This Week in Historic Alexandria - September 22, 2025

September 22-28, 2025

What's New

FEATURED EVENT

Specialty Tour: Outlandish Apothecary
Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum, 105-107 S. Fairfax St.
Sunday, September 28
11 a.m. - noon
$15, $12 for Historic Alexandria Members
Purchase tickets

Tour this historic apothecary and learn about a few of the herbal medicines featured in Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series of novels from cascara to dauco seeds. The tour also touches on the role of apothecaries and women in medicine in the 18th century. Recommended for ages 18 and up. Please arrive between 10:45-11:00 a.m. as the museum is not open to the public until 1 p.m. and the doors will be locked when the tour begins. Please note the tour involves ascending and descending stairs.

Upcoming Events

View the Historic Alexandria Calendar

Proximity to Power: Rethinking Race and Place in Alexandria
An evening with Dr. Krystyn R. Moon
Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum, 201 S. Washington St.
Wednesday, September 24
7 p.m. (doors open at 6:30 p.m.), light refreshments will be available
$5, free for AHS members
Learn more

The Alexandria Historical Society invites the public to a thought-provoking evening with Dr. Krystyn R. Moon, who will present Proximity to Power: Rethinking Race and Place in Alexandria. Dr. Moon will explore how Alexandria's proximity to the nation's capital shaped African Americans' access to schools, transportation, and resources compared with other southern towns. The program highlights the long-standing advocacy of Alexandria's Black residents from the nineteenth century to today. For more information, visit alexandriahistoricalsociety.org or email [email protected].

Yoga on the Magnolia Terrace-Happy Hour
Carlyle House Historic Park, 121 N. Fairfax St.
Thursday, September 25
6 - 7:30 p.m.
$20 admission
Purchase tickets.

Join Friends of Carlyle House for a special outdoor yoga class on our picturesque Magnolia Terrace with themed mocktails to be provided afterwards!

Join a yoga instructor for an hour long Yoga class on Carlyle's Magnolia Terrace. Afterwards, enjoy a mocktail with yoga participants and staff. 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.

Lecture: Inside the French Resistance
Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum, 201 S. Washington St.
Thursday, September 25
7 p.m.
$15, $12 for Historic Alexandria Members
Purchase tickets.
Sponsored by Alexandria-Caen Sister City Committee

Alexandria-based author Tom Young will introduce key players in the French Resistance and discuss the history behind his new World War II novel, "The Mapmaker." The novel is set within the French Resistance and the air operations that supported it. "The Mapmaker" follows fictional Resistance operative Charlotte Denneau who has critical targeting information for the allies, and the Gestapo knows it. On the run across occupied France, she must prioritize her mission over the lives of the agents and civilians she needs to help her escape. Tom Young served in Iraq, Afghanistan, and dozens of other countries. A retired airline captain, he now works as an aviation consultant. He has written nine novels, a novella, and one nonfiction book.

Book signing and wine and dessert reception to follow the lecture!

Tavern Games Night - The Alexandria Canal and Commerce
Gadsby's Tavern Museum, 134 N. Royal St.
Friday, September 26
7 -9 p.m.
$10
Tickets can be purchased online.

Join us for our Game Night series, this month featuring a brief presentation and pub trivia about the Alexandria Canal and Commerce. Doors open at 7 p.m. with presentation around 7:30 p.m. Tavern games and cash bar available throughout. Please note this event takes place up one flight of stairs in the historic Ballroom of Gadsby's Tavern Museum.

Cover includes tavern games and pub trivia on all things canal!

The construction of the Alexandria Canal began in 1831, the year that the Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) Canal opened. It opened for traffic in Alexandria in 1843 and was completed down to the Potomac River by 1845. The Canal required the aqueduct bridge and the C&O Canal to be in service and all were expensive and difficult to maintain. The Alexandria Canal was out of commission during the Civil War, reopened in 1867, and then ceased operation in 1886 when the Aqueduct Bridge was damaged.

Beyond the Battlefield: A Civil War Walking Tour of Alexandria
Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden, 614 Oronoco St.
Saturday, September 27
10-11:30 a.m.
$15
Purchase tickets

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.Members of Lee-Fendall House are free but must call or email to make a reservation 703.548.1789 or [email protected].

Civil War Artillery Day
Fort Ward Park Museum, 4301 W. Braddock Rd.
Saturday, September 27
10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Free

Learn about the daily life of artillerymen in the Defenses of Washington in this living history program presented by the 1st Connecticut Heavy Artillery, a unit that was stationed at Fort Ward during the Civil War. The program features equipment and camp life displays, and cannon firing demonstrations. Event is weather dependent.

Mortar & Pestle Society 90th Anniversary Gala!
George Washington Masonic National Memorial, 101 Callahan Dr.
Monday, September 29
6:30 - 9 p.m.
$100 per person, Sponsorships ($250-$3,000)
Purchase tickets.

Alexandria's Mortar & Pestle Society invites you to its milestone celebration honoring 90 years of preserving pharmacy history and civic heritage through the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum. The gala will bring together national pharmacy leaders, preservation advocates, civic partners, and local supporters for a shared evening of connection, celebration, and shared purpose. Don't miss this evening of Legacy and Leadership!

Held at the iconic George Washington Masonic National Memorial, this event will include guided rooftop viewing opportunities offering breathtaking panoramic views of Alexandria and Washington, D.C. Don't miss this evening of Legacy and Leadership!

This celebration coincides with the Joint Commission of Pharmacy Practitioners (JCPP) meeting, providing a chance to engage with association CEOs, presidents, and senior leaders in pharmacy from across the country.

Join the Society for an incredible cocktail party that includes an historical look back, drinks, and heavy hors d'oeuvres.

Specialty Tour: Poisons at the Apothecary Museum
Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum, 105-107 S. Fairfax St.
Saturday, October 4
6-7 p.m.
$15, $12 for Historic Alexandria Members
Purchase tickets

Celebrate the spooky season and explore the sinister side of medicine on the Apothecary Museum's Poisons Tour. This one-hour tour explores several different types of poisons, their historic uses at the Apothecary, and what we know today. Recommended for ages 18 and up. Please arrive between 5:45-6 p.m. as the museum will close to the public at 5:00pm and the doors will be locked when the tour begins at 6 p.m.

Sips & Secrets: A Speakeasy Night
Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden, 614 Oronoco St.
Saturday, October 4
7-10 p.m.
$97.88 per person (incl. $7.88 fee), sponsorship opportunities available
Purchase tickets

Please join the friends, board, and staff of the Lee-Fendall House Museum in our historic garden for the return of Alexandria's best party, Sips & Secrets: A Speakeasy Night. Sips & Secrets honors Lee-Fendall House's Prohibition-era history, when we were home to one of Alexandria's liquor wholesalers (and suspected bootleggers!).

It features lots of fun speakeasy surprises, including dancing to live jazz and ragtime, and a costume contest for the best flapper or mobster style, 1920s-style cocktails, and more. Sips & Secrets supports the museum's ongoing work in historic preservation, education, and community engagement. Host committee, sponsorship, and silent auction opportunities are available for those interested in supporting Lee-Fendall's nonprofit mission.

To inquire, please contact Megan Ritter Judt, event chair, at [email protected].

Farmer's Market Pop-Up
North Old Town Farmer's Market, Montgomery Park, 901 N. Royal St.
Sunday, October 5
9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Free

Meet us at the Market! Celebrate Virginia Archaeology Month with Alexandria Archaeology. This October, celebrate Alexandria's buried history with events and market pop-ups from the West End to Old Town. On October 5, learn about recent archaeological work in North Old Town.

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
Closed to Visitors During Front Door Restoration
Freedom House Museum is temporarily closed to visitorsas the exterior restoration is completed. We plan to reopen in fall of 2025.

To learn more about the ongoing rehabilitation, visit the Freedom House Rehabilitation Project page. Project updates will be posted regularly on the Freedom House webpage.

Friendship Firehouse Museum
Saturday, September 27, 10 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-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.

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.

CIDER FESTIVAL 2025 - Tickets on Sale Now! Purchase tickets.

Celebrate Virginia Cider Week with a special tasting event on the grounds of historic Lloyd House in Old Town Alexandria. Event ticket includes cider tastings, a souvenir glass, live music, tavern games, access to a food truck, and a little history too! Tickets $50 per person through November 2, $55 November 3-21, and $25 for designated drivers. Online sales end at 5 p.m. on Friday, November 21. After that, tickets can be purchased at the door for $65. Dress for the weather - the event is outdoors! Festival open 1 to 5 p.m. Proceeds from the Cider Festival will benefit the Historic Alexandria Museums.

2025 Historic Alexandria Holiday Ornament - Available Now in Historic Alexandria museum stores and in our online store!

Celebrate Alexandria's 19th-century canal history with this beautifully crafted, American-made brass ornament. This year's design honors the Alexandria Canal, featuring a canal boat exiting Lock No. 4 heading eastward toward the Potomac River, uncovered by archaeologists in the winter of 2025 on N. Pitt Street. The Alexandria Canal was in use from 1843 to 1886. Learn more here.

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 September 22, 1897, African Americans in Alexandria commemorated the anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, 34 years after it was issued, with a celebration at the Third Baptist Church. The featured speaker was John Mercer Langston, the first African American elected to Congress from Virginia.

Upcoming Commission and Committee Events

Commissions Supporting Historic Alexandria

• September 30 Alexandria Archaeological Commission Subcommittee - Wilkes Street Cemetery National Register Application
  Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington Street
  7-9 p.m.

• October 8 Alexandria Historical Restoration and Preservation Commission
  Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington Street
  8-9:15 a.m.