Potomac, Virginia, is an extinct incorporated town formerly located in Alexandria County. A planned community, its proximity to Washington D.C. made it a popular place for employees of the U.S. government to live. Potomac was located adjacent to the massive Potomac Yard of the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad.
The area was developed beginning in 1894 as the communities of Del Ray, St. Elmo, Mt. Ida, and Hume, following a grid plan independent of that of Old Town Alexandria. Potomac was incorporated as a town in 1908. In 1928, the town had 2,355 residents.
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Town of Potomac
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| Location: | Roughly bounded by Commonwealth Ave., US 1, E. Bellefonte Ave. and Ashby St., Alexandria, Virginia |
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| Area: | 184 acres (74 ha) |
| Built: | 1894 |
| Architect: | Multiple |
| Architectural style: | Colonial Revival, Bungalow/Craftsman, Queen Anne |
| Governing body: | Local |
| NRHP Reference#: | 92001186[1] |
| Added to NRHP: | September 10, 1992 |
The Town of Potomac was annexed by the independent city of Alexandria in 1930. Today, the Town of Potomac Historic District in Alexandria designates this historic portion of the city, and includes 1,840 acres (7.4 km2) and 690 buildings. The Town of Potomac was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.
As of 2010, the United States Postal Service still recognizes "Potomac, VA" as an acceptable alternate address for ZIP code 22301, although "Alexandria, VA" is preferred.