New this year is a Sweet History Walking Tour of Old Town Fairfax’s Historic District. It’s slated for Friday, Jan. 31, from 4:30-6 p.m., and allows participants to step back in time for a peek at Fairfax’s past.
The tour begins at the Ratcliffe-Allison House, 10209 Main St. The City’s oldest standing house, it was built in 1812. Furnished with period pieces, this home depicts the lives of everyday residents in 19th-century Fairfax. Next is the Old Town Hall, which was constructed in 1900 by Joseph E. Willard and contains the Huddleston Library.
The third stop is the historic Fairfax County Courthouse. Built in 1799, the first Confederate officer casualty of the American Civil War took place on the courthouse grounds, and the building was occupied by both sides in the conflict. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1981, and the original wills of George and Martha Washington are currently on display in the Court Clerk’s office.
The tour’s last stop is the Ford House, the childhood home of Antonia Ford. A Confederate spy during the Civil War, she provided Confederate military leaders with information gathered at her Fairfax home during the First Battle of Manassas. When she was imprisoned, she fell in love with her Union jailer, whom she later married; their son built the Old Town Hall.
The tour ends at De Clieu Coffee on Main Street, where participants will be served hot chocolate. Tour cost is $10/person, with free admission for one child, 5 and under, per paying adult; participants are encouraged to bring flashlights. Pre-registration is required. For more information and to register, go to www.chocolatefestival.net; click on “Events” and then “Sweet History Walking Tour.”
— Bonnie Hobbs