02/09/2002 - Alexandria, VA - Industrial Remnants, etc.

02/09/2002 - Alexandria, VA -Virginia Shipbuilding Co. Remnants, etc.

My fiancee (now wife) and I set out to explore some of the Jones Point waterfront area in Alexandria, VA. What we found was really neat. Remnants of the long gone Virginia Shipbuilding Co. facility along the watefront, the Jones Point lighthouse and some businesses that are currently served by rail. The Shipbuilding Co. was built in 1917 to serve the WWI war effort. More info is available at the links below.

The city of Alexandria's Alexandria Archaeology Museum has a great website on the archaeology and history of the Shipbuilding Company site as well as many other sites in the area:

Map of the area

Archaeology of the Virginia Shipbuilding Co. site

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	Concrete base Huge ships were erected here and I imagine this once supported a footing for a large crane or similar gantry device..
	Concrete craneway bases These concrete mazes once supported the cranes that traveled back and forth along the craneway to assist in the construction of the ships. There is another one back in the woods.
	Closer up, near the South end. The townhomes in the background were built over what was known as "Keith's Wharf", an 18th century shipbuilding and commerce site. More can be found here.
	View South toward the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. Note the tie-downs and the craneway bases to the right. Far to the right, behind the brush, there are several foundations which you can walk through.
	The far south end Here is where the craneways ended.
	Some more of the craneway These things are really neat.
	Jones Point Lighthouse Built in 1852. More info here.
	The other side This is a really cool area.
	Box car CNA 406805.
	A CN Box car and some others Not sure what industry these are serving. These are directly across the street from the car in the above photo.
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