The Alexandria City Hall was built when Alexandria was established in 1749. The tall tower is a reconstruction of a tower designed by Benjamin H. Latrobe that was part of Alexandria's 1817 town hall. That hall burned in 1871. As a result, the current City Hall was rebuilt by Adolph Cluss, a local architect who designed the U.S. Department of Agriculture building in 1869 and Washington's Central Market in 1870. Originally, the City Hall also housed the Masonic Lodge, court facility, and police and fire stations. Today, the City Hall building houses still houses many government offices, including the second floor City Council Chambers.
The Alexandria City Hall is located on 301 King Street. Every Saturday morning, visitors come to the Market Square in front of the Alexandria City Hall to buy fresh meat, dairy, fish, fruits and vegetables from local farmers. The Old Town Farmers' Market has been in operation since 1753. Even George Washington, the first President of the United States, used to send his products from Mount Vernon to be sold at the farmer's market. Today, the Old Town Farmers' Market is one of the oldest markets in the nation.
