Welcome to the scavenger hunt of Old Town Alexandria! This two-to-three hour, twenty-block walk, meanders through Old Town with stops at some of the city’s oldest and most historic addresses. Some stops require entrance to museums, so try to begin your scavenger hunt after 10:00, when they open. None of the clues require entering a museum that charges an admission fee. A numbers of stops are private residences; clues to these sites are found on exterior plaques and please be careful not to disturb the residents. indicates public restrooms available at the site

Before you leave home make* sure you have: a map of Old Town (included with the file), a pen or pencil, water, comfortable walking shoes, anything you will need to accommodate the weather (hat, sunscreen, etc), camera, and enthusiasm. Let’s get started! TORPEDO FACTORY ALEXANDRIA ART CENTER ARCHAEOLOGY 2 1 LOCATION: 105 North* Union LOCATION: 105 North Union* Street, first floor Street, Suite #327 WHAT IS IT? The building was first WHAT IS IT? It’s the home of opened in 1919, at the end of World the city’s Archaeological Museum, War I, as the Torpedo Plant. The laboratory, and offices. Staff and plant was reactivated in 1937 as the volunteers study, preserve, and interpret Naval Torpedo Station and officially the city’s 13,000-year-old history. converted into a gallery space in 1974. DID YOU KNOW? It houses a DID YOU KNOW? When it red spiral staircase, which is original reopened, the Torpedo Plant produced to when the building operated as a 9,920 torpedoes before the final days of torpedo factory in World War I. World War II. Question: What is the large, long, TO THE NEXT STOP: Exit the Question: What is the oldest artifact TO THE NEXT STOP: Walk down green object you see? building through the main entrance here and how old is it? the main stairwell, back to the first Answer: (sliding doors), turn left onto Union Answer: floor of the building. Street, turn right at King Street, and Need a hint? Ask someone working Need a hint? It’s next to Studio #22. in the Museum to help you out! stay on King until the next stop.

RAMSAY HOUSE CARLYLE HOUSE 3 LOCATION: 221 King Street 4 LOCATION: 121 North Fairfax Street WHAT IS IT? It’s Alexandria’s official WHAT IS IT? Mr. Carlyle built this visitors center. house in 1751 and used it as his business DID YOU KNOW? The Ramsay headquarters. House is named for one of Alexandria’s most distinguished founders, William DID YOU KNOW? John Carlyle was Ramsay, a Scottish merchant and es- a wealthy merchant from Scotland. teemed friend of George Washington. Along with George Washington and He is reported to have transferred the other leading men in the area, Mr. small clapboard house from an early Carlyle founded the town of Northern Virginia settlement to its Alexandria. present site between 1749 and 1751. TO THE NEXT STOP: Coming back from the house, turn right Question: In what year was the Ramsay TO THE NEXT STOP: After Question: What letters and date are onto North Fairfax Street and walk House built? coming down the stairs, turn right chiseled into the building’s keystone? to the corner of North Fairfax and Answer: and continue until you reach North Answer: Cameron. Turn left onto Cameron, Fairfax Street. Turn right at the and cross King Street. Need a hint? Walk up the King Need a hint? The keystone is above Street stairs to the front porch. corner. the front door of the house. ALEXANDRIA GADSBY’S TAVERN 5 CITY HALL 6 LOCATION: 134 North Royal Street LOCATION: 301 King Street * WHAT IS IT? Many leading citizens WHAT IS IT? Originally built in came here to eat and discuss business 1749, at the time of Alexandria’s and politics. founding, this building houses city offices as well as the City Council DID YOU KNOW? George Chambers. Washington often came here, and DID YOU KNOW? The original birthnight balls (big parties celebrating city hall was home to market stalls, a his birthday) were held for him here in Masonic lodge, courts, and police and 1798 and 1799 fire stations. TO THE NEXT STOP: Continue on Cameron and cross Pitt street. Question: In what year did General TO THE NEXT STOP: Continue Walk a block and a half to your next Braddock’s troops drill in Market Square? Question: What do you see when you on Cameron Street and cross North stop. Answer: look through the lower glass windows? Royal. Turn left on North Royal. Need a hint? Walk along the exterior Answer: wall on Cameron Street, and look for Need a hint? Walk along Cameron the old stone marker shaped like a Street and walk down the stairs, or window. check out the plaque.

GEORGE THE SPITE 7 WASHINGTON’S 8HOUSE PRIVATE! TOWNHOUSE PRIVATE! LOCATION: 523 Queen Street LOCATION: 508 Cameron Street WHAT IS IT? At seven feet wide, this WHAT IS IT? This is the re-creation is the narrowest house in Alexandria of Washington’s Old Town home. It is and the entire United States. the exact site where he lived hundreds DID YOU KNOW? The house used of years ago. to be an alley, and was built in 1830 by DID YOU KNOW? Even though his an owner of one of the adjacent houses. grand Mt. Vernon home was only eight Its purpose was to keep wagons and miles away, Washington would stay loiterers out - which is why it’s called here if it was too late to travel or the the “Spite” house. weather made travel too dangerous. TO THE NEXT STOP: Continue TO THE NEXT STOP: Walk back Question: In what year was the Question: What color is the house and on Cameron street to the corner to the corner of North St. Asaph and townhouse originally built? its trimmings? meeting North St. Asaph street. Turn Queen streets. Cross St. Asaph and Answer: Answer: right on N. St. Asaph street and cross turn right. Walk for one block. Need a hint? Check the plaque! Queen Street, turn right on Queen. Need a hint? It’s not red or white. COBBLESTONE LEE BOYHOOD 9STREET 10 HOME PRIVATE! LOCATION: 607 Oronoco Street LOCATION: Princess Street WHAT IS IT? Famous Confeder- WHAT IS IT? A close replica of how ate Civil War General Robert E. Lee, streets were in 1790. although not born here, spent most of DID YOU KNOW? The street’s his childhood growing up in this grand stones remained untouched for townhouse. nearly two centuries until the 1979 DID YOU KNOW? Built in 1795 by restoration. John Potts, Jr., it passed through the hands of several families until it be- TO THE NEXT STOP: Go back to came the home of Henry “Light Horse the corner of Princess and St. Asaph. Harry” Lee, the famed Revolutionary Turn left and continue on St. Asaph. Question: What did Lee say when he War general, and Ann Hill Carter Turn left after you cross Oronoco Question: According to legend, who returned to his childhood home after Lee -- Robert E. Lee’s parents. Street. provided the labor to cobble the street? the Civil War? TO THE NEXT STOP: Con- Answer: Answer: tinue on Oronoco to N. Washington Need a hint? Read the information Street. Turn left at the corner to cross posted in the planter in the road. Need a hint? Find the marker! Oronoco.

LEE - FENDALL LLOYD HOUSE 11 HOUSE 12 LOCATION: 220 North Washington Street LOCATION: 614 Oronoco Street WHAT IS IT? The house was built WHAT IS IT? The land was owned by John Wise, a tavern keeper, but was by Revolutionary War general “Light later bought by John Lloyd and Horse Harry” Lee, the father of Robert remained in his family until 1918. E. Lee, until he sold the land to his DID YOU KNOW? It was saved from cousin Phillip Fendall in 1784. demolition in 1956 by Robert V. New. DID YOU KNOW? The building It was bought and restored in 1968 as was vacated in 1969 upon the death an example of late Georgian of its final resident. It was opened as a architecture. museum in 1974.

TO THE NEXT STOP: Leaving the TO THE NEXT STOP: Turn left Lloyd house, turn right onto North Question: Who was the last owner of onto N. Washington Street. Walk Question: When was the Lloyd House Washington Street. Walk for one the house? until you cross Queen Street, turn built? block until you cross Cameron Street. Answer: right on Queen; the house is on the Answer: Enter the church grounds through the corner. Need a hint? There is a plaque on Need a hint? Find the sign! the front of the house. large brick gate. CHRIST CHURCH FRIENDSHIP FIREHOUSE 13 LOCATION: Corner of Cameron 14 and Washington streets. LOCATION: 107 South* Alfred Street WHAT IS IT? Built in 1773, it WHAT IS IT? The Friendship was originally part of the Church of Firehouse is a museum divided into England, and is now a welcoming two public floors. Episcopalian church. DID YOU KNOW? The first floor DID YOU KNOW? George is filled with firefighting memorabilia, Washington worshipped here, and you such as old axes, hoses, and antique fire can see the pew he sat in. Robert E. Lee engines. The second floor showcases also worshipped here. There are more the actual firehouse meeting room than seventy tombstones in the Christ and other artifacts such as ceremonial Church cemetery. objects. Question: A plaque on the church is TO THE NEXT STOP: Walk straight Question: In what year was the TO THE NEXT STOP: Walk to the dedicated to the men who served as through the church grounds and exit Friendship Fire Company founded? corner of Prince and Alfred streets honorary pallbearers for whom? back onto North Washington Street. Answer: and turn left. Continue for two Answer: Turn right and continue up the street. Need a hint? Look up! blocks. Need a hint? Find the front door of Turn left on North Alfred. the church.

CONFEDERATE THE LYCEUM SOLDIER STATUE 15 16 LOCATION: 201 South* Washington LOCATION: Intersection of South Street Washington and Prince. (NOTE: WHAT IS IT? The Lyceum is the his- Please do not attempt to cross the tory museum of Alexandria. It includes intersection to the statue) a lecture hall and two rooms dedicated WHAT IS IT? The statue marks the to the city’s history. It is home to many location where units from Alexandria interesting facts about Alexandria. left to join the Confederate Army. The DID YOU KNOW? This city was soldier faces south toward battlefields. named Alexandria after the Alexander DID YOU KNOW? At the base of family, who were Virginia planters and the statue are the names of the early landholders. Alexandrians who died in service of the TO THE NEXT STOP: Exit the Ly- Question: When did units from Confederacy. ceum and walk back to the Alexandria leave the city to join the Question: What other name for TO THE NEXT STOP: The intersection of Washington and Prince. Confederate army? Alexandria appeared on early maps? Lyceum is on the same corner as the Turn right onto Prince, and walk until Answer: Answer: Confederate Soldier Statue’s plaque. you cross St. Asaph Street. Your next Need a hint? Check the plaque on Need a hint? Enter the museum the corner of South Washington and go into the room on your stop is across Prince Street. and Prince streets. right. DOUGLASS BROWN STABLER- 17 HOUSE PRIVATE! 18 LEADBEATER LOCATION: 517 Prince Street WHAT IS IT? Land held by prominent APOTHECARY feminist Margaret Brent and a house LOCATION: 105 South Fairfax* Street. that was purchased in 1816 by import- WHAT IS IT? The shop was once a export merchant John Douglass Brown. real pharmacy and drugstore, opened by The home was owned by his descendents Edward Stabler in 1796. until 2000, making it the longest family DID YOU KNOW? The shop occupation in the history of Old Town. operated throughout history, including DID YOU KNOW? In 1648, Margaret during conflicts like the War of 1812, Brent was the first woman in North the Civil War, and World War I. Famous America to request the right to vote. She regular customers included George requested two votes: one for herself as Washington and Robert E. Lee. Question: How much land was granted a landowner and one as the attorney of Question: How many continuous years to Margaret Brent in 1654? Lord Baltimore. was the apothecary in business? TO THE NEXT STOP: Exit the Answer: Answer: shop, turn right onto South Fairfax TO THE NEXT STOP: Continue on and walk back to the corner of Fairfax Need a hint? Check the plaque Prince Street and turn left on Fairfax Need a hint? Check the plaque and Prince. Turn left onto Prince. next to the staircase. Street. The next stop is on this block. outside the door.

THE ATHENAEUM 115 PRINCE 19 LOCATION: 201 Prince Street 20 STREET PRIVATE! WHAT IS IT? Constructed in 1851, WHAT IS IT? A restored town home the Athenaeum has had many functions. circa 1749. It was once the Bank of the Old DID YOU KNOW? One morning, Dominion, and later became a in a local cabinetmaker’s shop near the Commissary for the Union Army. corner of King and Royal, a fire broke DID YOU KNOW? On May 24, 1861, out. It went on for over five hours and Federal troops captured Alexandria, and is estimated to have ruined more than the Bank shut its doors. That evening, 50 buildings in Old Town. the bank’s cashier removed important BACK TO THE TORPEDO documents from the vault and took FACTORY: Continue down the them to an undisclosed location for cobblestone street and turn left after burial. After the war, the documents you cross South Union Street. were retrieved and former customers Question: What color is the exterior of Continue on South Union Street for were properly reimbursed. Question: When was the “Great Fire“? the Athenaeum? another block and a half. Answer: Answer: TO THE NEXT STOP: Continue CONGRATULATIONS! You have Need a hint? It’s on the corner of down the cobblestoned Prince Street. Need a hint? There is a plaque Prince and South Lee streets. underneath the front windows. finished the Old Town scavenger hunt! This tour is an Eagle Scout project developed by Russ Leggett, Boy Scout Tropp 131, through the Alexandria Archaeology Museum. All rights reserved. A special thanks to: Ruth Reeder, designer Erin Spangler, Phuongnhi Tran, Lauren McCracken, Larry and Jeanne Leggett, Don and Lacy Kula, Mark, Rebecca, and Andrew Canoyer, Joan Amico, Woody Davis, Dori Bolden, Troop Leaders and Scouts of Troop 131, and the staffs at the participating sites.