Mollie Somerville Collection (MS156)
Content Description
This collection contains the manuscripts and source notes for A Guide to Alexandria: Alexandria, Virginia, George Washington's Home Town (1966) and Washington Walked Here (1970). The collection also holds several boxes of photographs.
Dates
- 1966-1970
Creator
- Somerville, Mollie, 1907-2009 (Person)
Biographical / Historical
Mollie Somerville was born in New York City in 1907. A graduate from Cornell and Columbia universities, she moved to Northern Virginia in 1936. Mrs. Somerville became the secretary to Mrs. Roosevelt during the first term of the Roosevelt presidency. She took dictation, typed letters, and did historical research for the first lady. Mrs. Somerville also became the historical researcher for the National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution. In 1966 she published A Guide to Alexandria: Washington's Home Town. Since then she has written numerous articles and books, the most recent being the recently published Eleanor Roosevelt as I Knew Her.
Extent
2 Linear Feet (7 boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
Box 1, Series I
1 Index
2 Alexandria History
3 Ghost's and Legends
4 Friendship Fire House
5 Gunston Hall
6 Gadsby's Tavern
7 Christ Church
8 Old Meeting House
9 Apothecary Shop
10 Pohick Church
11 George Washington Masonic Memorial
12 Arlington Mansion
13 Ramsey House
14 Flounder Houses
15 Captain's Row
16 Mount Vernon
17 Woodlawn
18 Strolling (various Alexandria establishments)
19 Cameron Street (Fairfax & Lee Houses)
20 Mr. Dudley of Newell-Cole
21 Carlyle House
Series II
22 Chapter I "Introduction"
23 Chapter II "Plantation Neighbors"
24 Chapter III "Birth of a Town"
25 Chapter IV "Life in Early Alexandria"
26 Chapter V "The American Revolutionary
War"
27 Chapter VI "After the Revolution"
28 Chapter VII "Alexandria in the District of
Columbia"
29 Chapter VIII "The Civil War (The War Between the States"
30 Chapter IX "Reconstruction & Rehabilitation"
Box 2, Series II
1 Sources Code
2 Notes on Years 1608-1694
3 Notes on years 1707-1799
4 Notes on years 1800-1932
5 Miscellaneous items
Box 2, Series III
6 Outline for Washington Walked Here
7 Finished version of A Guide to Alexandria
Series IV
8 Letters to and from Ms. Cornella Rose regarding the George Mason family
Series V
Photographs
Creator
- Somerville, Mollie, 1907-2009 (Person)
- Title
- Mollie Somerville Collection Finding Aid
- Status
- In Progress
- Author
- Angie Rickwalt
- Date
- 1996
- 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