Our Story
A neighborhood that sits atop history
About SRCA
SRCA Police Community Liaison:
Sgt Tony Moore
703-746-6825
tony.moore@alexandriava.gov
Tactical Anti-Crime Unit
Alexandria Police Department
SRCA Alexandria Sheriff’s Office Community Liaison:
LT Lemuel Houston
703-745-5074 (office) or 703-304-5513 (work cell)
lemuel.houstonjr@alexandriava.gov
Security Team 2B
Alexandria Sheriff’s Office
As seen on our website’s area map, Seminary Ridge Civic Association (SRCA) consists of 237 homes in the covenant section, which are subject to the Seminary Ridge Constitution, Bylaws, Deeds of Restriction and Covenants.
Residents in neighboring streets are also welcome to join the SRCA as non-covenant, non-voting members. Both St. Stephen’s Road and Fort Williams Parkway have covenant and non-covenant households. The other streets included in the non-covenant section are: Carson Place, Chelsea Court, Dearborn Place, Malvern Court, N. Clarens Street, N. Quaker Lane (502 - 504), Seminary Road (3730 - 4000), Sylvan Court, Trinity Drive (3550 – 3663) and Tupelo Place. Even if you are not interested in membership, please feel free to view all the information on our website. Our Board of Directors’ Meeting Minutes and our Newsletters provide more in-depth details on local and City events and issues affecting our entire area. Visit “Sign up for Newsletter” to get on the SRCA distribution list.
All covenant and non-covenant members are welcome to participate in various Seminary Ridge activities, which generally include an annual yard sale, movie on the green, treasure hunts, picnic/annual meeting, seasonal yard decoration contest, Halloween parade, and holiday party. SRCA also covers the cost of publishing a Directory of residents that includes both covenant and non-covenant members; the most recent was issued in February 2021. Funding of our directory and activities is through annual dues of $50.00 per household. If you are interested in becoming a member of the SRCA, your checks should be made payable to Seminary Ridge Civic Association.
Seminary Ridge:
The History of Fort Worth
The Seminary Ridge neighborhood is unusual in that its homes sit atop history. Within days of Virginia's succession, Federal troops entered Alexandria and began occupying the high ground around the city. Following the Union defeat at Bull Run, General McClellan ordered the construction of a series of forts (ultimately 68) to protect Washington. Four forts in what is now Alexandria were constructed beginning in September, 1861.
Fort Worth, a timber and earthwork fort, was built on the Fairfax family’s Vaucluse estate. The house was torn down and bricks from the house used to construct powder magazines. The fort had a perimeter of 463 yards with 25 gun emplacements. Trees were cleared to Cameron Run and used to make an abatis on the lower slopes.
Today, Hardee Place is where the entrance to the fort was located. The houses surrounding the cul-de-sac were built near the bastions. 4010 Harris Place was built on the south magazine. Fort Worth Avenue follows the dry moat at the base of the fort.
The fort itself was destroyed in 1970 and much of the land around it bull-dozed to make way for development of the present Seminary Ridge community. A visit to Fort Ward will show how the fort was constructed.