Lovely and interesting house of Lee Fendall - boutique gem right in Alexandria. They offer tours on the hour. Ours was excellent and walked us through the history of the Lee family in Virginia and subsequent owners. Rooms are appointed with time appropriate pieces. Much of the furniture is gifted from the Lee family. A fascinating way to learn a bit about a family of Henry Lighthorse Lee, one of the signers of the declaration of independence. That family was instrumental in changing the course of history in the United States. George Washington apparently dined here often and they set up a long table in what is now the entryway. Woodrow Wilson also ate here during his presidency. Tours are quite chatty and interesting with lots of opportunities for questions. Cost of entry is seven dollars. Highly recommended for those who want to see something off the beaten track but truly interesting. read more

What a cool colonial home! We took the tour which covered all the major parts of the house. Absolutely beautiful and furnished with pierces from across the time the house was occupied. Many of them have a history of their very own. What really made this tour great though was the docent/ guide we had for our tour. She was incredibly knowledgeable on every aspect of the home from the furnishings to the architecture to the family histories of the owners and building restoration. Very rarely have I had such a knowledgeable guide. She was really impressive. All that to say, if you have a couple hours and you're looking for something to do this is a great little side trip. Well worth the time. read more

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Lovingly recreated Southern town house/mansion on a backstreet in Alexandria, VA. Built in the Maryland wood style of the day. Worth your visit if you take the tour inside. Photo-tacular location outside for couples, dates, historians and visitors. Front awning throws shade for dozens of people. Old plaques to read. Gardens in the back look like something from a bucolic London flat. Built for Major General Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee who was extremely accomplished cavalry commander and a Major leading the light dragoons, in the American Revolution. He is father to Robert E. Lee. Henry Lee was a law student at Princeton in 1773, the 9th Governor of Virginia and a representative for Virginia at the early Congress. Refined, cultured, beautifully planted exterior: well-kept Colonial interior, with all the accoutrements; book shelves, clothing, furniture, fire places, art, portraits and paintings! Book ahead and make sure you get in, otherwise you might approach a locked door. Superior - otherworldly, clean Southern charm in a white clapboard historic home. Come and meander in quiet Old Town. Son Robert E. Lee's home is across the street. Rebel says: 5 huzzahs read more

Lee Fendall House - Home of Robert Edward Lee - native Virginian, General and Commander of the Confederate Army - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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The Lee Fendall house was inhabited by members of the Lee clan for several generations, passing back and forth between cousins from 1785-1903. While Robert E Lee never lived there, he likely spent a lot of time here visiting his relatives (his boyhood home is across the street). Definitely $5 well spent for an hour long tour. The home was renovated several times, so it has a mixed vibe of colonial meets early 20th century. The tour goes through the Lee family history, blended in with both US history and the history of Alexandria. The Lee's were a prominent family, so their visitors were a "Who's Who" of the town over the decades, including George Washington. The furniture is a mix of period-authentic with a handful of original artifacts. My favorite part of the tour was how some family members scratched their name in the glass. But my friend's favorite was the connection to Downton Abbey - one of the daughters married the Earl of Highclere, the actual film location of the show. read more

Lee Fendall House - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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This was a great house to tour, although they have limited hours and tours only on the hour, so it can be a little inconvenient (not open Mon and Tues, half the hours on Sunday). But if you do have a chance to see it, it's a good history of the Lee family (of Robert E. Lee fame, don't think he lived here though) There is a good history from the 18th century through the 19th century civil war to the 20th century labor leader who later owned it. I thoroughly enjoyed the history and their family tree going back like 700 years. It's a nice setting for a long period of American history. read more

I'm happy to write a review for here if it gets anyone else out to see the house! I've lived here for 8 years and had no idea it was here. How did I find out about it? Being a teacher and having some time in the summer, I created a staycation itinerary and one of my days was Lee family themed (went to Arlington House and Sully House in Chantilly as well.) So I really just learned of this place from a google search. Tickets are sold around back and are $5. I went noon on a Wednesday and it was just me so I got a little one-on-one tour of the house! The tour guide was very informative and I can even say I learned a bit (especially about the Fendall family.) The boyhood home of Robert E Lee is across the street which I didn't realize either. I'm so glad this house was preserved as a museum. I love standing in history and learning something new. read more

Randomly walked by here on a Saturday afternoon after an excellent BBQ lunch at Myron Mixon's and saw it was an historical site so figured I'd give it a look. Not quite sure why this is really a historic house? The sign said Robert E. Lee's boyhood home is across the street but you can't tour that. I was told they were giving a special guided tour and I couldn't take a regular tour. I could do a self guided tour but then I could only walk into a few rooms downstairs. I got sort of a creepy vibe from the whole experience so not sure if I'll really try and check it out again. read more

My husband and I chose this venue for our wedding last May. Compared to the cost of other comparable wedding venues in the area it was a steal. The staff was very helpful. We visited to tour the site and the staff member walked us through the house giving us the tour and history of the house and showing us the facilities available including two nice bathrooms, a modern kitchen, a library that could be used as the bridal room, and their beautiful rose garden. Their staff was excellent in keeping in contact with us, answering our questions, and being available to meet with us to finalize details. They also provided two docents for the event to give tours to wedding guests. There is limited parking at the house - enough for caterers and one or two guests but you can reserve street parking through the city and there is a city employee parking lot available on the weekend. This location is also easily accessible by metro or metrobus. The indoor space is limited but the outdoor space comfortably held our 80 or so wedding guests, a large tent, a buffet, and a drink table. I would highly recommend this venue for any wedding or event. With their reasonable prices, wonderful staff, and beautiful gardens it really is a perfect oasis in the heart of busy Old Town. read more

O.M.G. probably the best tour I've ever done. I love history, and my brother does a lot of history - so we've been on a shit ton of historical tours. And this one basically takes the cake - even though we're southern sympathizers and this tour was a Yankee impression. We went on October 20th, and they had a special tour going on that explored death in the Civil War. The thing that made this tour better than all the others was that in each room they had people interpreting different stages of death and how the people in that day dealt with it. Not only was it really interesting in that you could talk to the interpreters and they responded as if they were still in that period, but they also made the story very personal, and actually made me tear up a bit. Unfortunately, they were only doing it this one night, so either look out next year for "Death in the Civil War", or call them and make a big enough stink that they bring it back! read more

They hosted a Halloween " event" and it was the worst way to give them $30. They had a mini pumpkin hunt for kids and of course pre-schoolers had zero chance. The Refreshments were decent but I had no expectations beyond cookies water and orange 'drink'. There was a craft section .. 4 round tables with zero space for anyone else to do crafts. The even mentioned face painting - which didn't exist. The costume parade was a circle in their yard. The entire thing was a disappointment. read more

This is a quiet place with great volunteers. If you are on a D.C. trip and want to really get the scoop on local history visit this place. Put in a trip to the Arlington House and Mt. Vernon and you will have had a great over view of our country from pre-revolution through today. read more

A fascinating historic house museum right on Washington Street. We learned a lot about one of the most important 19th century families in America and very well deserved. I was impressed by the depth of knowledge displayed by the guides and the welcome I received. We ended up renting the house for our spring wedding reception and it was perfect. We had a combo play live music on the lawn which was cut short enough so we could all dance, and set up the food in buffet style indoors. The bride's room and groom's room were spacious and comfortable and they actually have some parking which is amazing in Oldtown Alexandria. Highly recommend a visit or event, just check hours before you go. read more

We weren't able to get a tour. We rang at the front door for a tour, just before noon. Someone came to the window and waved us around to a side door. There was no one there, and after waiting outside for ten minutes in the freezing cold, we gave up and left. read more

This is a hidden gem amongst the numerous historical landmarks in the area. Dianne did a fantastic job guiding our small group throughout the home, with a great sense of interesting facts beyond just the exact timeline of the home and its residents' history. I'm a local who is enthusiastic about the area's history and I thought this was outstanding. read more