Turns out going through the literal gutters of time can reveal pieces of the past you never knew existed.
In today’s episode of “Matt About Town,” WTOP’s Matt Kaufax heads to Old Town Alexandria, where he learned the most fascinating history lesson in the most ordinary place.
Come along with Matt (and a familiar Alexandria historian) to explore the tale of Old Town’s downspouts: two identical drainpipes attached to homes right across the street from each other in historic Alexandria.
Both gutters were built in the same factory in the mid-1800s. So why is one branded with a “Made in D.C.” label and the other shows it was “Manufactured in Virginia?”
The answer is a little complicated, but involves Alexandria going from being a part of Virginia, to being handed over to D.C., to being welcomed back to the Commonwealth just before the U.S. Civil War.
Watch Matt’s video to see these relics, which still function as gutters today, and learn more about the series of events that led to Old Town residents waking up one morning to find out … they were Virginians once again!
“Matt About Town” airs every Tuesday and Thursday on WTOP at 7:45 a.m., and runs throughout the rest of the day on 103.5 FM. His video pieces are always posted on wtop.com.
You can also find Matt’s videos on Instagram (@wtopnews and @mkaufax) and TikTok (@wtopnews and @mattabouttown_).
If you’ve got an idea for a feature story Matt should cover, reach out via the WTOP “contact us” page to submit your idea.
You can also contact Matt directly. His contact information is listed below.
