This Week in Historic Alexandria - September 29, 2025

September 29-OCTOBER 5, 2025

What's New

FEATURED EVENT

Celebrate Virginia Archaeology Month

The Virginia Department of Historic Resources celebrates Archaeology Month each October with special events and programs throughout the state. The City of Alexandria has a long history of archaeological stewardship, built on decades of community-based archaeological efforts. Join the celebrations by attending events and programs highlighting important archaeological sites and preservation efforts across the City.

Slip into the Past at Art Safari
Saturday, October 25, 12 - 4 p.m.
Alexandria Archaeology Museum, 105 N Union Street, 3rd floor
Free, no registration required

Experiment with 19th-century pottery slip designs, like marbling and dendritic patterns, and apply your own temporary tattoo in the style of transfer printed ceramic, while supplies last. This activity coincides with Art Safari at the Torpedo Factory Art Center.

For the full schedule of events and more information, visit alexandriava.gov/Archaeology.

Meet Us at the Market!

Talk with archaeologists about recent projects in the city.

North Old Town Farmer's Market - The Alexandria Canal
Sunday, October 5, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Montgomery Park, 901 N Royal Street

Old Town Farmer's Market - Become a Steward of Buried History
Saturday, October 11, 7 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Market Square, 301 King Street

West End Farmer's Market - Preserving Historic Ships
Sunday, October 12, 8:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Ben Brenman Park, 4800 Ben Brenman Park Drive

Ben Brenman Awards
Tuesday, October 28, 7 p.m.
Alexandria City Council Meeting

The Alexandria Archaeological Commission (AAC) presents awards for those who enhance the City's archaeological resources.

Upcoming Events

View the Historic Alexandria Calendar

Carlyle House Family Fun Day-Pumpkin Party
Carlyle House Historic Park, 121 N. Fairfax Street
Saturday, October 4 (first Saturday of the month from April - November)
Noon-3 p.m.
Free

Join your friends on the Carlyle House Magnolia Terrace for Family Fun Day on the first Saturday of the month from April-November! From 12-3 p.m., you can sit in on story time that starts at the top of the hour and participate in crafts and other activities that relate to the theme of the month. 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.

Specialty Tour: Poisons at the Apothecary Museum
Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum, 105-107 S. Fairfax St.
Saturday, October 4, 18, and 31
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 non-profit mission.

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

Traditional Music Series Concert - Critton Hollow String Band
Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum, 201 S. Washington Street
Friday, October 10
10-11:30 a.m.
$28, $10 for ages 17 and under
Purchase tickets

Traditional Music Series concert featuring the Critton Hollow String Band. Since 1975, the Critton Hollow String Band has brought traditional American music to audiences throughout the United States, Canada, Japan, Ireland, and Scotland. With fiddle, hammer dulcimer, banjo, and guitar, the band tends a stable of songs from the first settlements of Appalachia to the best of contemporary American folk music. The three members of the band - Joe Herrmann, Sam Herrmann, and Joe Fallon - combine precise instrumentation, melodic interplay, and three part harmony to create a warm and engaging sound. Free snacks/beer and wind for sale. Your name will be on a check-in list at the door. Co-sponsored by the North American Morris Dance Organization and the Office of Historic Alexandria.

For more information, direct questions to [email protected].

Beyond the Battlefield: A Civil War Walking Tour of Alexandria
Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden, 614 Oronoco St.
Saturday, October 11
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.

Tickets are $15 to the general public and free for museum members. 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. Members of Lee-Fendall House are free but must call or email to make a reservation (703) 548-1789 or [email protected].

Civil War Hospital Tour
Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden, 614 Oronoco St.
Saturday, October 11
2-3 p.m.
$15
Purchase tickets

Learn how the Lee-Fendall House was confiscated during the Civil War and operated as a Union Army hospital. Explore what life was like in Union-occupied Alexandria, how the Lee-Fendall House witnessed medical history, and how political divisions impacted those living here.

The tour is limited to 12 participants. Members, please call the museum to reserve your ticket. Please e-mail [email protected] or call (703) 548-1789 with any questions.

Tables of Conscience Dinners
The Souls of Black Folk, W.E.B. Dubois
Sunday, October 12
6-9 p.m.
$125 donation per person
Reserve a space here for free, then pay $125 per ticket by donating on our campaign page with the Scholarship Fund of Alexandria.

Back and better than ever, the Alexandria Community Remembrance Project (ACRP) will hold book-themed dinners to raise money for the scholarships in the names of Joseph McCoy and Benjamin Thomas. About a week before the dinner, those who reserved spots will receive an email with the name and address of the hosts. Please indicate at registration if you have any food allergies or strong preferences. Hosts will do their best to accommodate guest requests.

Each reservation requires a $125 donation per person; visit (https://www.alexandriava.gov/historic-alexandria/tables-of-conscience-fundraiser) for additional information on payment. The dinner's discussion book must be purchased separately from a local bookstore.

Take the opportunity to read W.E.B. Du Bois ' collection of essays that expose the insidious magnitude of racism in American society. The work is a cornerstone of African American literature that helps readers better understand the Black experience after Emancipation and during Jim Crow. Dubois published his insights in 1903, yet they remain relevant today, as does his vision for a better future.

Help ACRP Share Our Whole History with ACHS Students

The Alexandria Community Remembrance Project (ACRP) still needs funds for the Banned Truth Tour for our Alexandria City High School (ACHS) students. Please consider donating - learn more and donate on ACRP's campaign page.

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 visitors as the exterior restoration is completed. We plan to reopen in November 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, October 11, 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-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 guideconnecting all of Alexandria's museums via walking, biking, and transit. The guidealso 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 October 1, 1931 the Alexandria City Council appointed the George Washington Bicentennial Commission to arrange and promote activities in Alexandria associated with the 200th birthday of our nation's first president. Chaired by former Mayor William Albert Smoot, who resided at Lloyd House, now the headquarters for the Office of Historic Alexandria., the celebration would be one of the first to officially promote Alexandria as a tourism destination. Not only did Washington regard Alexandria as his hometown, but he had even helped survey the land that became Alexandria when he was just 17 years of age. Among the major physical landmarks that grew out of the Bicentennial Commemoration are the George Washington Masonic National Memorial and the George Washington Memorial Parkway.

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.

• October 15 Alexandria Archaeological Commission
  Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington Street
  7-9 p.m.

• October 20 Alexandria Sister City Committee - Dundee and Helsingborg
  City Hall, 301 King Street, Sister Cities Room 1101
  7 - 8:30 p.m.

• October 20 George Washington Birthday Celebration Committee (GWBCC)
  Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington Street
  7 - 9 p.m.

• October 21 Historic Alexandria Resources Commission (HARC)
  Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington Street
  7-9 p.m.