» Calendar of Events Lee Fendall House

2023

Details and tickets for upcoming Lee-Fendall House events may be found at our Eventbrite page.

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 10 – The American Civil War’s Impact on Modern Medicine, 6:00 PM: Join Dr. Dianne Murphy to learn about how the American Civil War changed the medical field, from life-saving discoveries to the ways in which women participated in the medical profession like never before. This talk will start at 6:00 PM on Friday, March 18. Due to limited space, advance registration is required.

Tickets are $10 per person and must be purchased in advance. Members of Lee-Fendall House are free but must call (703) 548-1789 or email contact@leefendallhouse.org to make a reservation.

MARCH 11 – Historic Cemetery Tours, 1:00 & 3:00 PM: Join staff from the Presbyterian Cemetery and the Lee-Fendall House Museum for a tour of one of Alexandria’s most fascinating places. Hear stories of Alexandrian’s who shaped the city we live in today and whose lives were sometimes stranger than fiction.

Tickets are $20 per person and must be purchased in advance. The tour is limited to 25 participants and lasts approximately one hour. Members receive a $5 discount. Please call (703) 548-1789 or email contact@leefendallhouse.org for discount code.

All proceeds go towards the preservation of the Presbyterian Cemetery and Lee-Fendall House Museum.

Parking is available on Hamilton Ave. Tours start at the intersection of Hamilton & Wilkes Street, Alexandria.

MARCH 18 – “This Tide of Wounded:” Lee-Fendall as a Civil War Hospital, 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM: Visit the Lee-Fendall House for a day of living history demonstrations and a special tour where you will discover the experiences of staff and patients at Lee-Fendall when it was a Union hospital during the Civil War. The Lee-Fendall House was the site of the first documented and only successful blood transfusion during the Civil War.

Entry every hour starting at 11:00 AM and ending at 3:00 PM. Tickets are $10 for adults (age 18+) and $5 for youth (age 5-17). Advance registration is required. For more information, please call (703) 548-1789 or email contact@leefendallhouse.org.

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.

APRIL

APRIL 1 & 8 – Easter Egg Hunt, 11 AM, 12 PM, 1 PM, 2 PM, and 3 PM: 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.

MAY

MAY 6, 13, 20, & 27 – Preservation in Alexandria, 10:00 AM: The City of Alexandria has seen older buildings and spaces being restored, preserved, and reused in different ways. However, there were many buildings that were not preserved and have been lost to time. In honor of National Historic Preservation Month, explore the streets of Alexandria with stops at locations where historic buildings once stood.

The program is a joint effort between the Lee-Fendall House and Carlyle Historic Park. Tours begin at Lee-Fendall House Museum at 10:00 AM every Saturday in May. The tour includes walking over many city blocks, so please dress appropriately for the terrain and weather. Tours are limited to 10 people. Tickets are $25 per person. For more information, please call (703)548-1789 or email contact@leefendallhouse.org

MAY 13 – 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 are $10 per person and must be purchased in advance. The tour is limited to 12 participants. For more information, please call (703) 548-1789 or email contact@leefendallhouse.org.

MAY 14 – Stories in the Architecture, 2:00 PM: Explore the history of the Lee-Fendall House through its architecture and visit parts of the house that are not regularly open to the public. See how changes in style and home technology have left their mark on the home, from when it was built in 1785 through the twentieth century.

Tickets are $10 per person and must be purchased in advance. The tour is limited to 12 participants. For more information, please call (703) 548-1789 or email contact@leefendallhouse.org.

MAY 26 – 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. For more information, please call (703) 548-1789 or email contact@leefendallhouse.org.

MAY 27 – 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. For more information, please call (703) 548-1789 or email contact@leefendallhouse.org.

JUNE

JUNE 3 – Stories in the Architecture, 2:00 PM: Explore the history of the Lee-Fendall House through its architecture and visit parts of the house that are not regularly open to the public. See how changes in style and home technology have left their mark on the home, from when it was built in 1785 through the twentieth century.

Tickets are $10 per person and must be purchased in advance. The tour is limited to 12 participants. For more information, please call (703) 548-1789 or email contact@leefendallhouse.org.

JUNE 10 – 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. For more information, please call (703) 548-1789 or email contact@leefendallhouse.org.

JUNE 10 – Historic Cemetery Tours, 1:00 & 3:00 PM: Join staff from the Presbyterian Cemetery and the Lee-Fendall House Museum for a tour of one of Alexandria’s most fascinating places. Hear stories of Alexandrian’s who shaped the city we live in today and whose lives were sometimes stranger than fiction.

All proceeds go towards the preservation of the Presbyterian Cemetery and Lee-Fendall House Museum.

Parking is available on Hamilton Ave. Tours start at the intersection of Hamilton & Wilkes Street, Alexandria.

JUNE 17 – 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 must be purchased in advance and are $10 per person. The tour is limited to 12 participants. For more information, please call (703) 548-1789 or email contact@leefendallhouse.org.

JUNE 24 – 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 are $10 per person and must be purchased in advance. The tour is limited to 12 participants. For more information, please call (703) 548-1789 or email contact@leefendallhouse.org.