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Nowhere in the country will one find as many
historic buildings,
artifacts and sites than in the Washington
D.C. metro area. The nation's capital has long
preserved much of the historic treasures that
belong to the American people. With the long
list of incredible historic venues, we can
only provide a brief summary of what the area
has to offer.
Beall-Dawson House
- An early 19th-century Federal-style house
with interiors designed in the neoclassical
style by Robert Adam, the house is adjacent
to The Doctor’s Museum which displays
19th-century
instruments. / 103 W. Montgomery Ave. / Rockville
MD / 301-762-1492 / Modest Fee covers both
properties
C & O Canal Boat
Trips - It's a one hour boat trip
each way through the historic district and
national park. Tickets may be obtained at the
Great Falls Tavern and the Georgetown Ranger
Stations. / depart from two locations - Great
Falls Tavern / 301-299-3613 and in Georgetown
/ 202-653-5190 / Modest Fee
Fort Washington
- The first fortification built to protect
the capital, it was destroyed in 1812. Rebuilt
in 1824, the moated masonry structure is an
outstanding example of 19th-century coastal
fortification. / Ft. Washington Rd. / Oxon
Hill MD / 301-763-4600 / Modest Fee
Great Falls Tavern &
Museum/ Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National
Historic Park - An 1828 structure
built along the canal route, the tavern houses
historic exhibits about the canal and presents
films and cultural programs to the public about
the park. Tickets may be purchased here for
the C & O Canal Boat trips. / 11710 MacArthur
Blvd. / 301-299-3613 / Admission Free
National Colonial Farm
- A living history museum that explores farm
life on an 18th-century tobacco plantation,
nature trails and an organic vegetable farm
adjoin the plantation. / 4 miles w of SR 373
& 210. / Accokeek MD / 301-283-2113
/ Modest Fee
Oxon Hill Farm
- An early American, 17th-century farm complete
with appropriate breeds of livestock, farm
implements, gardens and buildings. Wagon rides
are available on weekends, picnics are permitted.
/ Oxon Hill Rd off exit 3A I-95 / Oxon Hill
MD / 301-839-1176 / Free
Surratt House and Museum
- Restored 1852 house and tavern of Mary Surratt
and first place John Wilkes Booth came when
he made his escape from Washington after the
assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Mary was
hanged for her alleged part in the President’s
death. It remains to be seen if she was an
innocent victim or guilty of the crime she
was tried for by a military commission. / 9118
Brandywine Rd. / Clinton MD / 301-868-1121
/ Modest Fee
Carlyle House
- John Carlyle constructed his Georgian stone
mansion in 1752, in the manor and style of
William Adam, an architect from his homeland
in Scotland. The house was used as a headquarters
in 1755 by British officers to plan strategies
during the French and Indian Wars./ 121 N.
Fairfax St. / Alexandria VA / 703-549-2997
/ Modest Fee
The Claude Moore Colonial
Farm at Turkey Run - Visit a scaled-down
version of a low-income family homestead of
the 18th-century. A living museum, costumed
interpreters recreate the lifestyle of the
period farmers, along with the appropriately
grown crops, animals and the tools they used
for daily tasks. / SR 193 / McLean VA / 703-422-7557
/  Modest
Fee
Colvin Run Mill Historic
Site - A restored and working mill
from the 19th century, other buildings on the
site include the miller's house, barn and a
general store. / Colvin Run Rd. / Great Falls
VA / 703-759-2771 / Modest Fee
Friendship Firehouse
- Alexandria's first volunteer fire brigade
was founded in 1774 with George Washington
as one of the charter members. The existing
building dates to 1855 and is filled with displays
of fire fighting equipment, including hand
drawn fire engines. / 107 S. Alfred St. / Alexandria
VA / 703-838-3891 / Free Admission
Gadsby's Tavern Museum
- Consisting of two adjoining 18th-century
taverns, Gadsby's was the center Alexandria's
social and political life in the days during
and following the Revolution. Displayed are
the taproom, a ballroom, dining area and assembly
room, all with period furnishings. / 134 N.
Royal St. / Alexandria VA / 703-838-4242
/ Modest Fee
George Washington's River
Farm - Washington purchased the
farm in 1760 and perhaps planted the walnut
trees that stand on the property now. The site
is maintained by the American Horticultural
Society and oversees the gardens. The 1757
main house is furnished in period. / off George
Washington Memorial Pkwy. / Alexandria VA /
703-768-5700 / Free Admission
Gunston Hall Plantation
- Built in 1755, by George Mason, the Georgian
brick residence was designed by William Buckland.
A variety of wood carving styles are found
throughout along with 18th century and earlier
furnishings. The grounds are quite impressive
as well, with overlooks on the Potomac where
eagle spotting may be a great highlight of
one's visit. / SR 242 / Lorton VA / 703-550-9220
/ Modest Fee
Lee - Fendall House
- Built by Philip Richard Fendall in 1785,
the house was occupied for 118 years by members
of the Lee family. The house includes many
Lee possessions and period furnishings. / 614
Oronoco St. / Alexandria Va / 703-548-1789
/ Modest Fee
Lloyd House
- The 1797 house is a prime example of Georgian
architecture and now houses a library with
collections dating back to 1794. A Virginia
Research Collection on the second floor contains
materials on Alexandria and Virginia history
and genealogy. / 220 N. Washington St. / Alexandria
VA / 703-838-4577 / Free
Robert E. Lee Boyhood
Home - Lee lived here during two
periods of his formative years, the house is
shown as it was during special events that
occurred during its history. The house was
built in 1795 and is full of Adamesque woodwork
details./ 607 Oronoco St. / Alexandria VA /
703-548-8454 / Modest Fee
Manassas National Historic
Battlefield Park - During the first
two years of the Civil War, a strategic railroad
junction just south of this site was the prime
objective in both the First Battle of Manassas
and the Second Battle, most commonly known
as Bull Run. The first battle, in the early
days of the conflict brought out picnickers
from Washington D.C., to see the Union Army
crush the rebellious Confederate troops. After
10 hours of fighting, both the Union Army and
picnickers were forced to retreat back towards
the Potomac. The next year, the second battle
included the now battle-hardened troops of
both sides, yet the final bloody outcome of
Bull Run was basically the same. A visitor
center museum, Stone House field hospital,
statuary memorials, driving and walking tours
of the battlegrounds are all part of the Manassas
Battlefield experience. / SR 234 / Manassas
VA / 703-361-1339 / Modest Fee
Mount Vernon
- The main house overlooking the Potomac was
built in stages as farmer, soldier and statesman
George Washington could afford to add the additional
space. Inherited from his father's estate through
the death of his older half-brother in 1754,
George considered Mount Vernon and the plantation,
his true home and vocation. He continued to
add acreage to his estate throughout his lifetime.
This was where former President Washington
died in December 1799 and he was laid to rest
on his estate grounds. The mansion has been
restored as it appeared during the last year
of George's occupation of the home. Besides
his tomb, there are 12 outbuildings including
the Pioneer Farmer site which has quite a few
hands-on activities. The mansion contains most
of the original furnishings and includes many
personal possessions and momentoes of George
and Martha, as well as those of her granddaughter
Nelly Custis. / George Washington Memorial
Hwy. / Mount Vernon VA / 703-780-2000 /
Modest Fee
Oatlands -
Built in 1804 by the great-grandson of Robert
"King" Carter, Oatlands is a combination
of Greek Revival and Federalist period styles.
The home is furnished with the Eustis collection
of American and French art and antiques. There
are traditional terraced gardens around the
home and adjacent fields landscaped for point
to point racing. / US Rt. 15 / Leesburg VA
/ 703-777-3174 / Modest Fee
Pope-Leighey House
- A prime example of the Usonian architecture
style of Frank Lloyd Wright, this modest home
contains many of Wright's signature elements
of design as well as original furnishings created
by him. / Woodlawn Plantation grounds / Alexandria
VA / 703-780-4000 / Modest Fee
Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary
Museum - Founded by Quaker pharmacist
Edward Stabler in 1792, it is believed to by
the city's oldest standing mercantile venture.
Patrons of the apothecary included George Washington,
Robert E. Lee and James Monroe. / 105 S. Fairfax
St. / Alexandria Va / 703-863-3713 / Modest
Fee
Sully Historic Site
- The restored home of early congressman Richard
Bland Lee, uncle of Robert E. Lee, was built
in 1794. The grounds include many outbuildings
and the house has many antique pieces from
the Federal period. / SR 28 / Chantilly VA
/ 703-437-1794 / Modest Fee
Woodlawn Plantation
- Part of Mount Vernon, the home was deeded
by George Washington to his foster daughter
and nephew on their marriage. The architect
of this home was also the first architect on
the U.S. Capitol Building, Dr. William Thornton.
The home is decorated in 19th-century period
furnishings. / U.S. Rt. 1 / Alexandria VA /
703-780-4000 / Modest Fee
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