This Romanesque home, on the 76th Annual Historic Alexandria Homes Tour, is nearly 5,000 square feet plus a rooftop deck. Photo contributed
The Twig, the Junior Auxiliary of Inova Alexandria Hospital, will hold its 76th Annual Historic Alexandria Homes Tour on Sept. 23 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Old Town. Participants can learn the history and enjoy the interior design of eight homes, all located on North Columbus Street and within easy walking distance of each other.
The buildings on display date from the turn of the 19th century to the present. Current usage of the homes shows how to retain historic essence while modernizing, living easily in a small space, and experiencing the joys of living green. Here are some of the tour highlights:
- A townhouse in a historic landmark built in 1812 that was the first free school for girls in Virginia, and was then used as a prison for Confederate spies during the Civil War.
- The home of a Corcoran-trained painter filled with her landscapes and portraits of animals and people.
- A LEEDS Silver certified home heated and cooled by a geothermal system; the architect/builder will be on site during the tour to talk about the home's energy efficient and environmentally friendly features.
- The ingenuity of furniture created from industrial equipment, such as a lift made into an end table, in a large Romanesque home designed by architect and historian Glenn Brown.
- A garden where a large tree that came down in a storm has been replaced by metal trees crafted by the owner to retain privacy and muffle sound.
All proceeds from the tour benefit Inova Alexandria Hospital. Tickets are available either online, TheTwig.org, or at the Ramsay House Visitor Center; price is $40 in advance or $45 the day of the tour. On tour day, exchange tickets for the tour book and map either at the Twig Shop, 106 N. Columbus St., at Ramsay House, 221 King St., or at the Lloyd House garden on the 200 block of N. Columbus Street.
The Twig is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to providing financial aid and support to Inova Alexandria Hospital. Since its founding in 1933, The Twig has donated nearly $4 million to the hospital.