UPCOMING EVENTS
MARCH
In March the Lee-Fendall House Museum will be hosting a series of lectures, tours and events that will explore different aspects of the Civil War and its impact on Alexandria, and discuss in more depth the history of the house when it served as a Union hospital during the war.
MARCH 4 & 25 – Beyond the Battlefield: A Civil War Walking Tour of Alexandria, 10:00 AM: 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 (March 4 and March 25) 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. Members of Lee-Fendall House are free but must call (703) 548-1789 or email contact@leefendallhouse.org to make a reservation.
MARCH 4 & 25 – Civil War Hospital Tour, 2:00 PM: Learn about 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.
Tickets (March 4 and March 25) are $10 per person and must be purchased in advance. The tour is limited to 12 participants. Members of Lee-Fendall House are free but must call (703) 548-1789 or email contact@leefendallhouse.org to make a reservation.
MARCH 31 – Researching the Grosvenor Brach Hospital, 6:00 PM: In the summer of 2022, historians and volunteers from the Lee-Fendall House accessed the original hospital registers at the National Archives from when the house served as the Grosvenor Branch Hospital. These documents revealed many stories about the soldiers, medical staff, and civilians who were treated or worked at the site from 1863 to 1865. Join public historian Amanda Roper as she discusses some of the information discovered during this research process.
Tickets can be purchased in advance and are $10 per person. Members of Lee-Fendall House are free but must call (703) 548-1789 or email contact@leefendallhouse.org to make a reservation. Face masks are encouraged inside the museum.
APRIL
Find Easter eggs hidden in the Lee-Fendall garden during our popular annual egg hunt! Sessions also include crafts, games, and a visit from the Easter Bunny.
Sessions are offered on Saturday, April 1 at 11:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 1:00 PM, 2:00 PM, and 3:00 PM and on Saturday, April 8 at 11:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 1:00 PM, 2:00 PM, and 3:00 PM.
Attendance is limited and reservations MUST be made in advance. Tickets (April 1 and April 8) are $15 per participating child (age 2-12). Accompanying adults are $5 each and infants under 2 are free. Be sure to bring your own basket.
APRIL 14 – Homeschool Day: Gardens, 10 AM, 11 AM, 12 PM, 1 PM, and 2 PM: The Lee-Fendall House Museum welcomes homeschoolers for Homeschool Day on Friday, April 14! Our theme this spring will focus on the history of gardens as a source of food, medicine, and recreation. Learn how herbs were used to treat various ailments as well as flavor food. Activities will be taking place outdoors.
Optional tours of the house will be offered every hour starting at 10:00 AM and ending at 2:00 PM.
Tickets are $4 for Adults (age 18+), $6 for youth (age 3-17), and children under 3 are free. Advance registration is required. For more information, please call (703) 548-1789 or email contact@leefendallhouse.org.
APRIL 15 – Beyond the Battlefield: A Civil War Walking Tour of Alexandria, 10:00 AM: 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. Members of Lee-Fendall House are free but must call (703) 548-1789 or email contact@leefendallhouse.org to make a reservation.
APRIL 22 – Under the Same Roof: Enslaved and Free Workers at Lee-Fendall, 2:00 PM: Learn about the enslaved and free African Americans who lived and worked in the home, both before and after the Civil War. Hear the stories of their experiences and their contributions to the site and its history.
Tickets are $10 per person and must be purchased in advance. The tour is limited to 12 participants. Members of Lee-Fendall House are free but must call (703) 548-1789 or email contact@leefendallhouse.org to make a reservation.
APRIL 28 – Historic Garden Tour, 10:00 AM – Discover the history of the Lee-Fendall garden from its eighteenth century beginnings to the present. Learn how the use and appearance of the garden has changed over time and see recent efforts to restore the garden and create an educational space and urban wildlife habitat.
Tickets are $10 per person and must be purchased in advance. The tour is limited to 10 participants. Members of Lee-Fendall House are free but must call (703) 548-1789 or email contact@leefendallhouse.org to make a reservation.
APRIL 30 – Blood and Strikes: American Labor in the 20th Century, 2:00 PM: From deadly mine explosions to wartime strikes, the history of the 20th century American labor movement is full of violence and controversy. This May Day (International Workers’ Day), learn about the struggle for workers’ rights at the home of one of its most powerful spokesmen, John L. Lewis.
Tickets are $10 per person and must be purchased in advance. The tour is limited to 10 participants. Members of Lee-Fendall House are free but must call (703) 548-1789 or email contact@leefendallhouse.org to make a reservation.
EXHIBITS
Hosting the President
February 18 – May 15, 2023
Learn about the historic presidential connections to the Lee-Fendall House, from dinner parties attended by George Washington to tense standoffs between FDR and the home’s final resident, labor organizer John L. Lewis. The exhibit is free with general admission.
John L. Lewis: Public Figure, Private Man
Ongoing
This exhibit examines the life and legacy of John L. Lewis, one of America’s most powerful, innovative, and controversial labor leaders and the long-serving president of the United Mine Workers of America. Lewis lived in the Lee-Fendall House with his family from 1937 until 1969, during the height of his career in the labor movement. Entrance to the exhibit is free with general admission.
