Polly Hulfish Collection (MS408)

Access and use

Location of collection:: Alexandria Library

Alexandria Library

Local History/Special Collections

717 Queen Street

Alexandria, VA 22314

Contact for questions and access:: POC: Patricia Walker, Branch Manager

Email: pwalker@alexlibraryva.org

Phone: (703) 746-1719

Email: lhsc@alexandria.lib.va.us

Phone: (703) 838-4577

Fax: (703) 706-3912

Web: alexlibraryva.org/lhsc

Summary

Extent:: 6.67 Cubic Feet
Creator:: Hulfish, Marianne "Polly" Minnigerode (Maigne), 1908-1981
Language:: English .

Background

Scope and content:

Records kept by Polly Hulfish from the operations of the Old Alexandria Restoration, Inc. (1961-1974). These records consist of documents pertaining to almost 100 houses in Alexandria purchased, renovated, and restored by the organization. Documents include those covering the purchase and sale of each property, receipts from the businesses that provided services and materials, tax records, employment records, blueprints and drawings, photographs, news clippings, all Corporation records, and miscellaneous notes.

Expenses for 212 S. Alfred Street

212 S. Alfred Street

501 Cameron Street

509 Cameron Street, and 204 N. Pitt Street

213 S. Columbus and 217 S. Columbus Street

201 Duke Street

304 Duke Street

321 Duke Street

325 Duke Street

513 Duke Street

515 Duke Street

516 Duke Street

517 Duke Street

519 Duke Street

521 Duke Street

809 Duke Street

222 S. Fairfax Street

312 S. Fairfax Street

407 S. Fairfax Street

310 Gibbon Street

502 Janney Lane

222 Jefferson Street

205 King and 207 King Street

200 block of Lee Street

211 S. Lee Street

216 S. Lee Street

223 S. Lee Street

226 S. Lee Street

418 S. Lee Street

505 S. Lee Street

727 S. Lee Street

229 S. Pitt Street

315 S. Pitt Street

316 S. Pitt Street

316 S. PItt and 318 S. Pitt Street

320 S. Pitt, 324 S. Pitt, and 326 S. Pitt Street

320 S. Pitt Street

320 S. Pitt and 324 S. Pitt Street

320 S. Pitt Street

322 S. Pitt Street

323 S. Pitt Street

324 S. Pitt Street

326 S. Pitt Street

400 S. Pitt Street

421 S. Pitt Street

421 S. Pitt Street. This contains correspondences about expenses and payments between Polly Hulfish and William Barwick.

421 S. Pitt Street

115 Prince Street

915 Prince Street

300 Queen Street

303 Queen Street

508 Queen Street

510 Queen Street

524 Queen Street

220 S. Royal Street

310 S. Royal Street

406 S. Royal Street

300 Block of N. St. Asaph Street

307 N. St. Asaph and 309 N. St. Asaph Street

307 N. St. Asaph Street

309 N. St. Asaph Street.

313 N. St. Asaph Street.

315 N. St. Asaph Street.

325 N. St. Asaph and 327 N. St. Asaph Street.

325 N. St. Asaph Street.

329 N. St. Asaph Street.

331 N. St. Asaph Street.

333 N. St. Asaph Street.

414 S. St. Asaph Street.

418 S. St. Asaph and 420 S. St. Asaph Street.

418 S. St. Asaph Street.

420 S. St. Asaph Street.

600 Block of S. St. Asaph Street.

621 S. St. Asaph Street.

623 S. St. Asaph Street.

624 S. St. Asaph Street.

625 S. St. Asaph Street.

626 S. St. Asaph Street.

626 S. St. Asaph, 628 S. St. Asaph, 630 S. St. Asaph, and 632 S. St. Asaph Street.

627 S. St. Asaph Street.

628 S. St. Asaph and 630 St. Asaph Street.

630 S. St. Asaph Street.

631 S. St. Asaph Street.

632 S. St. Asaph Street.

635 S. St. Asaph Street.

637 S. St. Asaph Street.

639 S. St. Asaph Street.

517 Wilkes Street.

214 Wolfe Street.

408 Wolfe Street.

410 Wolfe Street.

419 Wolfe Street.

509 Wolfe Street.

708 Wolfe Street.

712 Wolfe Street.

716 Wolfe Street.

212 S. Alfred Street. 1 print photograph.

501 Cameron Street. 2 negatives.

201 Duke Street. 1 print.

304 Duke Street. Prints and negatives.

321 Duke Street. 3 prints and 2 negatives.

325 Duke Street. 34 prints and 2 negatives.

515 Duke Street. 8 prints.

516 Duke Street. 7 prints, 10 negatives.

517 Duke Street. 14 prints, 3 negatives.

809 Duke Street. 5 prints, 7 negatives.

222 S. Fairfax Street. 5 prints, 3 negatives.

312 S. Fairfax Street. 1 print.

310 Gibbon Street. 1 print, 2 negatives.

205 King and 207 King Street. 1 negative.

211 S. Lee Street. 4 prints.

223 S. Lee Street. 2 negatives.

226 S. Lee Street. 19 prints, 1 negative.

505 S. Lee Street. 1 print, 5 negatives.

324 S. Pitt and 326 S. Pitt Street. 2 prints.

315 S. Pitt Street. 14 prints, 3 negatives.

316 S. Pitt Street. 12 prints, 20 negatives.

400 S. Pitt Street. 9 prints, 10 negatives.

421 S. Pitt Street. 3 prints.

300 Queen Street. 3 prints, 4 negatives.

508 Queen Street. 8 prints, 6 negatives.

510 Queen and 512 Queen Street. 6 prints, 13 negatives.

524 Queen Street. 3 prints, 1 negative.

300 N. St. Asaph Street. 4 prints, 24 negatives.

307 N. St. Asaph Street. 7 prints, 1 negative.

313 N. St. Asaph Street. 3 prints, 3 negatives.

333 N. St. Asaph Street. 5 prints.

418 S. St. Asaph Street. 19 prints, 10 negatives of the house at 418 as well as the fire damage to the carriage house behind it.

600 S. St. Asaph Street. 2 prints, 9 negatives.

624 S. St. Asaph Street. 2 prints, 2 negatives.

624 S. St. Asaph, 626 S. St. Asaph, 628 S. St. Asaph, 630 S. St. Asaph, and 632 S. St. Asaph Street. 2 prints and 7 negatives of several houses on the 600 block of S. St. Asaph Street. 624 was eventually sold to Eugene Cullinane. 626-628 was sold to Reese Associates, Inc. 630-632 was sold to Eugene Cullinane.

625 S. St. Asaph Street. 5 negatives.

630 S. St. Asaph Street. 2 prints, 1 negative of Riley B. Lester at the wrok site.

631 S. St. Asaph Street. 1 print, 1 negative.

635 S. St. Asaph Street. 2 negatives.

637 S. St. Asaph Street. 1 print of the rear addition to the home.

639 S. St. Asaph Street. 4 prints, 7 negatives.

419 Wolfe Street. 14 prints, 9 negatives.

509 Wolfe Street. 12 prints, 35 negatives.

708 Wolfe Street. 3 prints, 3 negatives.

716 Wolfe Street. 4 prints.

Biographical / historical:

Marianne Minnigerode Maigne "Polly" was born July 24, 1906 in Manila, Philippine Islands, to Charles Minnigerode Maigne and Florence English Davidson Maigne, while her father was stationed as a Lieutenant in the Army's 7th Cavalry. After her parents' divorce, Polly lived with her grandparents in Alexandria, Virginia, where her mother was a successful house preservationist and landlord. Polly studied art at the Corcoran and at the National School of Fine and Applied Art and became a decorative artist. Her talents and abilities were in constant demand until she was well into mid-life when her focus turned to the renovation and restoration of historic properties.

Polly married Tom Hulfish, Jr., in 1929. After Polly's mother died in 1942, she inherited the family home along with her mother's rental properties. Renovating her own home, managing rental houses, as well as keeping up with her art commissions, and raising her children kept her busy until the late 1950's, when she decided it was time to update the rental properties. While renovating these houses, she purchased others to save and restore. This marks the beginning of her passion for saving historic homes that otherwise might have met the wrecking ball. In January 1961, she founded Old Alexandria Restoration, Inc. From 1961 through 1974, this organization dramatically transformed approximately 50 houses in Alexandria. These homes became known as "Polly Houses." She was involved in many additional, smaller restoration and renovation projects, and thus her influence was extensive within the Old Historic District of Alexandria.

Polly served on Alexandria's Board of Architectural Review (BAR) for nine years. She was honored both by the city of Alexandria and the Alexandria Historical Restoration and Preservation Commission for the work she did within the Old and Historic District of Alexandria. Polly retired from her position on the BAR in 1976 and died October 17, 1981.

Acquisition information: