Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden

Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden The Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden is a historic house museum located in Old Town Alexandria, VA.

Last weekend, Lee-Fendall celebrated the opening of "Glimpses of Historic Alexandria", a photography showcase highlighti...
02/04/2025

Last weekend, Lee-Fendall celebrated the opening of "Glimpses of Historic Alexandria", a photography showcase highlighting many works by local photographer, Carol Jean Stalun. View photographs of many well-known Alexandria sites while walking around the historic Lee-Fendall House.

"Glimpses of Historic Alexandria" will be on display at Lee-Fendall through April 27th. Exhibit admission is included with each general admission ticket.

Lee-Fendall has a fantastic lineup of speakers this upcoming winter and spring! This lecture series will focus on a vari...
01/31/2025

Lee-Fendall has a fantastic lineup of speakers this upcoming winter and spring! This lecture series will focus on a variety of topics from fashion history, to women's history, to Civil War history.

Tickets are $10 general admission and free for museum members to all lectures.

What other topics would you like to hear at Lee-Fendall?

Did you know January 23rd is  ? Today is the day to put your pen to paper! To get you inspired, we have put together som...
01/23/2025

Did you know January 23rd is ? Today is the day to put your pen to paper! To get you inspired, we have put together some examples from the Lee-Fendall archives:

Image 1: Recipe for salmon croquettes written by Myrta Bell Lewis, wife of John L. Lewis, who lived at the Lee-Fendall House in the mid-20th century.

Image 2: Page from the journal of Cazenove Gardner Lee (1850-1912) highlighting quotes that he found inspiring. Entry dated July 1871.

Image 3: Excerpt dated June 1947 from the ledger book of James Lewis Jr., house steward of the Lee-Fendall House during the John L. Lewis family residence in the 20th century.

Image 4: Playbill dated 1898 glued in the personal journal of Maude Downham with Downham’s personal reviews of the actors written in pen.

Do you love wine🍷?Do you love art 🖼?Then Lee-Fendall's Wine & Art Night is the perfect event for you! On Saturday, May 3...
01/22/2025

Do you love wine🍷?
Do you love art 🖼?

Then Lee-Fendall's Wine & Art Night is the perfect event for you! On Saturday, May 3rd, enjoy an evening in the Lee-Fendall garden filled with wine tastings offered from Prince Michel Winery and Slater Run Vineyards, showcases of local artists, a silent auction table, and more!

Tickets are $75 for general admission and $125 for VIP admission. VIPs will receive a special tasting from Wine Gallery 108. Tickets can be purchased on Lee-Fendall's Eventbrite page.

Come enjoy the Lee-Fendall garden space on a beautiful Spring night!

Lee-Fendall is excited to announce its upcoming temporary exhibit, "Glimpses of Historic Alexandria", a photography show...
01/09/2025

Lee-Fendall is excited to announce its upcoming temporary exhibit, "Glimpses of Historic Alexandria", a photography showcase on works by local Alexandria photographer, Carol Jean Stalun.

This special exhibition brings together many of Stalun's works that are focused on historic sites around the city of Alexandria. Learn the history of these sites as you walk around the Lee-Fendall House that was built over 200 years ago.

This exhibit will be on display February 1 through April 27. Exhibit admission is included with purchase of general admission.

Today’s snow really made our new paint job pop! Did you get a picture of Lee-Fendall in the snow? Be sure to tag us!
01/07/2025

Today’s snow really made our new paint job pop! Did you get a picture of Lee-Fendall in the snow? Be sure to tag us!

Looking for that last-minute gift for your favorite history lover? You don’t have to battle traffic or hold your breath ...
12/23/2024

Looking for that last-minute gift for your favorite history lover?

You don’t have to battle traffic or hold your breath waiting for the mailman - a museum membership is the gift that gives all year!

🎁 Visit LeeFendallHouse.org and head to Support Us > Membership to purchase one today.

*50 for 50 Spotlight*4️⃣4️⃣: Nancy ValentineNancy Valentine was a volunteer at Lee-Fendall for over 10 years. After work...
12/22/2024

*50 for 50 Spotlight*

4️⃣4️⃣: Nancy Valentine

Nancy Valentine was a volunteer at Lee-Fendall for over 10 years. After working as a public school teacher for over 20 years, Valentine retired and began to volunteer as a museum docent in 1992. In addition to her regular docent shifts, Valentine tended the herb garden. In 1996, Valentine prepared 50 bottles of herbal vinegar that raised $500 for the Lee-Fendall House Museum. Outside of Lee-Fendall, Valentine was a part of the Retired Educators Association and the Little Theatre of Alexandria.

Photo: Nancy Valentine volunteering during the event, "Four Days in History", at Lee-Fendall in 2001.

*50 for 50 Spotlights*4️⃣2️⃣: George Luther Lee4️⃣3️⃣: Michael MaloneGeorge Luther Lee and Michael Malone were at the Le...
12/20/2024

*50 for 50 Spotlights*

4️⃣2️⃣: George Luther Lee
4️⃣3️⃣: Michael Malone

George Luther Lee and Michael Malone were at the Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden shortly after it opened as a museum in 1974. Lee volunteered as a docent while Malone was the museum curator for a year between 1978-79.

Lee and Malone were a part of the event, “Lee’s Birthday Celebration”, in January of 1978. Both dressed in period costume and welcomed visitors to the house as they celebrated the 222nd birthday of “Light Horse” Harry Lee. Admission for the event was $1.50 for adults and $1 for children.

Photo 1: George Luther Lee at Lee’s Birthday Celebration, January 1978.
Photo 2: Michael Malone at Lee’s Birthday Celebration, January 1978.

12/09/2024

*50 for 50 Spotlight*

4️⃣1️⃣: Noelle Wright
Docent & Events Volunteer, 2023-present.

Tomorrow is the 53rd Annual Alexandria Christmas Scottish Walk! After the parade, find the Lee-Fendall House Museum down...
12/06/2024

Tomorrow is the 53rd Annual Alexandria Christmas Scottish Walk!

After the parade, find the Lee-Fendall House Museum down at the waterfront from 2-5:30 PM for:

❓Trivia
🎄Christmas Crowns
✨Insider scoop on upcoming events and programs

Make sure to also visit the tents of our friends Penny Post, Pippin Toy Co., Alexandria Dog Walk, and AR Workshop Alexandria even for more festive activities!

*50 for 50 Spotlight*4️⃣0️⃣: Charlotte Corneliusen1. How many years have you been with the museum and what is your posit...
12/04/2024

*50 for 50 Spotlight*

4️⃣0️⃣: Charlotte Corneliusen

1. How many years have you been with the museum and what is your position?

I have been with the museum since July 2023 as a collections research volunteer.

2. What are some of the things you do at Lee-Fendall?

I research interesting items in the collection, but mostly work with the archives. Last year, I uncovered the stories behind two collection items related to mourning in the Lee family during the Gilded Age. I am currently cataloging and transcribing all the receipts from John L. Lewis’s household. It’s a massive ongoing project. Although it might sound mundane, it’s an interesting glimpse into which businesses existed and what everyday life was like in Alexandria and its surrounding areas.

3. How did you come to volunteer at Lee-Fendall?

I was searching for volunteer experiences in the area that allowed volunteers to work directly with collections, as opposed to being a docent. I applied and applied again until I was selected by the current leadership.

4. What are some of the things you have learned during your time at Lee-Fendall?

There is some remarkable women’s history connected to the house! Women of Lee-Fendall seemed to have more agency than other women of their times. Their personal papers and the objects they collected also help me imagine what they were like as people. In addition, I went to graduate school to become a contemporary art curator but learned I enjoy collections research even more.

5. What is your favorite memory of Lee-Fendall?

Kathy already said mine! I loved getting to hold the tiny black cat who made a guest appearance at Pet Trivia Night sponsored by the Mount Purrnon Cat Cafe and Wine Bar last summer.

I also have a memory that is uniquely mine, which was when a board member and a visitor thought I was the third-floor ghost during a tour. I don’t think they realized that I was still in the museum and were startled to hear but not see anyone. It was a stormy autumn afternoon which added some spooky ambiance. When people ask if I have ghost stories about the museum, I tell them I was the ghost.

12/03/2024

It's been a truly HISTORIC year at Lee-Fendall - and we're grateful to everyone who was a part of it! Help us keep the momentum going in 2025 with a gift. Head to LeeFendallHouse.org to make your tax-deductible donation.

Have you started your holiday shopping? How about adding the game Tiddlywinks to the list!Which is more fun, the game or...
11/30/2024

Have you started your holiday shopping? How about adding the game Tiddlywinks to the list!

Which is more fun, the game or the name? Ever since 1888 when Joseph Asheton Fincher filed his patent for Tiddlywinks in England, people have been having fun with both. Then known as Tiddledy Winks, this game has been spelled a variety of ways, but the name derives from British slang for an unlicensed pub. The game made its way over to America in the late 19th century, and while it started initially as a game for adults, the game slowly evolved into a game for all ages.

But how does one play tiddlywinks? In the traditional game, each player has a set of small, flat, colored counters, known as winks, and a larger piece known as a shooter (Photo 2). The players set up around a cup or a basket and try to snap their winks in by pressing the shooter down on the wink. The person who gets all their winks in first or the one who ends the game with the most winks in the cup wins!

On Saturday, December 14, celebrate the holiday season at Lee-Fendall in our family-friendly event, A Victorian Christma...
11/27/2024

On Saturday, December 14, celebrate the holiday season at Lee-Fendall in our family-friendly event, A Victorian Christmas!

Enjoy a decorated house, crafts, writing letters to Santa, snacks, last-minute holiday shopping, and story time. Live Christmas music provided by the Adult Music Student Forum will be played every hour!

Admission is on the hour from 11 AM to 3 PM. Tickets are $5 for adults, $10 for children, and free under 2. Tickets can be purchased through the link in bio or by calling the museum at 703-548-1789.

This weekend, Lee-Fendall will be one of 30 stops in Old Town's annual Cookie Crawl! Participants, grab your tin from Re...
11/22/2024

This weekend, Lee-Fendall will be one of 30 stops in Old Town's annual Cookie Crawl! Participants, grab your tin from Red Barn Mercantile, then join us at the museum for a specially designed cookie (hint: 🐿) and some extra goodies!

Thank you to Old Town Business Association for putting on this great event!

*50 for 50 Spotlight*3️⃣9️⃣: Suzanne FedderSuzanne Fedder was a volunteer at Lee-Fendall for over 10 years. In addition ...
11/21/2024

*50 for 50 Spotlight*

3️⃣9️⃣: Suzanne Fedder

Suzanne Fedder was a volunteer at Lee-Fendall for over 10 years. In addition to her regular Thursday and Saturday morning docent shifts, Fedder assisted with rentals. Fedder was awarded the museum’s Docent of the Year award in 1989 in recognition for “all of her volunteer hours and smiles”.

After graduating from the National Cathedral School in 1945, Fedder studied art at the Richmond Professional Institute (Virginia Commonwealth University today) with a degree in sociology. She held jobs in many well-known establishments such as the Pentagon and the department store, S. Kann Sons Co., as a fashion illustrator.

Fedder was a resident of Alexandria for 64 years. In addition to volunteering at Lee-Fendall, she also gave her time to the Lyceum, the Alexandria Symphony, League of Women Voters, and the Hospice of Northern Virginia. A person who stayed active, Fedder was also an election officer for the City’s Office of Voter Registration, supporter of the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria, and a member of the Seminary Hills Association.

Photo: Suzanne Fedder (right) volunteering in a Christmas event at Lee-Fendall in 1992.

Address

614 Oronoco Street
Alexandria, VA
22314

Opening Hours

Wednesday 10am - 3:30pm
Thursday 10am - 3:30pm
Friday 10am - 3:30pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm
Sunday 1pm - 4pm

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The Lee-Fendall House: Discover Our Shared History

The Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden interprets American history through the experiences of the people who lived and worked on the property from 1785 to 1969. Through tours, special programs, and exhibits we discover our shared history as a community and as a nation. Join us.