This Week in Historic Alexandria - March 2, 2026

march 2-8, 2026

What's New

FEATURED EVENT

Celebrate Women's History Month

Celebrate Women's History Month with the City of Alexandria. Attend an event, join a conversation, and share your experience with friends and neighbors. Together, we honor the female Alexandrians of the past and present and celebrate their numerous contributions.

Learn more about how the City is celebrating this March with events, recognitions on social media, and a look back at Alexandrians who have helped to shape our City into what it is today!Visit: https://www.alexandriava.gov/WomensHistoryMonth

Specialty Tour: Women in Medicine
The Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum, 105-107 S Fairfax Street
Sundays, March 8 and 22
11 a.m.- noon
$15 per person, Historic Alexandria Members: $12/person
Reserve tickets.

While men often take the spotlight, women have always shaped the practice of medicine. This tour will explore many objects in the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum used by women from the late 18th through early 20th centuries, as well as the women's influence on medicine in Alexandria and the wider world during this period.

New Exhibition - Women in Business: We Were Always Here
Gadsby's Tavern Museum, 134 N Royal Street
Opens Thursday, March 26
Included with cost of admission

Gadsby's Tavern Museum, which includes a 1785 and a 1792 tavern building, was named after John Gadsby, a male tavernkeeper during the early years of our nation's founding. But while he was operating the 1792 tavern, Hannah Griffith was operating the 1785 tavern. Female tavern keepers were common, and Griffith's story reminds us that the idea of female entrepreneurs isn't a new one. Her story also highlights how the American Revolution continued to shape lives in personal and sometimes surprising ways even years later.

Visitors will be able to see primary sources up close to explore how women appear (and don't) in the historical record in the 18th century. In addition to Hannah's story, visitors will learn about the female business owners on the block around City Hall today highlighting how women continue to be an important part of Alexandria's business community.

Upcoming Events

View the Historic Alexandria Calendar

The Women of Lee-Fendall
Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden
614 Oronoco Street
Saturday, March 7
11 a.m. - noon
$15, Free for museum members
Purchase tickets.

This special house tour will take you through the lives of some of the women who lived and worked in the Lee-Fendall House over the years as a private home and even when it became a museum in 1974. Learn about their struggles and achievements as women, wives, educators, workers, mothers, performers, and activists.

Carlyle House Family Fun Day
Carlyle House Historic Park, 121 N. Fairfax Street
Saturday, March 7 (first Saturday of the month from March- November)
Noon-3pm
Free

Read and craft with your friends on the Carlyle House front lawn for Family Fun Day on the first Saturday of the month from March-November! You can sit in on story time and participate in crafts and other activities that relate to the theme of the month. Please note that there is no Family Fun Day in July. This program is for all ages, though some of the crafts might be challenging for guests under 4. There is no fee to join this program, but donations are encouraged.

Rescheduled: Preservation of Carlyle House: What if we could do it over?
Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum, 201 S Washington Street
Saturday, March 7
4-6 p.m.
$12 per person, Friends of Carlyle House members: $6/person with code
Purchase tickets.

Four years after the passage of The National Historic Preservation Act, the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority (NOVA Parks) began a daunting task: the restoration of the Carlyle House, an Aquia creek stone building in Alexandria, VA. Fauber Garbee, Inc., Architects directed the extensive restoration and research of Carlyle's 1753 home and the long forgotten stories associated with the house.

Join members of the original restoration team Sharon Park, FAIA, FAPT, LEED AP and Baird M. Smith, FAIA FAPT along with other preservation professionals to examine the specific conservation, repair and restoration steps undertaken 50 years ago. Then delve into a dialogue exploring whether the same paths would be taken today and why or why not.

The presentation begins at 4 p.m. followed by a panel discussion and a moderated question and answer session .Join us for the opportunity to network with other professionals afterwards for some refreshments.

Tables of Conscience

Tables of Conscience book-themed dinners, held in the homes of ACRP Members, are an opportunity to have in-depth discussions on important issues with others who care deeply about equality and social justice. The entire $125 donation goes to this year's Memorial Scholarships in the names of Alexandria's two known lynching victims, Joseph McCoy (1897) and Benjamin Thomas (1899). To attend one of these dinners Reserve a space here for free, then pay $125 per ticket by donating on our campaign page with the Scholarship Fund of Alexandria. (The book is not included in the ticket price. Please purchase at a local bookstore when possible.)

Crusade for Justice by Ida B. Wells
Saturday, March 7
6-9 p.m.
4 Seats Available
Reserve a space.
Donate $125 per ticket on our campaign page.

Ida B. Wells' autobiography inspires readers to stand up and speak up for justice. Her pros are not antiquated; on the contrary, they are clear, concise, and direct. This book provides an intimate insight into the perspective of a woman born into slavery, who grew up watching Black people become citizens, write state constitutions, and serve in legislatures, only to then see their positions and rights taken away. Her parents died when she was young, and she taught school while taking care of her younger siblings. She began writing for the church newspaper and discovered her talent for reporting. She soon became the voice of her generation; she was as much a civil rights crusader as those who came after her.

An English Tory in Old Town: An Examination of the Journals of Nicholas Cresswell
Presented by public historian Ken Bancroft
Monday, March 9, 2026
7-8 p.m. Via Zoom
Free
registration required.

This engaging lecture examines the Revolutionary era through the journals of Nicholas Cresswell, who documented life in Virginia from 1774 to 1777 from a rare Tory perspective. His observations of Old Town Alexandria provide a fascinating and often overlooked angle on the American Revolution.

Cécilia in Concert at the Historic Lyceum
Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum, 201 S Washington Street
Tuesday, March 10
7 p.m.
$40 per person; $12 for ages 12-17
Purchase Tickets

Widely recognized as three of Canada's finest musicians, it is a pleasure to see how much enjoyment Timi Turmel, Erin Leahy, and Louis Schryer
find playing together. While honouring their heritage as Cécilia, their music making has an undeniably fresh and high-spirited sound.

They bring the best of many musical worlds together in their explorations of traditional, Celtic and Quebecois music. Every one of their pieces is skillfully arranged and highlighted with influences from contemporary, classical, jazz and swing styles. Cécilia's recent debut album Accent is an impressive offering full of vibrant rhythms and melodies, all resonating with a unique warmth and richness of expression.

Historic Happy Hours
Il Porto, 121 King Street, Alexandria
Thursday, March 12
5-7:30 p.m.

Join us for Historic Happy Hours to learn more about the research taking place in Historic Alexandria. 10% of all checks will benefit Historic Alexandria and America250 events.

Upcoming Historic Happy Hours:

March 12 - Il Porto
Presentation topic: Science, Pseudoscience, Humbug, & Magic at The Lyceum

April 9 - Vola's Dockside Grill
Presentation topic: 1814 :A Tale of Two Cities, Two Men, and One Song

May 14 - O'Connell's Irish Pub

June 11 - The Wharf

Beyond the Battlefield: A Civil War Walking Tour of Alexandria
Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden, 614 Oronoco Street
Saturday, March 14
10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
$15, Free for museum members
Purchase tickets.

This walking tour tells the stories of soldiers, citizens, and self-liberated African Americans in Civil War Alexandria.

This walking tour shares the stories of soldiers, citizens, and self-liberated African Americans in Civil War Alexandria. It covers the military occupation, the conversion of public and private buildings into hospitals, and emancipation.

Tickets are $15 per person and must be purchased in advance. The tour is limited to 12 participants and lasts approximately an hour and a half. Walking tours take place rain or shine, so please wear appropriate shoes and clothing.

An Evening of Irish Music
Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum, 201 S Washington Street
Saturday, March 14
7 p.m.
Tickets $10 / $15 at the door. Children 17 & Under $5. Free Snacks. Beer & wine for sale.
Purchase tickets.

Celebrate St. Patrick's Day early with The Irish Breakfast Band. Most Irish Breakfast Band performances feature 15 or more musicians, often several fiddles and flutes, a guitar or two, a drummer, a hammered dulcimer, banjo, pipes, and at least one vocalist. The band performs extensively in the Washington Metropolitan area at festivals and other events including the Washington Folk Festival, Art on the Avenue (in Alexandria) and local concert series. Proceeds from ticket sales, cash bar, and tips benefit the Office of Historic Alexandria.

Carlyle House: Self Guided Sundays
Carlyle House Historic Park, 121 N. Fairfax Street
Sunday, March 15
Noon - 3 p.m.
$5 per person (children 5 and under are free)

On the third Sunday of every month, explore the first floor of Carlyle House at your own pace. Docents will be available throughout the house if you have questions. Tickets can only be purchased the day of in the museum shop.

Lecture Series: An Overview of the Fashions in America During the Time Period of the Carlyle House
Carlyle House Historic Park, 121 N. Fairfax Street
Sunday, March 15
1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
$12 per person
Purchase Tickets

Fashion historian Emma Rowland, will be presenting a lecture on the fashions that were popular during the Carlyle House and ground's time as a home, hospital, and boarding house. She will also have a portion of her antique clothing collection on display.

This program is non-refundable unless the museum cancels the program. Having trouble registering? Please call 703-549-2997 or email [email protected]

Alexandria Association Lecture Series
Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum, 201 S Washington Street
Monday, March 16
7:30 p.m. lecture. Light refreshments at 7 p.m.
Suggested Guest Contribution: $10 (To register guests ahead of the lecture, contact Karen Paul at [email protected])
Alexandria Association Members: Free

Lecture Topic: The Antiques and Architecture of Brick Meeting House, Maryland: 1700-1870

Lecture Presenter: Jeffrey Ricketts, Owner of East Nottingham Antiques and Board Member of the Cecil Historical Trust and the Historical Society of Cecil County.

Description: The lecture is focused on a 3-mile radius of Brick Meeting House Maryland, and includes the best homes from this small area. Many families still living there have remained in the same homes since the beginning of the eighteenth century. Ricketts will also discuss the
furnishings he has tracked down in private and public collections that were part of the original furnishings of the homes. Among the topics discussed will be four generations of Quaker clockmakers, long lost seventeenth century furniture, applique quilts and more.

Membership Information and the Association Calendar are available at: alexandriaassociation.org

Grown-Up Field Trip: Media Remix at the Alexandria Black History Museum
1315 Duke Street
Friday, March 20
6:30 p.m.
$15 per person, Historic Alexandria Members: $12/person
Reserve tickets.

For the 100th anniversary of Black History Month, venture out on a field trip series for adults highlighting African American history around Alexandria. Explore objects and primary sources, dive into conversations, and be ready to be hands-on as you learn more about Alexandria and African American history. All field trips are based on ones offered to school-age children, but with extra time, so we can go even deeper!

Alexandria Forum: Nothing But Independence
Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum, 201 S Washington Street
Saturday, March 21
8:30 a.m.
Tickets $60 per person, Historic Alexandria Members and Students: $40/person
Includes reception.
Purchase tickets.

The American Revolution in Virginia was more than a war - it was a Revolution of Ideas that continues today. From the creation of the Fairfax Resolves to the hometown of George Washington, Alexandria and this region played a unique role in the birth of the new nation. The Alexandria Forum, in partnership with Emerging Revolutionary War, will share the history of Alexandria and Northern Virginia during this critical time in history, showcasing how these moments in time reverberate through today.

The forum begins with coffee, tea, and breakfast at 8:30 a.m. followed by welcome remarks. Two morning keynotes include "A Tory in Old Town, The Revolutionary War Journal of Nicholas Cresswell" by public historian Ken Bancroft and "The 25 Who Signed: Researching the Fairfax Resolves Signers" by Kerry Mitchell, Historic Site Specialist at Carlyle House Historic Park. After participants have lunch on their own in Old Town Alexandria, speakers will share recent research highlights. The final keynote will be "Prelude to Yorktown: Lafayette and the 1781 Virginia Campaign" by Dr. John Maass, Education Specialist at the National Museum of the United States Army. The Forum will end with a reception at the museum.

Alexandria Women's History Walk
221 King Street, in the garden of the Visitor's Center
Saturday, March 21
Noon - 2 p.m.
Free
Click here to RSVP.

Join Alexandria Celebrates Women for a monthly walking tour highlighting Alexandria's heroines of the past. As the United States prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday, Alexandria Celebrates Women!

Did you know Alexandria was home to one of the most revered female fundraisers of the American Revolution, or that President Woodrow Wilson sent an Alexandria woman on a mission aboard a U.S. battleship?

If you have wondered how women helped put our city on the map, now is your chance to learn about them.

Alexandria Celebrates Women (ACW) will continue its contribution to America's 250th anniversary by leading a series of Women's History Walks on the third Saturday of the month throughout 2026!

Join ACW Vice President Gayle Converse on a three-mile trek through the city, while making brief outdoor stops at historic sites associated with women to discuss Alexandria's heroines of the past and the history of each site. Participants are welcome to join all or any portion of the Walk.

Fashion and Women's Liberation: The Role of Clothing in the Fight for Suffrage
Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden, 614 Oronoco Street
Saturday, March 21
2 - 3 p.m.
$15, Free for museum members
Nearly Sold Out -get tickets here

Join Emma Rowland for an engaging exploration of how clothing became a powerful tool in the women's suffrage movement. Drawing on her Master's degree in Public Policy and extensive experience in U.S. domestic politics, Emma will analyze the political forces that drove fashion changes between the 1850s and 1920s. Discover how reformers challenged the typical fashions of the day as a barrier to women's participation in public life, how the bloomer movement sparked national controversy, and how suffragists strategically used white dresses and yellow roses as visual indicators in their campaigns.

Through authentic antique garments from Emma's personal collection, attendees will see firsthand how changes in silhouette and acceptable styles reflected and enabled women's expanding roles beyond the domestic sphere. This lecture offers a unique perspective on women's history, combining rigorous policy analysis with material culture to reveal how the fight for suffrage was woven into the fabric of everyday life.

Alexandria Archaeology Summer Camp - Registration Opens March 10
Alexandria Archaeology Summer Camp
Monday - Friday, June 22-26
9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Ages 13 - 15
$400, with scholarships available
Registration is limited; apply here

Help City archaeologists excavate a real archaeological site and preserve Alexandria's historic resources! Campers, ages 13 - 15, will learn scientific excavating and artifact processing methods.

Registration opens on Tuesday, March 10. Registration is limited and applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis. The week-long camp is $400 with scholarships available. Sign up by first making a payment for the camp at The Alexandria Shop or by calling 703.746.4399, and then sending in an application online or picking up forms from the Alexandria Archaeology Museum, 105 N Union St., #327. Refunds cannot be made after May 1, 2026. Camper space is not guaranteed until payment is made.

Historic Alexandria Receives 2026 Chocolate History Grant

Historic Alexandria has been awarded the prestigious Forrest E. Mars Jr. Chocolate History Grant to expand 18th-century chocolate programming, highlighting Alexandria's role in early American trade and culture.

Presented February 20, 2026, at the Heritage Chocolate Society's annual conference in Washington, D.C., the award was one of six grants totaling $52,800 nationwide. Established in 2013, the Forrest E. Mars Jr. Chocolate History Grant supports research and public programming exploring chocolate's global history and cultural impact.

Funding awarded to Historic Alexandria will support a live historic chocolate demonstration at the Sails on the Potomac Festival (June 12-14, 2026), anchoring the event's "250th History Village"-a cluster of tents featuring local history museums and organizations alongside four tourable tall ships.

The demonstration draws on Gadsby's Tavern Museum's successful chocolate programs, from the Junior Docent initiative to ongoing research on chocolate and 18th-century trade in Alexandria.

For more information about the Heritage Chocolate Society, visit https://www.americanheritagechocolate.com/

Support Historic Alexandria

Your gift fuels preservation, education, and programs that bring Alexandria's past to life. Donations, special revenue, and grants make it possible to expand educational programs, conserve treasured collections, and support our dedicated staff. Your gift today helps preserve Alexandria's history for generations to come.

Historic Alexandria Museum Hours

Plan your Visit

Alexandria Archaeology Museum
Tuesdays-Fridays, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Saturdays, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sundays, 1 -5 p.m.

Alexandria Black History Museum
Thursdays & 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 & Fridays, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Saturdays, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sundays, 1 - 5 p.m.

Fort Ward Museum
Thursdays & Fridays, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Saturdays, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sundays, 1 - 5 p.m.

Freedom House
Thursdays & Fridays, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Saturdays, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sundays, 1 - 5 p.m.

Friendship Firehouse Museum
Next open on Saturday, March 14, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Gadsby's Tavern Museum
Thursdays & Fridays, 11 a.m.- 4 p.m., Saturdays, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sundays, 1- 5 p.m.

Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum
Wednesdays-Fridays, 11 a.m.- 4 p.m., Saturdays, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sundays 1 - 5 p.m.

Virginia 250 Passport

Historic Alexandria is proud to join 70 premier historic destinations across Virginia in the launch of the Virginia 250 Passport, a first-of-its-kind statewide tourism journey celebrating America's 250th. Featured Alexandria museums include Gadsby's Tavern Museum, the Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum, and the Alexandria Black History Museum. The passport offers prizes and discounts to encourage families to explore Virginia's rich history together. Beginning November 11, 2025, free passports will be available at major historic sites and Virginia Welcome Centers. Learn more at VirginiaHistory.org/250Passport.

New Exhibit: "Disease and the Apothecary" - Now open

Explore how epidemics like Smallpox, Yellow Fever, and Influenza shaped Alexandria's past and how science and public health saved lives. Included with admission. Free for Alexandria residents! The new exhibit is also available online.

New Exhibit: Union Navy Exhibition at Fort Ward Museum

A new exhibition, "Aboard Ship with the Jack-Tars of the Union Navy," opened October 2 at the City of Alexandria's Fort Ward Museum. The exhibit focuses on the U.S. Navy during the Civil War and is being held in recognition of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the U.S. Navy on October 13, 1775. The exhibition will continue through 2026. The exhibit, with pictures of select objects, is also available online.

Explore with Ease - The New Museum Mobility Guide

Historic Alexandria and the Department of Transportation & Environmental Services (T&ES) have launched a colorful, easy-to-use map and guide connecting all of Alexandria's museums via walking, biking, and transit. The guide also acts as a passport-visit every site and earn a prize! Available at museums, rec centers, public libraries, and more.

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 [email protected] or call 703.746.4554, Virginia Relay 711.

This Week in Alexandria's History

More from This Day in History

On March 4, 1827, St. Mary's Catholic Church, the oldest Catholic parish in Virginia, was officially consecrated. The cornerstone had been set the summer before and, when completed, the church building measured 45 feet by 60 feet. The church is said to have been started in 1795 when Colonel John Fitzgerald, a close friend and associate of George Washington and an early mayor of Alexandria, took up a collection to fund construction of a small chapel at the southern end of South Washington Street, now the site of St. Mary's Cemetery, where the street ended at the edge of Great Hunting Creek. According to local tradition, Washington himself made the first contribution to the effort to provide a house of worship for Catholics in Northern Virginia. In 1810, St. Mary's moved to a new building closer to town, at 310 South Royal Street where it remains today. The land on which the original chapel once stood is still in use today as St. Mary's Cemetery.

Upcoming Commission and Committee Events

Commissions Supporting Historic Alexandria

• March 3 Public Records Advisory Commission
  Archives and Records Center, 801 South Payne Street
  7:30 p.m.

• March 8 Dundee Visit-Sister Cities Committee Sub-Committee
  Misha's (6 Prince Street)
  Noon

• March 9 Alexandria-Caen Sister City Committee
  Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington Street
  7-9 p.m.

• March 9 Committee of Inquiry's research team meeting
  Alexandria Black History Museum
  7 p.m.

• March 11 Alexandria Historical Restoration and Preservation Commission (AHRPC)
  Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington Street
  8 a.m.

• March 11 Alexandria Community Remembrance Project Steering Committee
  Alexandria Black History Museum, 902 Wythe Street
  5:30 p.m.

• March 16 George Washington Birthday Celebration Committee
  Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington Street
  7-9 p.m.

• March 17 Historic Alexandria Resources Commission
  Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington Street
  7-9 p.m.

• March 18 Alexandria Archaeological Commission
  Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington Street
  7-9 p.m.

• March 23 Sister Cities Committee (SCC) - Dundee and Helsingborg
  Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington Street
  7-8:30 p.m.