Photo by Evan Michio Photography for the City of Alexandria
Fort Ward Park
Get ready for a fun excursion before the summer is gone! The Office of Historic Alexandria has several exciting events coming up you won't want to miss. Here's the scoop:
Trivia Nights at Historic Sites: 1920s
Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden, 614 Oronoco St.
Friday, August 22 (biweekly through August)
7 - 9 p.m.
$12 admission
Join staff from Lee-Fendall House Museum and Carlyle House Historic Park for bi-weekly trivia nights in the beautiful gardens located at Lee-Fendall House. Test your knowledge all summer on all things from pop culture to history! The theme of our Aug. 22 trivia night will be 1920s. Cost includes one drink ticket; additional drinks can be bought at our cash bar. Teams may have up to 6 members. Ages 21 and over only. No outside alcohol is permitted. Food and water may be brought into the garden.
Photo courtesy of Richmond Public Library
German POWS at PO Box 1142 in Fort Hunt.
Interrogations & Intelligence: A World War II Story of P.O. Box 1142
Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden, 614 Oronoco St.
Saturday, August 23
2 - 3 p.m.
$10 admission
In 1942, the United States War Department was issued a permit to use the land of Fort Hunt Park that is located just 6 miles away from Old Town, Alexandria. What was established there? A top-secret military intelligence facility only known by its mailing address, P.O. Box 1142. During the War, three operations took place to aid the Allies in winning the war: MIS-Y (interrogation of Germans POWs), MIS-X (escape and evade program), and MIRS (creating the "Red Book"). This lecture will delve into each of these operations, the facility's connections to Old Town, Alexandria, as well as the reason why the facility remained a secret to the public until the early 2000s.
Tickets are $10 to the general public and free for museum members. Members please call at (703) 548-1789 to reserve your tickets.
Family Day with Young Historians
Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, 134 N. Royal St.
Sundays, August 24 and August 31 (every Sunday through Labor Day)
2 - 5 p.m.
Included in regular museum admission.
Junior Docents (4th through 6th graders) provide stationed tours throughout the two tavern buildings and operate special, hands-on activity stations about period clothing and chocolate making. It’s a unique and fun way to explore history for all ages. Don’t miss your last chance this summer to enjoy Family Day at Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, where Junior Docents bring history to life! Family Day wraps up on Labor Day weekend!
Yoga on the Magnolia Terrace-Happy Hour
Carlyle House Historic Park, 121 N. Fairfax St.
Thursday, August 28
6 - 7:30 p.m.
$20 admission
Join Friends of Carlyle House for a special outdoor yoga class on our picturesque Magnolia Terrace with themed mocktails to be provided afterwards!
Join a yoga instructor for an hour long Yoga class on Carlyle’s Magnolia Terrace. Afterwards, enjoy a mocktail with yoga participants and staff. Happy Hours are a fundraiser for new exhibit cases in the museum and sponsored by the Friends of Carlyle House.
Please bring water, a towel, and a yoga mat. Wear comfortable yoga wear. Please note that the terrace is bricked so please bring a thicker mat or double up with an extra mat or towel. Class may be canceled due to inclement weather, you will receive an email if class is canceled.
Specialty Tour: Fort Ward & Lewis Cass White
Fort Ward Museum & Historic Site, 4301 West Braddock Road
Saturday, September 6
10 - 11 a.m.
$15 per person/$12 for Historic Alexandria Member or Volunteer
Come explore the special exhibition, “Lewis Cass White: Preserving the Legacy of Fort Stevens," at Fort Ward Museum & Historic Site. The exhibition highlights the efforts of a Civil War veteran to recognize and preserve the site of Fort Stevens, where the only battle in the Defenses of Washington occurred. Personal accounts, documents, photographs, and veterans’ memorabilia are featured to tell this inspiring story. Then head outside to tour the earthwork remains and fully restored Northwest bastion of Fort Ward, the best preserved of the Union forts that comprised the historic defense system. Please be sure to arrive 5 minutes before tour time. Doors will be locked at the start of the tour. Wear appropriate shoes for walking on the earthwork fort.
