Fort Ward: City Officials Meet with Seminary Civic Association

City Officials Meet with Seminary Civic Association

On October 23, 2009, at a regular Seminary Civic Association meeting, Lance Mallamo of the Office of Historic Alexandria met with association members to update them on public and private efforts to protect, restore and enjoy Fort Ward Park. 

The highlight of the meeting was Mr. Mallamo’s remarks on current and future city efforts including the use of radar to identify graves; a cell phone tour of African American history which is 90% complete; the relationship of the park to the City’s Strategic Plan; and a National Trust for Historic Preservation grant the city hopes to receive to help with historical and cultural research. 

  

The National Trust grant will enable the city, and its communities, to work with Dr. Edna Greene Medford of Howard University. Dr. Greene Medford is Associate Professor and former director of the Department of History’s graduate and undergraduate programs. Specializing in nineteenth century African-American history, she teaches courses in Civil War and Reconstruction, Colonial America, the Jacksonian Era, and African-American history. 

  

Mr. Mallamo told the audience that his office is focused on understanding the resources of Fort Ward Park. The work will be holistic in nature and include: a re-evaluation of the Museum mission statement; a better understanding of what brought African American families to settle in the area; with an emphasis on early Native American history and African American history during the period between the Civil War to the end of the Civil Rights movement. 

  

Mr. Mallamo encouraged the meeting attendees to help the city gather information on the history of the park. 

  

Dave Cavanaugh of the Alexandria Archaeology Commission, and Glenn Eugster of the Seminary Hill Association, Inc. also made remarks to the group about community research and the importance of civic engagement in local decisions.