Photo by Yasir Sam
Get ready to join the friends, board and staff of the Lee-Fendall House Museum in their historic garden for the return of Alexandria's best party, Sips & Secrets: A Speakeasy Night.
The big night is Saturday, Oct. 4, from 7-10 p.m. at the Lee-Fendall House Museum, 614 Oronoco St. in Old Town Alexandria.
Sips & Secrets honors Lee-Fendall House's Prohibition-era history, when it was home to one of Alexandria's liquor wholesalers (and suspected bootleggers!).
It features lots of fun speakeasy surprises, including dancing to live jazz and ragtime, and a costume contest for the best flapper or mobster style, 1920s-style cocktails, and more. Sips & Secrets supports the museum's ongoing work in historic preservation, education and community engagement.
Host committee, sponsorship and silent auction opportunities are available for those interested in supporting Lee-Fendall's nonprofit mission. To inquire, please contact Megan Ritter Judt, event chair, at megan.ritter@leefendallhouse.org.
The Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden is a historic house museum with a rich and varied past. Built in 1785, it served as home to 37 members of the prominent Lee family from its construction until 1903. This lineage connects it to some of America's most significant historical figures, including General Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee III.
Beyond the Lee family, the house witnessed pivotal moments in American history, serving as a hospital for convalescing Union soldiers during the Civil War (1863-1865).
After the Lee family's long ownership, the house was purchased in 1903 by Robert Downham, a prominent Alexandria liquor purveyor. He and his family lived there until 1937. With the onset of Prohibition, Downham's legitimate liquor business was forced to change, and he transitioned to selling clothing.
It later became the residence of influential labor leader John L. Lewis from 1937 until his death in 1969. The museum now interprets the lives of all who resided and worked on the property, including enslaved and free African Americans, offering a comprehensive look at over two centuries of local and national history.
The architecture of the Lee-Fendall House itself tells a story of evolving styles and tastes. Originally built in a vernacular "telescopic style" more common to Maryland homes, it underwent a significant renovation between 1850 and 1852. This renovation introduced elements of Greek Revival and Italianate architecture, transforming its appearance.
Recent exterior paint and restoration projects have aimed to return the house to a historically accurate color scheme, specifically reflecting its 1850 appearance with a moderate red-brown and classical white. This meticulous attention to detail allows visitors to experience the house as it might have looked during crucial periods in its history, including the Civil War era.
After the Lee family's long ownership, the house was purchased in 1903 by Robert Downham, a prominent Alexandria liquor purveyor. He and his family lived there until 1937. With the onset of Prohibition, Downham's legitimate liquor business was forced to change, and he transitioned to selling clothing.
However, the Lee-Fendall House Museum staff believe that bootlegging may have still occurred at the house during Prohibition, even though direct proof is scarce. They cite the fact that the family converted the home's 18th-century root cellar into a full basement, which could have facilitated such activities.
Today, the Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden is owned and operated by the Virginia Trust for Historic Preservation. It welcomes visitors for guided tours that showcase Lee family heirlooms, period furniture, and exhibits that delve into various aspects of its past.
The museum also offers special programs and events, such as Civil War hospital tours and insights into the lives of enslaved and free servants. Beyond the house itself, the beautiful half-acre garden, developed and maintained by the Alexandria Council of Garden Clubs, provides a serene space for reflection, featuring heritage roses, an herb garden, and English boxwoods.
