Established to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Alexandria Historical Society the competitive GOLDEN GRANTS program was designed to support historical research and interpretation projects relating to Alexandria and Northern Virginia history. Funds were made available from the AHS Endowment Fund, which was established explicitly to support publications, awards, and grants.
In awarding these funds that totaled $10,000, AHS prioritized detailed, well-defined projects that can be shared with the public. Funding for work leading to an Alexandria Chronicle article and/or lecture presentation recorded for the AHS YouTube site was encouraged but not required. Grants could also support projects or program that already had existing funding sources.
From the large number of applicants the below list were chosen:
1. Project: Index of Robert Townsend Hooe Store Ledgers and combined index with Glasford and Henderson store ledgers. Applicant: History Revealed (Molly Kerr and Dr. Esther White). Amount: $2,000
2. Project: Expansion of Out and About in Old Town Research resulting in a storymap, historical marker application, walking tour, and AHS lecture/Chronicle Article. Applicant: Hannah LeComte, Alexandra Miller, Savannah Scott, Ashleigh Williams. Amount: $2,000
3. Project: Intern at Douglass Cemetery to create bios and oral histories. Applicant: OHA. Amount: $2,000.
4. Project: Historic Black Alexandria Elks Lodge Records Preservation. Applicant: Carol Black. Amount: $2,000
5. Project: "Confine & Fortify: The Military Government of Civil War Alexandria," research and book. Applicant: Madaline Feierestein. Amount: $1,000
6. Project: "For the Accommodation and Embellishment of the Noble Body" Martial Music in Washington" presentation, recording, and film. Applicant: Dominic Giardino. Amount: $1,000
Our Golden Grantees are scheduled to give short descriptions of the results of their work at an October 22nd AHS Lyceum event. The public is invited to come hear what's new in history research.
Some of the Grantees have already been able to offer the public glimpses of their work.
In June 2024 the Music of the Regiment, a period-instrument wind band involved in Project 6 listed above, held a concert of late 18th- and early 19th-century military music and explained that around 1798 the Alexandria Band was formed as one of several “martial” ensembles that were active in Washington City during the early Federal Period (1790–1830).
Also in June, Out & About in Old Town (Project 2) held the first known walking tour of historic LBQT+ sites around Old Town with descriptions of what happened there and why those events were important.