Photo courtesy of Lee Fendall House
Trivia Nights at Historic Sites: Pictured here is a trivia night at Lee-Fendall House and Gardens in Old Town Alexandria.
History buffs rejoice — there are loads of history-related events happening this week all tied to Alexandria history. Make plans now! Here's a look, courtesy of the City of Alexandria:
Trivia Nights at Historic Sites: Alexandria History
Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden, 614 Oronoco Street
Friday, July 11 (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! Teams may have up to 6 members. 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.
2nd Friday: July 2025
Torpedo Factory Art Center, 105 N. Union Street
Friday, July 11
7-10 p.m.
Free event, no registration required.
Celebrate the City of Alexandria’s 276th birthday at the Torpedo Factory Art Center! The Grand Hall will include opportunities to learn about Alexandria’s history, an interactive DJ set, and birthday cupcakes for purchase. Historic Alexandria is providing multiple activities, including a history-inspired craft, a “Library of Cartography,” and history detective activity, so stop by and say hi!
Story Time for Little Historians
Alexandria Black History Museum, 902 Wythe Street
Saturday, July 12
10-10:45 a.m.
Free event, no registration required.
This FREE, fun, and educational story time is geared to children ages 5-8 years old and features stories related to Black History. The program uses books written by and about African American people and other communities of color to educate and inspire our youngest visitors. Along with the book reading, staff provides historical context and local community connections. Story time will be held in the Museum’s Parker-Gray Gallery.
A World War II Walking Tour of Alexandria
Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden, 614 Oronoco Street
Saturday, July 12
10:30 a.m - noon.
$15 admission/Free for museum members
Alexandria was a bustling town during the Second World War, filled with servicemen and women and civilians contributing to the war effort. On this two-mile walk around Old Town, visit sites where history took place and buildings where notable Alexandrians, including a Tuskegee Airman and a member of the 101st Airborne, lived before serving their country. In addition, learn of the top-secret intelligence facility known as P.O. Box 1142. This tour begins at Lee-Fendall and ends at the Torpedo Factory by the waterfront. The tour will last approximately 1.5 hours. Walking shoes and water are highly recommended. The tour will take place rain or shine.
Do You Remember the Alexandria Roller Rink?
A Community Panel on a Lost Landmark
Alexandria Black History Museum, 902 Wythe Street
Saturday, July 12
11 a.m - noon.
Free and open to the public. Donations welcome.
Join the Alexandria Historical Society for a special live panel reflecting on the Alexandria Roller Rink—a long-gone but fondly remembered hub of music, skating, and connection for generations of Alexandrians, especially within the city’s African American community.
Through personal stories and community memory, panelists will explore the cultural significance of the rink and why preserving its legacy still matters today.
Seating is limited and available on a first-come basis.
Lecture: Fashion History of the Carlyle’s 18th Century
Carlyle House, 121 N. Fairfax Street
Saturday, July 12
1 p.m.
$12
The Carlyle House will hold a fashion history lecture with Emma Rowland, who will cover the economics of fashion in the past. Fashion and clothing were intertwined with the economic, societal, and political systems of the day. Since John Carlyle was a merchant, she will discuss the trading and importation of textiles and their importance in Alexandria.
Lecture - St. Elizabeths Asylum: Civil War Care at the Hospital for the Insane
Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden, 614 Oronoco Street
Saturday, July 12
2-3 p.m.
$10 admission
Founded in 1852, St. Elizabeths was the nation’s first federally-funded psychiatric facility. The “Government Hospital for the Insane” in Washington, D.C. quickly transformed into a trauma center for wounded and convalescing soldiers when the Civil War broke-out a decade later. This lecture will analyze the reception of Union, Confederate, and African American troops, as well as their conditions upon admission. As the only federal mental health complex in the country during the Civil War, St. Elizabeths helped define treatment options for those afflicted with the modern diagnosis of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Attendees will glimpse into the medical treatments of wartime Washington, connecting symptoms to battlefield experiences. Through an inclusion of primary sources and personal narratives, this lecture will explore the impact on psychiatric care in the postbellum years and reflect on the wave of mentally-ill veterans once the war concluded.
Alexandria & USA Birthday Celebration!
Oronoco Bay Park, 100 Madison Street
Saturday, July 12
6 - 9:45 p.m. (Fireworks display on the Potomac River at 9:30 p.m.)
Free
The City will celebrate its 276th and the USA’s 249th birthday on Saturday, July 12, at Oronoco Bay Park. Experience this one-of-a-kind Alexandria event with your family. The evening includes live music, food and drink vendors, and ends with the grand finale -- a fireworks display on the Potomac River at 9:30 p.m. Plus come visit the Historic Alexandria table and say hi!
Family Day with Young Historians
Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, 134 N. Royal Street
Sunday, July 13 (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.
