The site for the City of Alexandria was first surveyed by Samuel Levi Wells, II on the land belonging to Alexander Fulton. The city was platted into 81 squares by Frederick Walther for Fulton on February 1, 1805. In 1807, Alexandria was named the seat of the Rapides Parish. The city received its official charter in 1818. Early settlers used the Red River to maintain an agrarian economy planting cotton, corn, and sugar cane. In January of 1861, Louisiana seceded from the Union and joined the Confederate States of America. Rapides Parish furnished over twelve companies of infantry and two of cavalry. During the Red River Campaign of 1864, Alexandria was occupied by Union troops. The town was burned on May 13, 1864 by the retreating Union Army. Crushed by war and reconstruction, Alexandria begab to rebuild slowly with the coming of the railroads and timber industries. Alexandria experienced a building boom at the turn of the century as immigration brought a rise in population that doubled the city's size. A new City Hall was built in 1910. The Armed Forces of the Unidte States held their war maneuvers in the Alexandria area in 1940 during which the town played host to the future heroes of World War II. After the war, the area continued to grow with new industries taking advantage of the area's central location, modern roads and excellent
facilities. Two hundred years after its founding, Alexandria, the heart of Louisiana has been rebuilt again around its commitment to the people who are proud to call it home.
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