Building and Repair Permits Collection Index, 1896-1928

Building and Repair Permits were first issued in the City of Alexandria, ca. 1891 and are useful to today's homeowner or researcher who is preparing a history of the property. The permits specify: 1) the modification being made; 2) the cost; 3) the builder; and 4) quite frequently include an architectural sketch or rendering of the proposed change.  These nearly 3400 permits cover the period ca. 1896-1928. There are a very few permits in the collection prior to 1896. Surnames are presented as they appear in the permits, which will account for the occasional variant spellings of name or usage of initials for names.

The index is organized alphabetically by street name and then numerically by house number. Occasionally, a property is indexed by its name because no "address" was given (see "Carlyle Apts"). The researcher is also advised to consider that permits were sometimes issued for an approximate location (see "Cor. Franklin/Fairfax" below). These usually appear at either the beginning or the end of the numbered groups.

Photocopies of the building permits are available.

Please begin by selecting an address from the ranges below.