Old Town Civic Association (MS291)
Content Description
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.
Dates
- 1951-1992
Creator
- Myers, Jacob Christian (Person)
Access Restrictions
This collection is open for research.
Historical Note
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.
Extent
5.94 Cubic Feet (12 document boxes, 4 folders in assorted oversize box, 4 items in assorted media box)
Language of Materials
English
Notes on Arrangement
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.
Creator
- Myers, Jacob Christian (Person)
- Tuttle, Thomas (Person)
- Title
- Old Town Civic Association Records (MS291)
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Written by J. Kaplan, August 1993. Revised and updated by Katherine Crowe, Special Collections Librarian, October 2023.
- Date
- October 2023
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Local History and Special Collections Branch, Alexandria Library Repository