Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 09/10/2003
NRHP Listing Date 01/16/2004
NRHP Reference Number 03001427
The Odd Fellows Hall was listed in the registers under a multiple property documentation form for the African American Historic Resources of Alexandria. It is one of only a few surviving structures from the period 1790 to 1953 in the city associated with African American community organizations as a meeting hall for secret organizations, benevolent groups, and others. It was also the site of many festivals and other social events because it was one of the few non-religious buildings in the city that could hold large groups of people that were not restricted according to race. Closed in 1974, it underwent extensive interior changes during its conversion into a multiple-family housing unit. The alterations and change in use, however, have not diminished its importance to Alexandria’s African American history. The Odd Fellows Hall is located in the oldest African American community there, “the Bottoms,” and served its residents for more than 100 years.
Many properties listed in the registers are private dwellings and are not open to the public, however many are visible from the public right-of-way. Please be respectful of owner privacy.
Abbreviations:
VLR: Virginia Landmarks Register
NPS: National Park Service
NRHP: National Register of Historic Places
NHL: National Historic Landmark
Updated: April 4, 2023
