If your road trip takes you through Alexandria, Virginia, or the surrounding area, there are several unique and memorable locations that you should visit. Take a look at the ones we list below. They’re more than worth a bit of a detour.
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The George Washington Masonic National Memorial
This memorial was built by the Freemasons in honor of the first President of the United States: George Washington. Sitting at the top of a hill overlooking Old Town Alexandria, it is both a memorial and a functioning Masonic lodge and meeting space. The structure itself is 333 feet tall and built to resemble a wonder of the ancient world: The Great Lighthouse of Alexandria. It holds nine floors in total and contains a collection of George Washington’s possessions. The George Washington Museum, the memorial library, a replica of The Ark of the Covenant, a replica of the crypt beneath the Temple of Solomon, and a replica of King Solomon’s Throne Room can all be found within its walls.
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The Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum
This museum was originally a functioning apothecary, founded in 1792 by Edward Stabler, which operated until 1933. Its closing coincided with the advent of synthetic drug companies and the institution of federal food and drug regulations. The apothecary reopened as a museum in 1937, offering visitors a glimpse into the medical past of the United States. The instruments and drugs displayed are as they were when the apothecary closed. Purchases by Martha Washington and Robert E. Lee are viewable on the company ledgers. The medicine of the time was produced in an upstairs workshop and lab. On top of medicines, the apothecary supplied surgical and dental instruments, farm and garden equipment, cigars, varnish, paint, soap, perfume, artist’s supplies, brushes, and combs, among other things.
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The Grave of the Female Stranger
If a mystery is more your style, stop by The Grave of the Female Stranger. According to legend, she arrived in Alexandria by ship in 1816 with her lover. They rented a room at Gadsby’s Tavern on North Royal Street. While there, she fell ill, and her love called for a doctor to care for her on the condition that the doctor asked nothing about who they were or where they came from. The doctor was unable to diagnose her, and she died on October 14, 1816. Her love borrowed money to bury her but was unable to repay the debt, and so forged a note from The Bank of England. She rests to this day in a grave at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church within the town cemetery.
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Gadsby’s Tavern
Built in 1785, this colonial tavern was host to some of the most famous figures in American history. These included Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, the Marquis de Lafayette, and John Adams, among others. The tavern also played host to more mysterious and poverty-stricken figures, like the woman now entombed in The Grave of the Female Stranger. The tavern changed form and name repeatedly over the decades but now stands as a replica of what it was during the colonial era. It houses Gadsby’s Tavern Restaurant, which serves meals inspired by the tavern’s colonial past.
Whether you favor history, medicine, mystery, or colonial cuisine, Alexandria, Virginia has destinations that are sure to captivate your imagination.
Image via Flickr by Jim Larrison. Used with permission via CC BY 2.0 / cropped from original
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