Jones Point is a geographic point on the

Potomac River The Potomac River () is in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and flows from the Potomac Highlands in West Virginia to Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. It is long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography D ...

within the city of

Alexandria, Virginia Alexandria is an independent city (United States), independent city in Northern Virginia, United States. It lies on the western bank of the Potomac River approximately south of Washington, D.C., D.C. The city's population of 159,467 at the 2020 ...

, United States. The

Jones Point Light The Jones Point Light is a small river lighthouse located on the Potomac River in Alexandria, Virginia. It was built in 1855. Lighthouse It is a small, one-story house with a lantern on top and served primarily as a warning light for naval shi ...

and Jones Point Park are located at the point, which is immediately North of the confluence of

Hunting Creek Hunting Creek is a cove and tributary stream of the Potomac River between the City of Alexandria and Fairfax County in Virginia. It is formed by Cameron Run flowing from the west. The community of Huntington takes its name from the creek. Jon ...

and the Potomac River.

History

The 1791–1792 survey of the original boundaries of the

District of Columbia Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and Federal district of the United States, federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from ...

began at a spot that was then at the tip of a

cape A cape is a clothing accessory or a sleeveless outer garment of any length that hangs loosely and connects either at the neck or shoulders. They usually cover the back, shoulders, and arms. They come in a variety of styles and have been used th ...

at the Point. The south cornerstone from the boundary survey remains in a

seawall A seawall (or sea wall) is a form of coastal defense constructed where the sea, and associated coastal processes, impact directly upon the landforms of the coast. The purpose of a seawall is to protect areas of human habitation, conservation, ...

several yards south of the lighthouse (see:

History of Washington, D.C. The history of Washington, D.C., is tied to its role as the capital of the United States. The site of the District of Columbia along the Potomac River was first selected by President George Washington. The city came under attack during the War ...

, and

Boundary markers of the original District of Columbia The boundary markers of the original District of Columbia are the 40 milestones that marked the four lines forming the boundaries between the states of Maryland and Virginia and the square of 100 square miles (259 km2) of federal territory ...

). During

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, Jones Point was home to a private shipyard owned by the

Virginia Shipbuilding Corporation Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

that was intended to produce

cargo ships A cargo ship or freighter is a merchant ship that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year, handling the bulk of international trade. Cargo ships are usual ...

for the war effort. However, the first ship produced at the yard, SS ''Gunston Hall'', was not completed until after the war's end. The shipyard was idled in 1921 following accusations of fraud against the owners and most equipment was auctioned off in 1922. In 1923, the property was leased to the Western Marine and Salvage Company to dismantle surplus wood ships. After that company relocated to Maryland, the remaining property at the shipyard was auctioned off in 1928 and the former shipyard facilities were largely demolished.

Description

The

Woodrow Wilson Bridge The Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge, also known as the Woodrow Wilson Bridge or the Wilson Bridge, is a bascule bridge that spans the Potomac River between Alexandria, Virginia and Oxon Hill, Maryland in Prince George's County, Maryland. The ...

crosses the park, most of which is under the jurisdiction of the

National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an List of federal agencies in the United States, agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government, within the US Department of the Interior. The service manages all List ...

. The

Mount Vernon Trail The Mount Vernon Trail (MVT) is an long shared use path that travels along the George Washington Memorial Parkway in Northern Virginia between Rosslyn and George Washington's home at Mount Vernon. The trail connects the easternmost portions of ...

travels through the park.(1)
(2) The City of Alexandria had hosted many anniversary celebrations, starting in the 1980s, centered around its anniversary on July 10, at Jones Point, including its 250th in 1999, and often featuring a fireworks display. Beginning in 2002, they have been largely held at

Oronoco Bay Park Oronoco may refer to: ;Places in the United States *Oronoco, Minnesota *Oronoco Township, Minnesota Oronoco Township is a civil township, township in Olmsted County, Minnesota, Olmsted County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 2,239 at ...

, located further north along the Potomac. Jones Point underwent a major renovation, completed in 2012, which included National Park Service placards along walking and biking trails highlighting its history. Other improvements include larger parking lots, a basketball court, a playground, a concession stand, restrooms, new walking and bike paths, small fishing/sightseeing piers, and easy access to the Jones Point lighthouse. The National Park Service and others have erected in and near the park a number of markers that relate the history of Jones Point and its surroundings. One of the few visible remnants of the shipyard is the fitting-out dock, next to which is a grass lawn bound by a concrete retaining wall representing the length and width of SS ''Gunston Hall''s hull.

Notes

Landforms of Alexandria, Virginia Parks in Alexandria, Virginia Headlands of Virginia George Washington Memorial Parkway National Park Service areas in Virginia {{AlexandriaVA-geo-stub