenient for railroad workers and travelers alike. The separate communities united to form the Town of Potomac, which was incorporated in 1908. In 1928, the town had 2,355 residents.
In 1930, the Town of Potomac was annexed by the independent city of Alexandria. Today, in Alexandria, the Town of Potomac Historic District designates this historic portion of the city, and includes 1,840 acres and 690 buildings. The Town of Potomac was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.
Click here for a Google Map showing the locations of the Del Ray Interpretive Historic Markers.
