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H. Warden Foley and William McNamara

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Alexandria Living Legends: Their Leadership Preserved Gadsby’s Tavern

Foley and McNamara ensured Post 24’s historic gift to the city.

In the early 20th century, Gadsby’s Tavern and the adjoining City Hotel were in such a dilapidated condition that the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City made an offer to purchase some of the woodwork, including the ballroom, to preserve its history because the destruction of these buildings seemed imminent. The buildings were prominent in the 18th century as a meeting place for patriots of the revolution, including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Each of the first five presidents of the United States was entertained there.

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