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Tag: old town alexandria

  • It’s a bar, it’s a ship, it’s a museum? History comes to life on the water in Old Town Alexandria – WTOP News

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    In the latest episode of “Matt About Town,” WTOP heads to Old Town Alexandria, the home of the Tall Ship Providence — an often forgotten, but very important, piece of colonial history.

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    Colonial ship parked behind Old Town Alexandria bar showcases little-known tale of US history

    It’s a ship that was used in the filming of “Pirates of the Caribbean,” and that’s not even its coolest claim to fame.

    In today’s episode of “Matt About Town,” we’re heading to Old Town Alexandria, the home of the Tall Ship Providence — an often forgotten, but very important, piece of colonial history.

    You can find the ship parked out back behind Alexandria’s Pier Bar, another lesser-known spot right on the water next to Old Town’s Waterfront Park. Not only can you enjoy a drink and a tour, there’s also a mini maritime museum to visit, all part of a nonprofit foundation dedicated to bringing history to life for anyone in the D.C. region who sails in to check it out.

    At the Providence, actors on the staff often dress up in costume to regale tour groups with tales of the high seas, and sea shanty singalongs have been known to happen! The Tall Ship Providence Foundation is especially student-friendly and offers tours for groups of schoolchildren regularly.

    You too can check out the Providence every day of the week except Monday. The ship will be docked at the Pier Bar for the foreseeable future as it awaits repairs to make it seaworthy once again.

    More information is available online.

    Hear “Matt About Town” first every Tuesday and Thursday on 103.5 FM!

    If you have a story idea you’d like Matt to cover, email him, or chat with him on Instagram and TikTok.

    Check out all “Matt About Town” episodes here!

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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    Matt Kaufax

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  • Another section of Old Town Alexandria is now car free – WTOP News

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    After a nearly yearlong trial, another section of King Street in Old Town Alexandria near the waterfront will now be permanently closed to vehicle traffic.

    After a nearly yearlong trial, another section of King Street in Old Town Alexandria near the waterfront will now be permanently closed to vehicle traffic.

    The 100 block of King Street was already closed, and now the 200 block is open only to pedestrian traffic after a 7-0 vote over the weekend by the Alexandria City Council.

    The highlighted stretch of King Street in Old Town Alexandria is now closed to vehicle traffic after a unanimous city council vote. (Courtesy Google Maps)

    Megan Bird, who works in the area, is happy about the decision.

    “I think it’s great, I know at my office we come out here a lot for lunch, out here with friends in the evening, on the weekends. I like it. I think it’s nice for business,” she said.

    “It’s also good to be able to walk through. We have a lot of traffic coming through, and it’s nice to be able to not have to worry about the cars,” Bird added.

    Another man who works in the area and likes having the street closed to cars is Richard, who only gave WTOP his first name.

    “The way they did it, it’s more safer,” he said. “They keep the inner traffic from coming through here, because you have a whole lot of pedestrians coming through here.”

    Before the city council voted unanimously Saturday to close off the area, Claire Skarda, who lives on Prince Street, pleaded with the council to stay on top of some of the issues she says the closure has created.

    “There are problems that have been created with parking, problems with access to people’s homes, problems with the carnival atmosphere that’s being created,” Skarda said.

    According to a city survey of people who live in the area, 87% of locals approve of the car-free zone, and 12 of 16 businesses most directly affected are also in favor.

    A city council report on traffic impacts also concluded that “dedicating more space for people walking, relative to vehicles along these three blocks of King Street, is an equitable allocation of public right-of-way.”

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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    Kyle Cooper

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