Alexandria began as a housing development just outside of Washington DC. It had originally been built as an upscale neighborhood with benefits such as its own solar panel grid. Once the outbreak began, it became a place of refuge for people evacuating DC. One of the groups temporarily relocated there was Congresswoman Deanna Monroe and her family. As more people began seeking refuge, Monroe filled the role of the group's leader. The citizens of Alexandria developed a system where they would send recon groups out to look for potential survivors that could fit in and benefit their community.
Rick's group is observed for multiple days before being brought into the community, and once they are admitted, there is a clear divide between their battle-hardened demeanor in comparison to that of Alexandria's residents, most of whom are naïve to how brutal the world had become outside their walls.
Eventually, Monroe comes to respect Rick's way of doing things as the town begins to encounter a group of vicious scavengers, known as the Wolves. During the Wolves' largest attack, Alexandria's church tower is damaged badly. The tower collapses, taking out another large section of walls, and Alexandria is overrun with walkers. During the invasion, many of Alexandria’s citizens were killed, including Deanna. After the attack, the remaining citizens are able to repair the damaged sections of the wall, but morale is never the same.
