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Alexandria History Tours, Alexandria, VA (2026)

06/02/2026

As we prepare for Alexandria History Tours wants to get people excited and energized to celebrate America’s 250th birthday! What better way than testing people’s knowledge of the American founding. Follow along and share our trivia with people to learn more about the Founding Fathers and the history behind American independence.

Today’s question: Name the only ordained minister to sign the Declaration of Independence.

Hint: He was a Presbyterian minister. He was also president of an Ivy League college that was then called the College of New Jersey now Princeton University.

Alexandria connection: George Washington paid the tuition cost for his friend William Ramsay’s son to attend Princeton. Washington paid this person directly. The amount was approximately 25 pounds annually. Washington recorded making payments in 1772 and 1773.

Answer: Reverend John Witherspoon

06/01/2026

A great afternoon with the Adam Smith Society in Old Town Alexandria!

We had the privilege of guiding MBA student leaders through the historic cobblestone and brick streets of Old Town Alexandria. This activity was part of their 2026 Chapter Leader Retreat. We covered a lot of history including George Washington's connections to Alexandria and Alexandria's development as a port city. Alexandria's role in the American Revolution was also discussed during the tour. The students enjoyed on a fantastic afternoon!

From the first planning call to meeting the group at their hotel, we worked to make the group experience seamless and stress-free. The five-star review from the organizer meant the world. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

If you are planning a leadership retreat, student program, conference, or corporate event in the D.C. area, Alexandria History Tours wants to help your group discover one of America's most historic and walkable cities. Get in touch with us so we can work together.

05/30/2026

1851, the first train cars came through the Wilkes Street tunnel. They were loaded with flour from western Virginia. Over the next decade, Alexandria saw a massive economic surge with the advent of railroads delivering goods from western Virginia to the port of Alexandria. The population increased 44% in 10 years.

The Orange and Alexandria Railroad was chartered in 1848 and linked Alexandria with parts of western Virginia. During the Civil War Confederate cavalry such as Mosby’s Rangers often destroyed the rail tracks to sabotage the Union Armies lines of logistics. Alexandria was a central part of the Union Army logistics network with its multiple railroads and access to the Potomac River. Alexandria also played a role in rebuilding railroad tracks and railcars.

After the Civil War, the railroad continued operations until 1975!

The Wilkes Street Tunnel is an incredibly well preserved remnant of this industrial and wartime history! It’s worth making a trip to see it in Alexandria.

alexandriahistorytours

05/27/2026

Fire fighting history in the United States is fascinating! It was often defined by wild rivalries between the fire companies comprised of volunteers. In fact, Alexandria had five volunteer fire companies by 1827. There was no municipal fire company until the Alexandria Fire Department started in 1866. Even then there were still many volunteers.

When walking the streets of Alexandria, people will notice a variety of fire marks. They are fun to talk about. Unfortunately, none of the currently displayed fire insurance marks are from Alexandria. Homeowners buy and display these as a fun historic relic. In this video, the fire mark is actually from the insurance company that Ben Franklin started in 1752. It’s neat to see and has been placed on the home simply as a fun relic!

Nevertheless, the exciting part of the fire marks is that it speaks to the history of firefighting in America and how the insurance companies would often incentivize the volunteer fire companies with payment for helping to put out the fire. In the famous movie, Gangs of New York (2002), there is a terrific scene where two fire companies fight each other instead of the fire. Apparently there are kernels of truth in the scene. Competition and rivalries emerged not only over payment but also over pride in one’s fire company.

Like many historic cities, Alexandria has had several major fires and it is an interesting part of our history. We frequently talk about the history of firefighting by showing off the fire marks and historic fire houses on our tours. Follow us and join us for a historic tour of Old Town Alexandria!

05/26/2026

America turns 250 this year!

The Spirit of '76 is alive and well in Alexandria, and it is a core part of our tours.

We love telling the stories of George Washington and the many American patriots who joined him in the fight for independence. Alexandria's story is America's story, and there is no better place to celebrate and learn about the American Revolution.

Our guests agree. We continue to receive amazing reviews like this one:

⭐ "I've lived in the DC area for years and took this tour with visiting family, and I'd absolutely take future guests on the tour."

Alexandria History Tours is a proud veteran and locally owned business. We honor the service and sacrifice of America's veterans with a special focus on figures like George Washington, who served in both the French and Indian War and the American Revolution.

Come walk the streets where America's story was written.

Book your tour at alexandriahistorytours.com

05/25/2026

Today we remember and honor the American servicemen and women who made the ultimate sacrifice. This is a day to honor those who died in the line of duty to support and defend our country and its Constitution.

As we take time to remember and reflect on the heroism of America’s fallen service members, we encourage people to stop and look at Alexandria’s War Memorial. Located outside of Alexandria’s Union Station, it was dedicated on November 11, 1940. The designer, David E. Bayliss, Jr., incorporated symbolism into every component of the memorial. The five steps represent wars from the American Revolution through World War I. The circle shaft stands for the unity of the American people. The seven disks correspond with famous people, quotes, and principles. It culminates with the cross that symbolizes faith and hope in God.

The effort to fund and establish the memorial was led by veterans from Alexandria’s Russell Mitchell Post No. 609 Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). It was meant to be a perpetual memorial and honor the heroism and sacrifice of future servicemen in future wars. This was prescient considering it was dedicated one year before the U.S. was attacked at Pearl Harbor.

On this Memorial Day, we encourage people to honor and reflect on the legacy of America’s fallen service members.

05/24/2026

in 1861, the first Union officer was killed in the Civil War. Colonel Elmer Ellsworth was a friend of Abraham Lincoln. He worked for Lincoln, campaigned for him, and was part of his security detail when Lincoln traveled from Illinois to Washington D.C. Ellsworth was also a national celebrity after a tour of major cities with his famous Zouaves, who performed military drills and acrobatics, to the delight of thousands of people in America prior to the Civil War.

When the Civil War began, Ellsworth took command of the 11th New York aka the “Fire Zouaves.” He led this regiment into Alexandria on May 24, 1861, which was one day after Virginia formally seceded from the United States due to the results of a statewide vote on May 23.

Colonel Ellsworth saw a massive Confederate Flag flying above the Marshall House, which was an inn on King Street. James Jackson, who managed the Marshall House, was a hardcore secessionist and placed the flag on a 40 foot flagpole. It was said that the flag could be viewed by spyglass from the White House. It was also known locally that Jackson vowed to kill any man that tried to take down his flag.

Ellsworth was unaware of Jackson’s vow when he decided to take the flag down. Believing it would be a good gift for President Lincoln, Ellsworth descended the stairs of the Marshall House with the flag triumphantly in hand. As he approached the second floor, Jackson spotted his opportunity and shot Ellsworth. The bullet killed him on the spot. Jackson tried to fire at another soldier. But, Private Francis Brownell was able to shoot Jackson and then bayoneted him several times.

President Lincoln was emotionally moved by the death of Ellsworth and called him the “greatest little man I ever met.” Ellsworth was brought to lie in state at the White House.

Both names, Ellsworth and Jackson, became rallying cries. “Remember Ellsworth” and “Remember Jackson” were shouted frequently.

Alexandria’s Civil War history is unique and fascinating. We frequently talk about this history on our guided tours of Alexandria.

05/22/2026

🌟 New Guide Alert!

We are thrilled to have Keith White on the team!
Keith lives in Alexandria and is a fantastic addition to our talented team of professional tour guides!

Keith has been providing great tours this spring and has already received wonderful reviews. Keith brings his passion for history and storytelling to Alexandria History Tours.

Throughout his professional career, he worked as a reporter in Washington D.C., specifically covering Congress.

He turned his passion for history and service into tourism at historic sites. Keith previously led tours at Chancellorsville Battlefield for over two decades. He currently serves as a docent at Arlington House and the National Museum of American History.

Keith grew up in Oklahoma and loves the history of the American West as well as the Civil War, World War I and World War II. He likes to share Alexandria’s history during these wars and also likes to talk about Alexandria’s history as a port city and the development of the waterfront. Keith knows a lot about Alexandria and can cover many many topics!

We are luck to have him. Welcome to the team, Keith! 🎉🙌

05/21/2026

🇺🇸What an incredible group!

We had the pleasure of welcoming students from Colorado Christian University on our Revolutionary War tour. As we celebrate America 250, we loved helping the students learn about America’s founding generation. On a beautiful, sunny morning, we walked in the footsteps of George Washington and American Patriots that fought for independence in 1776!

The group was engaged with excellent questions and enthusiasm to learn and explore! It was a pleasure interacting with the students.

Alexandria is a city rich with history. If your group, school, or organization wants to explore and learn about one of the most historically significant cities in America, then please reach out and we would love to host your group. Our signature history tours are not just informative but also fun and memorable!

05/20/2026

Over the last month, we’ve been excited to have Nathaniel Familua with us as part of an internship program set up with Episcopal High School. Thank you for your work and for being part of the team at Alexandria History Tours. The internship came and went in a flash. It’s been awesome working with you and your contributions have been outstanding. Great work!

We are excited to see you graduate from this Saturday. Congratulations on being the class valedictorian! Best of luck to you as you embark on the next chapter in college at Yale University!

God bless you Nathaniel. Please keep in touch with us.

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