Alexandria, VA – The two warehouses at 204-206 S Union St connected with last month’s Unseen Old Town were built about 1819 by William Fowle, a prominent Alexandria banker and businessman. They survived the 1897 fire that burned several warehouses and buildings, including the Pioneer Mill, which sat at the foot of Duke St and The Strand.
The warehouses got perhaps their most interesting, if not controversial, second life in the 1950s as part of Sam Cummings’ Interarmco, which at one time was the largest small arms and munitions dealer in the world. Besides Alexandria, he had outlets in Sao Paulo, Manchester, Monaco, and elsewhere. Clients included Caribbean dictators, North Vietnam, and the US government. Cummings started his business by shipping home abandoned arms collected from the battlefields of WW II.
Have you noticed this around town? Where is it? What do you know about it?
To see more quirky photos and close-up angles of secret and not-so-secret spots in Old Town, Alexandria, jump in with guesses or comments, follow the discussion, and submit your photos for consideration, join the Unseen Old Town Facebook group!
As for the photo above, we will reveal what it is and where it is in our next issue, along with a new one for you to ponder.
