September 23 -29, 2024
 

What's New

Alexandria Forum: Civil Rights in Alexandria

Virginia Theological Seminary in the Lettie Pate Whitehead Room
3737 Seminary Rd.
Friday, October 18
9 a.m.- 4 p.m.
$65, $45 Historic Alexandria Member/Student
Purchase tickets online.

The American Revolution in Virginia was more than a war - it was a Revolution of ideas that continues today. The Alexandria Forum, on the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Amendment, will explore the ways we interpret civil rights history to better engage with audiences, promote truth-telling, and racial reconciliation. The day-long symposium will feature lectures, short films, research updates, and a panel discussion. The keynote speaker, Dr. Krystyn Moon, University of Mary Washington, will present “Housing Activism in Mid-Twentieth Century Alexandria.” A Continental Breakfast and boxed lunches will be provided. A networking happy hour follows at 4:30 p.m.

Congratulations to the Murray-Dick-Fawcett House: Honored by Preservation Virginia

Since 1971, Preservation Virginia has recognized exceptional preservation efforts across the Commonwealth. Congratulations to the Murray-Dick-Fawcett House, one of Alexandria’s oldest and best-preserved residential structures, for being honored this year! The house, acquired by the City of Alexandria in 2017, underwent a multi-year, two-phase exterior restoration that began in 2021, preserving its architectural integrity. 

This year’s Preservation Awards Ceremony will take place on Friday, September 27th, at the historic Main Street Station in Richmond. Don’t miss the chance to celebrate nine awardees, including the Murray-Dick-Fawcett House, and to toast the career of Elizabeth S. Kostelny, CEO of Preservation Virginia, for her 34 years of leadership. 

Learn more about the Murray-Dick-Fawcett House.

Upcoming Events

View the Historic Alexandria Calendar

Jane Franklin Dance and Lloyd House Gardens Present Moving Stories
Lloyd House Gardens, 220 North Washington Street
Thursday, September 26 & Friday, September 27
7 p.m.
Free
Register online. 

Moving Stories is a movement-based work that is about historical Lloyd House and its Gardens, not as a static landmark, but rather as a place where people of different generations interact. Don’t miss this performance that resonates with the landscape and references the site’s history. Lloyd House built in 1796, has housed many prominent people and is important to the streetscape of Washington Street, part of George Washington Memorial Parkway. The architecture of the building, the people who have lived there and the changing community surrounding it, makes the location important to the City of Alexandria’s 275th Anniversary. 

Moving Stories is supported in part by a grant from the City of Alexandria, VA through the Office of the Arts and is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.

For more information: www.janefranklin.com or call 703.933.1111.

Yoga on the Magnolia Terrace - Happy Hour
Carlyle House Historic Park, 121 North Fairfax Street
Friday, September 27
6 - 7:30 p.m.
$20
Purchase tickets online. 

Join our yoga instructor for a Yoga class on Carlyle’s Magnolia Terrace. Afterwards, enjoy a mocktail with yoga participants and staff. Mocktails will change based on the month and will be announced on social media! Yoga Happy Hours are a fundraiser for new exhibit cases in the museum and sponsored by the Friends of Carlyle House. 

Please bring water, a towel, and a yoga mat. Wear comfortable yoga wear. Please note that the terrace is bricked so please bring a thicker mat or double up with an extra mat or towel. Class may be canceled due to inclement weather, you will receive an email if class is canceled.

Civil War Camp Day
Fort Ward Museum and Historic Site, 4301 W. Braddock Rd.
Saturday, September 28
10 a.m.- 4 p.m.
Free, Suggested donation $2 / $5 for families

The annual living history event features military and civilian reenactors in camp settings in and around the historic fort. The program includes camp life activities, infantry and artillery drills and firing demonstrations, equipment displays, and civilian impressions.

Among the living history units participating are the 28th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, Co. B, the 3rd U.S. Regular Infantry, Co. K, and the 1st U.S. Artillery, Co. D. Special interpretations include a U.S. Army Quartermaster tent, a Union company surgeon, a Northern schoolmarm who interprets 19th-century education and pastimes for children, and a soldier in the reconstructed Officers’ Hut portraying the daily routine and living quarters of an officer in the Defenses of Washington. 

At 3 p.m., the 8th Green Machine Regiment Band will perform a concert of Civil War music on the Museum lawn. This historical brass ensemble, sponsored by George Mason University, presents music of the 19th century on authentic period instruments.

Fort Ward is the best preserved of the Union forts that comprised the Civil War Defenses of Washington.

Pop-Up Archaeology – Buried Ships of Robinson Landing Exhibit
Corner of The Strand and Pioneer Mill Way (near BARCA)
Friday, October 4
4:30 – 7 p.m.
Free

Step inside the temporary Buried Ships of Robinson Landing window-front exhibit on Friday, October 4 between 4:30 and 7 p.m. for a special chance to see scale models of three 18th century vessel remnants excavated in 2018 on the same block. Talk with archaeologists and learn how these ships were used to create new land along the waterfront. For more information about the free exhibit located at the Strand and Pioneer Mill Way, visit www.alexandriava.gov/archaeology/archaeology-on-the-waterfront.

Art During Wartime - Book Talk with Dr. Vanessa Schulman
Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden, 614 Oronoco Street
Friday, October 4
7 - 8:15 p.m.
$10 to the general public and free for museum members
Purchase tickets online. 

While the Civil War raged on, many northern artists depicted everyday life rather than grand battles or landscapes of noble sacrifice. Amidst a conflict that was upending antebellum social norms, these painters created realistic scenes of mundane events, known as genre paintings. While many of the paintings seem to show ordinary incidents, artists worked to connect their visuals to larger concerns. With attention to how the war shaped new definitions of gender, race, and disability, Art during Wartime uncovers the complexity of these genre paintings, using seven case studies of artists who explored how the war instigated social change and influenced northern opinions about current events. In this book talk, the author will briefly outline the book's primary arguments and then discuss how three of the artists studied--Thomas Hicks, Vincent Colyer, and Eastman Johnson--used genre art to spark complex conversations about American life.

Members, please call the museum to reserve your ticket. Tickets must be purchased in advance as there is limited seating. Questions? Please e-mail contact@leefendallhouse.org or call the museum at 703-548-1789.

Walking Tour: The Marquis de Lafayette Returns
Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum, 201 S. Washington Street
Saturday, October 5 (SOLD OUT) & Sunday, October 6
10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
$15/$30 includes book, $12 Historic Alexandria Members
Purchase tickets online.

Join public historian and author of Marquis de Lafayette Returns, A Tour of America’s National Capital Region Elizabeth Reese on a 90 minute walking tour retracing Lafayette's steps from his 1824 visit. Coordinated by the Alexandria-Caen Sister City Committee. The tour will begin at the Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum (201 South Washington Street) and will end at Gadsby’s Tavern Museum (134 North Royal Street).

Fall Frolic
Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden, 614 Oronoco Street
Saturday, October 5
11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
$15 per participating child and $5 for each accompanying adult.
Purchase tickets online. 

Lee-Fendall's annual Fall Frolic is the perfect family event to celebrate the Fall season! Enjoy autumn and Halloween-themed family fun in the garden of the Lee-Fendall House on Saturday, October 5th. Activities include crafts, games, a cake walk, and more! Costumes are encouraged but not required. A costume contest will be held each hour, and the winner will get a special prize! Activities are catered to children ages 3-12.

Tickets must be purchased in advance as sessions are limited to 20 children per hour. Tickets are sold on the hour at: 11:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 1:00 PM, 2:00 PM, and 3:00 PM. Questions? Call (703)-548-1789 or email contact@leefendallhouse.org.

“The President’s Own” United States Marine Band Concert
Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum, 201 S. Washington Street
Sunday, October 6
6 - 7:15 p.m.
Free
Register online.

Join musicians from “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band for a special concert tracing the musical history of America’s oldest continuously active professional musical organization. The band performed at Lyceum Hall, which is now the Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum, after an 1840 parade and during a concert hosted by Signor Francis Garcia in 1843. The Marine Band was a frequent visitor to the area, performing in local parades, on steamboat excursions from Alexandria, in at least one Tavern, and at various venues throughout the city. 

The musicians will present a program of works inspired by past performances in Alexandria during the 19th and 20th centuries. Historic selections include Francis Hopkinson’s Washington’s March, a celebration of the first President of the United States, and Medley of Patriotic Airs by Francis Scala, the first Marine Band member to hold the title of “Leader of the Band.” Marine Band Historian Staff Sgt. Philip Espe will narrate the program, providing historical context to the programmed pieces. The concert is free with a cash bar.

An Evening of Irish Music with Donna Long, Peter Brice and Samantha Suplee at the Historic Lyceum
Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum, 201 S. Washington Street
Thursday, October 10
7 p.m. (doors open at 6:30 p.m.)
$25, $10 Ages 12-17
Purchase tickets online. 

Donna Long (piano, fiddle), Peter Brice (voice, button accordion), and Samantha Suplee will present a concert of traditional music from Ireland and Irish America, drawing on a repertoire of jigs, reels, 17th-century harp music, and songs from the Age of Revolution. Learn more about the concert series. 

Story Time for Little Historians
Alexandria Black History Museum, 902 Wythe Street
Saturday, October 12
10 a.m.- 10:45 a.m.
Free

Dynamic storytellers use books written by and about African American people and other communities of color to engage with ages 5-8. 

Lecture: The Marquis de Lafayette Returns for 10/16/2024
Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum, 201 S. Washington Street
Wednesday, October 16
7:30 - 9 p.m.
$15, $12 OHA members and volunteers
Purchase tickets online.

To commemorate the 250th anniversary of Lafayette’s return visit to the United States in 1824, join Elizabeth Reese, author of “Marquis de Lafayette Returns, A Tour of America’s National Capital Region” for a lecture followed by a reception and book signing. Walk in the footsteps of the Marquis de Lafayette as he makes a final trip through the young United States. Against the backdrop of a tumultuous election, a beloved hero of the American Revolution returned to America for the first time in forty years. Elizabeth Reese traces Lafayette’s route throughout the National Capital Region, highlighting the locations and people the famous General held closest to his heart.

Lafayette Dinner
Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, 134 N. Royal Street
Thursday, October 17
6:30 p.m.
$150
Purchase tickets online.

Enjoy a four course-dinner with French wine pairings as we celebrate the 200th anniversary of Lafayette’s dinner in the very same room where he was welcomed in October of 1824! A re-enactor portraying the marquis de Lafayette will be in attendance, offering toasts, reminiscences, and an opportunity to have your photo taken with him as an honored guest. The evening’s program will highlight Lafayette’s role in advancing liberty in the United States and beyond. Supported by the American Friends of Lafayette.

Support Historic Alexandria

Historic Alexandria receives City operational funding to support its mission; however, these resources do not cover the full scope of the department’s strategic goals and projects. Donations, special revenue, and grant funding help supplement staff, conservation work, and educational programs. Please consider making a gift today.

Historic Alexandria Museum Hours

Plan your Visit

• Alexandria Archaeology Museum
  Tuesdays through Fridays, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturdays, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Sundays, 1-5 p.m.
• Alexandria Black History Museum
  Thursdays and Fridays, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturdays, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Sundays, 1-5 p.m.
• Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum
  Thursdays and Fridays, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturdays, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Sundays, 1-5 p.m.
• Fort Ward Museum
  Thursdays and Fridays, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturdays, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Sundays, 1-5 p.m.
• Freedom House Museum
  Thursdays and Fridays, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturdays, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Sundays and Mondays, 1-5 p.m.
• Friendship Firehouse Museum
  Saturday, October 12, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Gadsby’s Tavern Museum
  Thursdays and Fridays, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturdays, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Sundays through Tuesdays, 1-5 p.m.
• Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum
  Wednesdays–Fridays, 11 a.m.– 4 p.m., Saturdays, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Sundays & Mondays 1 - 5 p.m.   

Visit our website and follow us on social media to discover new things about your hometown. For more information, visit alexandriava.gov/Historic. Admission to City of Alexandria museums is complimentary for city residents.

For reasonable disability accommodation, contact Nicole Quinn at historicalexandria@alexandriava.gov or call 703.746.4554, Virginia Relay 711.

This Week in Alexandria's History

More from This Day in History

In 1944, the Inter-County Metropolitan Freeway was proposed to connect Route 1 near Gum Springs, Virginia, with the Baltimore -Washington Parkway on a westward route through Tysons Corner. By 1952 the plan was revised to completely encircle the nation’s capital with the Washington Circumferential Highway, crossing the Potomac River at the southern edge of Washington via a proposed Jones Point Bridge. On September 28, 1955, the federal government formally authorized the new highway through Alexandria, with the name shortened to the Capital Beltway. Several months later, the name of the yet-to-be-built bridge was also changed, to honor the centennial of the birth of the nation’s 28th President. On September 25, 1958 ground-breaking ceremonies were held near Jones Point, to start construction of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. The formal opening of the bridge was held on December 21, 1961, with Wilson’s wife Edith expected to attend. However, she died suddenly that very morning, just hours before the dedication ceremony began. 

Upcoming Commission and Committee Events

Commissions Supporting Historic Alexandria

• October 1 HARC Advocacy Subcommittee
  La Madeleine, 500 King Street 
  10 a.m.

• October 2 ACRP Schools and Libraries Action Committee 
  Alexandria Black History Museum, 902 Wythe Street
  6-7 p.m.

• October 9 Alexandria Historical Restoration and Preservation Commission
  Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington Street
  8 a.m.

• October 14 Alexandria-Caen Sister City Committee
  Sister Cities Conference Room 1101, City Hall
  7-9 p.m.

• October 15 Historic Alexandria Resources Commission (HARC)
  Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington Street
  7-9 p.m.

• October 16 Alexandria Archaeological Commission
  Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington Street
  7-9 p.m.