By Nancy Perkins
As Alexandria prepares to celebrate its 275th birthday on July 13, many homes around Alexandria are also celebrating their historic heritage. These 18th-, 19th- and 20th-century homes are often adorned with plaques.
The plaques serve different purposes: They may identify a noteworthy property owner, recognize the site of a significant event, honor a home’s historic character, promote the presence of an easement or advertise fire insurance. A HAF plaque serves as public notice of a home’s age and historic façade; it does not imply any additional regulatory burden upon the property owner.
Most plaques were granted by the Historic Alexandria Foundation, beginning in the 1960s. Any homeowner can apply for a plaque by going to the HAF website and completing an application.
In order to qualify for a plaque, a home must be at least 100 years old and its principal facades visible from the street or public right of way. The home must maintain the integrity of form, materials and architectural features consistent with the dominant period of the building. In consideration of an application, HAF will review a home’s windows, shutters, building materials, doors, porches, stoops, dormers, lighting fixtures, address numbers and presence of paint.
Homes listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register are also furnished with exterior plaques. These plaques clearly state the home’s presence on its relevant registry. There are more than 3,000 sites, properties and districts listed on these state-wide registries, but very few private homes in Alexandria. These registries began in 1965 to highlight places of historic, architectural, archaeological and cultural significance across Virginia. Similar to the HAF plaque program, the Virginia Registry and National Registry serve to publicize the presence of an historic structure, but do not restrict the property owners’ rights beyond those of the governing bodies or historic districts.
Some residential plaques may identify the presence of an easement on the property, which has been transferred from the property owner to another entity in perpetuity for a specific purpose. Homes in Alexandria possess easements to protect historic exteriors, historic interior features and floor plans, outdoor open space or to conserve land. Both the Trust for Architectural Easements and the L’Enfant Trust provide plaques to identify homes with easements; however, not all homes with easements bear an exterior plaque. Many homes in Alexandria with easements from HAF, Alexandria Historical Restoration and Preservation Commission and the City of Alexandria, do not post plaques.
Plaques bearing a fire truck, a tree, an eagle, a fireman’s hat, a handshake or a lighthouse are considered “Fire Marks.” After the Great Fire in London in 1666, insurance companies began to issue these metal plaques to homeowners to post on the front exterior of their home as proof of insurance and to deter arson. While not required, these plaques have become popular antiques with some collectors installing them on historic homes for decorative purposes.
Plaques can also tell the story of a home. Commissioned by homeowners, historic organizations or governing bodies, large plaques can be found commemorating the contributions of notable property owners or significant historic events. Some examples of these story-telling plaques can be found on the Dr. James Craik house, the Kate Waller Barrett house, the Stabler-Leadbeater House, Duvall Tavern and Wise Tavern.
As the city prepares to celebrate its 275th birthday, residents are encouraged to take a stroll around town; take time to read the stories on the plaques, to notice the architecture and to appreciate the heritage.
The writer is vice president of TTR Sotheby’s International Realty, an award-winning Realtor, lifelong Alexandrian and member of the Alexandria Historical Restoration and Preservation Commission. To learn more, visit NancyPerkins. SothebysRealty.com.
