Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center – Historical Attractions

Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center is located right across the Potomac River from Alexandria, Virginia. Because of its proximity to Washington, D.C., Alexandria is filled with historic sites important to American History.

The nation’s capital may steal the spotlight, but a true history buff will love a journey off the beaten path to these landmark locations. Others may have missed these 10 awesome spots, but with this guide we’ll give you even more sites to see.

 

Mount Vernon

Mount Vernon, the most-visited historic estate in America, is the former residence of George Washington and his family. Washington’s grandfather built this famous home in 1734, and it later housed the first president on and off for years. Key decision-makers of the time also used Mount Vernon as a gathering place. This estate is only a 20-minute trip from Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center.

Generations of the family members lived in Mount Vernon, but over time, the estate began to fall into disrepair. It was the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association that saw the value in Mount Vernon and successfully rescued it. Since then, the house and surrounding 500 acres have been impeccably and painstakingly maintained. The U.S. government declared Mount Vernon a National Historic Landmark in 1960.

Since then, Mount Vernon has welcomed visitors 365 days a year, with the busiest months being March through June. In a document written in 1794, Washington declares that he has no problem with curious citizens visiting the estate. This makes visiting Mount Vernon an over 200-year-old tradition.

Now, the home is filled with documents, artifacts, and portraits belonging to the Washington family and other influential, historic figures. Tours of the estate last 15 to 25 minutes, and go through areas such as Washington’s study. While Washington was alive, he only allowed a few select people to enter his particularly private study.

George Washington died at Mount Vernon in 1799, and in his will requested to be buried at the estate. Because of this, visitors can see the burial site of the first president of the United States.

In addition to the mansion itself, there is plenty to see and learn in the area. Visit the gardens, a reconstruction of Washington’s whiskey distillery, the farm, and more. This national monument is an absolute must-see for any history buff visiting Alexandria or the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center.

 

Gadsby’s Tavern Museum

Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, known as the City Hotel in the 18th century, was an elite hotel for the affluent and influential citizens of Alexandria. Built in 1785, this five-star hotel served as a gathering place for politicians, business people, and socialites.

At the time, local dances, theatrical productions, musical performances, and local meetings all took place in The City Hotel. The ballroom at Gadsby’s even hosted George Washington’s Birthright Balls in 1789 and 1799, and Thomas Jefferson’s Inaugural Banquet in 1801. Other prominent guests included John Adams, James Madison, and James Monroe.

Now, guests can explore the museum on a self-guided tour, which features lots of activities. Visitors can take part in Colonial-era games, read 18th century newspapers, and lay down in one of the hotel beds. Every room in the museum contains hands-on activities, interactive exhibits, and eye-opening information. Gadsby’s is more than just a museum; it contains a restaurant inside the former dining room of the tavern. You can sit down and enjoy a meal in the same place as some of the founding fathers did.

One of the most fascinating parts of visiting Gadsby’s Tavern Museum is the grave of the Female Stranger. In 1816, a woman staying at the hotel succumbed to an illness despite help from local doctors. After she passed, her husband demanded that every hotel employee and doctor take an oath to never reveal their identities. After the man laid his wife to rest in a private funeral, he disappeared without a trace. The woman is buried on the grounds to this day in a tomb marked “Female Stranger.”

All the history housed inside Gadsby’s Tavern Museum is only 13 minutes away from Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center.

 

Christ Church

Christ Church, just 11 minutes from Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, was the church of many Revolutionary War-era residents. George Washington was a parishioner with his own box pew, and Robert E. Lee attended the church for the majority of his life.

Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center

When it was built in 1773, Christ Church was nestled in a peaceful, wooded area near the city. This made its churchyard the perfect place for Alexandria residents to relax and picnic. Now, the church is in the center of the city and boasts thousands of members.

Christ Church’s graveyard was the burial site for the wealthy of Alexandria, as they were the only ones who could afford gravestones. To this day, mourners bury cremated ashes in the church’s graveyard.

Tours of Christ Church are available Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from 2 to 4:30 p.m.

 

The Carlyle House

Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center

The Carlyle House provides a glimpse into the lives of British settlers in the United States. This historic site was the home of John Carlyle, one of the founders of the city of Alexandria. His Georgian-style manor was built in 1753, and has been impressively preserved over the years.

Guided tours of the Carlyle House take visitors on a journey through daily life in the United States’ early colonial era. Personal items from the Carlyle family are on display, and passionate guides share information about the evolution of the house. The changes in the Carlyle House reflect the changes in the city of Alexandria and the colonies in general. After exploring the house, visitors have the opportunity to see the well-kept, beautiful gardens.

Learn about the home life of this influential figure in Virginia history by visiting the Carlyle House, just 13 minutes from the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center.

 

The George Washington Masonic National Memorial

An enormous National Historic Landmark sits just 14 minutes from Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center. The George Washington Masonic National Memorial serves multiple purposes, such as a research library, a performing arts center, museum, and active temple. The Freemasons of the United States built this massive, nine-story monument in 1932 in honor of Washington, and designed it based on the Lighthouse of Alexandria in Egypt.

The George Washington Masonic National Memorial features replicas of old Freemason lodge rooms that include original furniture from 1802. In addition, the fourth floor of the tower contains the George Washington Museum. This exhibition displays artifacts donated by Washington’s descendants, such as the family Bible from 1792.

The nine-story structure is so tall that it can be seen from Washington, D.C., Because of its height, the observation tower on the top floor offers an incredible 360-degree view. Guests can get a one-of-a-kind panorama of Alexandria, Washington D.C., and the National Harbor, including Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center.

The George Washington Masonic National Memorial is open seven days a week and has five guided tours each day.

 

Alexandria Black History Museum

11 minutes from Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center is the Alexandria Black History Museum, located inside the first library for Alexandria’s African American residents. In 1939, five young, black men had a “sit-down strike” in the city’s Queen Street Library. The city forbade black citizens from checking out books from the city library and failed to provide an alternative. After this peaceful protest, the city built the Robert Robinson Library in 1940. This library is now the site of the Alexandria Black History Museum.

The mission of the museum is to highlight the diversity of the African American experience, covering topics such as the slave trade and segregation. It also aims to bring awareness to the economic, social, and cultural contributions black citizens have made to Alexandria through informative displays and artifacts.

The Alexandria Black History Museum does not charge an admission fee but instead accepts suggested donations.

 

Freedom House Museum

The Freedom House Museum, owned by the Northern Virginia Urban League, is a solemn reminder of the slave trade in Alexandria. This National Historic Landmark is located in the former headquarters of Franklin and Armfield, one of the largest slave-trading companies in the country. Upon entering, guests pass by a fortified, impenetrable iron door that once trapped slaves downstairs. The museum brings visitors down into the small, dark basement, that imprisoned thousands of slaves before they were sent south.

The powerful and sobering Freedom House Museum shows the reality of slave trading in Alexandria through first-person stories, videos, and artifacts. Among those impacted by this Franklin and Armfield location was Solomon Northup, the author of Twelve Years a Slave. This autobiography tells the story of a free African American who was trapped and sold into slavery in 1853.

Because it shows a darker side of American history, this solemn experience is important for all visitors to see. The Freedom House Museum is located just 10 minutes from Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center.

 

Fort Ward Museum & Historic Site

Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center

Those interested in the American Civil War will thoroughly enjoy a visit to the Fort Ward Museum & Historic Site. A beautiful, decorative wooden arch entrance welcomes visitors into the largest, most well-preserved network of Union forts in the country.

Alexandria served an important role during the American Civil War as an occupied city. The Union Army built these forts to protect Washington, D.C., from the Confederate army, and made up the fifth largest network of forts in the country at the time.

The Fort Ward Museum features exhibits on the Civil War, educational programs, live re-enactments, and informative lectures. One of Fort Ward’s live programs is the firing of Civil War-era cannons and demonstrations on antique weapons and ammunition.

While small, the museum features plenty of information and historic artifacts to satisfy any history lover. Admission is free, and guests can take a self-guided tour Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Since the Fort Ward Museum & Historic site is located inside a public park, you can pack a picnic, go for a leisurely walk, and bring the kids to the playground. The site is only 20 minutes away from Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, but can easily be made into an entire afternoon outing.

 

The Lyceum

The Lyceum, a multi-purpose building just 10 minutes from Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, was built in 1839 as part of a growing public education movement. At the time, it was the intellectual and cultural center of Alexandria that held lectures, education programs, and debates. Even through an economic depression, this gathering place for intellectual and cultural events remained popular with residents.

The Lyceum has served many different purposes through the centuries. For example. in 1861, the Union Army used it as a Civil War hospital. Seven years later, in 1868, it became a private residence, and was turned into an office building in 1938. By the 1960s there were discussions of demolishing the Lyceum. The City of Alexandria halted those plans, and took over and restored the building to its original purpose. The city added the Alexandria History Museum inside the Lyceum, and is now a center for history, culture, and education.

 

Woodlawn Plantation

Woodlawn Plantation, built in 1805, was once part of George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate. The same architect who designed the U.S. Capitol Building, Dr. William Thornton, designed the mansion. Mount Vernon originally sat on 126 acres of rose gardens and beautifully maintained greenery. 50 acres of this land is still there for guests to explore.

Washington built this historic house as a wedding gift for Martha Washington’s granddaughter Nellie Curtis Lewis, who married George Washington’s nephew Lawrence Lewis in 1799. Because of this association with the first family, the government named Woodlawn Plantation a National Historic Landmark in 1970.

A visit to Woodlawn Plantation is a perfect supplement to your Mount Vernon excursion. Here you can learn about the lives of Washington’s relatives, such as Nellie Curtis Lewis’s work as an abolitionist. Woodlawn Plantation is located 30 minutes from Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center.

 

As you can see, Alexandria is full of historic locations and educational exhibits about American history. Of course Washington, D.C., is a hub of information and history, but don’t underestimate this bustling city on the Potomac. A visit to Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center puts you right across the river from a wealth of information that any American history lover with surely enjoy.