73rd Historic Alexandria Homes Tour Set for Saturday, Sept. 27

Six private residences built in the 18th and 19th centuries, rich in the early history of Alexandria and now lovingly restored, will be featured Sept. 27 in the Tour of Homes in Historic Old Town Alexandria. Sponsored by The Twig, the junior auxiliary of Inova Alexandria Hospital, this year’s tour will showcase homes located in the southeast quadrant of Old Town.

Tickets for the tour are now available for $35 each, and may be purchased one of three ways: online via the Twig’s website, www.thetwig.org, at The Twig Thrift Shop, located at 106 N. Columbus St., Alexandria, or at the Ramsey House Visitor’s Center at 221 King Street.

Tickets are $40 the day of the tour (Sept. 27) and may be purchased at the Twig Thrift Shop, at the Ramsey House, and at the Old Presbyterian Meeting House Elliot Garden, located at 323 S. Fairfax St.

The tour will be ongoing from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Ticket holders should present their tickets at the Thrift Shop, Ramsey House or Elliot Garden on tour day to receive a tour booklet, which will provide homeowners’ addresses and a walking map for the tour.

Ticket sales from the Homes Tour, now in its 73rd year, will benefit Inova Alexandria Hospital. Specifically, proceeds from the tour will go toward the Twig Surgical Center, a new addition featuring 24 private patient rooms for post-surgical care.

Highlights of the tour include:

1. a home on the National Register of Historic Places, beautifully restored;
2. a home first owned by freed slaves;
3. a home built in the 1700s in which today’s owners still maintain original features of the home;
4. a home that was once a grocery
5. another that was first a tannery;
6. and a very small home, built in the 1800s, that has been remodeled with impressive creative use of space.

Two of this year’s homeowners are artists in their own right and display their artwork throughout their homes.

“This is a very exciting tour. This year’s homes have stunning interiors, interesting uses of space, and remarkable histories,” said Twig President Amy Furr. “We encourage the community to come out and visit these homes, learn more about Alexandria, and support our local hospital.”

The Twig is a non-profit organization of women who provide volunteer services, financial aid, and purchase equipment for Inova Alexandria Hospital. Founded in the 1930s, the Twig has nearly 200 dedicated volunteers. The Twig Thrift Shop is well known in the Alexandria community as a place to find high-quality clothing and housewares for very reasonable prices. The Shop will be open on Tour Day, Sept. 27.

This year’s Homes Tour is sponsored by:

Babs Beckwith, McEnearney Associates; Sue Goodhart, The Goodhart Group; Long & Foster; McEnearney Associates; Victoria Sanchez, Victoria at Home; and TTR Sotheby’s International Realty