Alexandria History Tours

12/07/2024

Nice images of the sky as the sun sets on a festive day in historic Old Town Alexandria!!

12/06/2024

Last year, the coldest tour was 11 degrees. We are not quite there yet. Getting colder though. I love cold tours. This is my kind of weather!! Will be at the Visitor Center at 10:30 for the tour this morning. Tours run all weekend. Come enjoy the beautiful weather with us!

12/04/2024

Cold? What cold? Alexandria History Tours continues to offer guided walking tours through the winter. Did the cold stop George Washington from crossing the Delaware River on Christmas in 1776? No way! The cold doesn't stop people from checking out George Washington's hometown and raving about their experience with us and our company! Hopefully, we will be giving tours in the snow soon! ❄😊

11/27/2024

A fun then and now! Found this old advertisement for Michelbach furniture in a 1929 Alexandria Business Directory. The building still stands 95 years later on the 800 block of King St and still has the Michelbach name on the side. There is still a retail shop there and an escape room! Next to the store is a longtime Alexandria favorite restaurant which is a fantastic Greek restaurant! Come check out all the fun history Alexandria has to offer and enjoy shopping and restaurants on King Street on your next visit!

11/18/2024

Alexandria History Tours was pleased to offer a group tour to the Freedom Hill Chapter of the .of.the.american.rev Our Revolutionary War tour is a great tour option in the heart of Old Town Alexandria to help educate and inform people about Alexandria’s role in the Revolutionary War and the many veterans of America’s fight for independence!
Looking for your group to take a fun, patriotic tour in George Washington’s hometown of Alexandria, get in touch with us today!!

11/14/2024

We are looking forward to the Christmas season in Old Town Alexandria. The holiday festivities will kick off in early December with a fantastic annual event: The Scottish Christmas Walk Parade. Alexandria History Tours is pleased to bring back our specialty Scottish History & Heritage Tour on the eve of the parade!

Learn more about Alexandria's famous Scots like John Carlyle, William Ramsay, Dr. James Craik and others. Stops will include the and among other beautiful and iconic locations throughout historic Alexandria. See you in December!

11/10/2024

Happy Birthday to the United States Marine Corps!!

11/08/2024

Then and now… A look at the Columbia Firehouse built in 1883 on the 100 block of S. St Asaph Street. This photo shows horse drawn steam fire engines being pulled from the firehouse. The former firehouse is now a great French restaurant in historic Old Town Alexandria.
Historic Photo Credit: MS 126, Sampson Collection. Alexandria Library, Local History, Special Collections.

11/05/2024

We received fantastic reviews and feedback from our guests this past week and weekend. Our customers post their thoughts and feedback on TripAdvisor, Google, and GetYourGuide. Here are some of the most recent reviews! At the same time, we also receive texts, e-mails, and referrals from others. We are proud to work hard to be Alexandria's top-rated activity!

11/02/2024

10/29/2024

👏👏 Alexandria History Tours is pleased to announce the newest member of our team, Eileen Grant! As of October 2024, Eileen has begun leading Discover Alexandria tours in Old Town Alexandria. She has done an excellent job and we are very excited to bring her on our growing team! 😊🎉

Here are some other fun things to know about Eileen.

She is a native of Virginia and has been living in Alexandria for over 20 years. Eileen has a passion for storytelling and history. She has researched Alexandria's history and uncovered fascinating stories from Alexandria's past. She also leads tours in Washington D.C. and Arlington National Cemetery.

When not guiding tours, Eileen has a passion for fitness and works as a certified personal trainer and Pilates instructor. Eileen lives in Alexandria with her husband, John, their dog, Sophie, and their cat, Neville.

Come visit Alexandria and get to know all of our wonderful, professional guides on a tour! See you on a tour soon!

10/24/2024

Did you know the current Ross Store location on the 100 block of N. Washington Street has historical significance? It used to be the location of a J.C. Penney store. It was one of the first department stores in Alexandria opening in 1927 on King Street and moving to the location on 100 North Washington Street in 1955. The J.C. Penney closed shop in 1989. A Washington Post article titled, “Old Town Penney’s To Go the Way of the Five and Dime”, wrote about how the Penney’s had repeat customers for decades who were sad to see the store go. Nevertheless, Alexandria’s BAR has designated the building as having historic significance because of its history as one of Alexandria’s first department stores.

Photo Credit: Alexandria Gazette Print Collection, J.C. Penney, Washington St N. 100 Block. Alexandria Library, Local History- Special Collections.

10/15/2024

Alexandria History Tours had a wonderful time with a D.C. based Princeton alumni group. The group enjoyed fun stories and stops plus trivia based around our founding fathers in Alexandria especially those who attended the College of New Jersey (aka Princeton)! After the tour, the group enjoyed socializing at the on their rooftop bar. The weather was perfect for a fun afternoon with a professionally guided tour of Alexandria!

10/11/2024

Alexandria History Tours was pleased to host a group of retirees from NY Life for an exciting week of guided walking tours and historic presentations! We packed the week with fun stories, fascinating history and a special stop to see George Washington’s box pew
Their feedback was outstanding! Everyone had a blast!! Alexandria has a lot offer.
Are you hosting a reunion or looking for an activity for your group? Get in touch with us and let’s make a trip to Alexandria work for you!

10/07/2024

We love working with large groups and organizations. If you are in Alexandria for a conference, convention, or meeting, get in touch with us to incorporate a guided tour into your itinerary! We met this group at the Alexandrian Historian desk and showed them around Old Town Alexandria in the afternoon! We appreciate their kind words and feedback.

10/02/2024

in 1910, the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks opened its doors and welcomed the public to view their newly built Beaux-Arts style lodge located at 318 Prince Street. Alexandria Lodge, No. 758 adorned the front of the lodge with a massive Elk that has been guarding the 300 block of Prince Street for 114 years! The Elks moved from the location on Prince Street in the mid 1980s but the Elk and building remain!
Image: MS 394, Vertical File # 1068. Alexandria Library, Local History, Special Collections.

10/01/2024

Then and now. The Bank of Old Dominion was built in Alexandria in 1852 at the corner of Prince and S. Lee Street (then Water St.). It was repurposed during the Civil War as a hospital and then the location of the Union Quartermaster General’s Commissary Office. This photo was taken during the Civil War. The building is currently named the Athenaeum and is the location of Northern Virginia Fine Arts Association.
Old photo: MS394, Vertical File # 380. Alexandria Library, Local History, Special Archives.
New photo credit

09/28/2024

Ready for spooky season in Alexandria? Have you ever wondered about Halloween traditions like trick or treat and pumpkin carving? How about the history of Virginia’s witch trials? Alexandria History Tours is pleased to offer Halloween History Tours in October! Go to the website (link in bio), click on “Seasonal Tours” and find information on our new Halloween History Tour! See you in October…