February 28, 2014

One More House: Lord Fairfax’s House in Alexandria

Thanks to reader Janet for sharing this house with me! This house was apparently on the market for quite some time, despite its excellent location in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, and its “reasonable” price tag of $6 million, as well as its storied history.image

Circa 1800, the home was constructed as the winter residence to Thomas Lord Fairfax, Ninth Baron Cameron, and his son until 1875.image

Seriously, if I had a choice between a house like this, and the big one, Tyrconnell, I’d take this in an instant. Here, we have the front hall, which has 14’ ceilings. image

Beautiful staircase.image

And from above:image

There’s even a spacious back garden!image

Decent kitchen, which is always good. imageIt looks like the house finally sold, but I am glad I got to see where some ancestor lived!image

Thanks to Old Town Home for the images!

12 comments:

  1. The unemployment rate is so high and yet people do not have a trade. These fabulous homes you have featured were built by hand by skilled craftsman. Today how many folk earn an honest days wage building through masonry, carpentry, plumbing, etc. The homes of today lack so many things beginning with square footage. I suppose featuring an average home in anytown USA listed on the web would draw hoots due to the poor design and decoration and appearance. Housing in the USA is not the American Dream the houses of today = a nightmare

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  2. while $6 million in DC proper isn't 'much' shockingly -it IS in old town so I suspect thats why it still sits on the market. Prices in Old Town are substantially less than Georgetown or other historic DC neighborhoods. The commute into the city is SO awful from Alexandria which is a shame -it really is one of my favorite neighborhoods of DC.

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  3. This place looks massive and almost every square foot seems to be lined with Persian carpets. I wonder what the gorgeous Greek Revival structure is. A folly? I'd love to see more of it.

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  4. A gorgeous home! Love the history around it! Love your blogs. I look forward to your next adventure.

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  5. The design of the staircase is an architectural feat.
    Thanks.
    Mary

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  6. I love the look and feel of Old Town. This house is gorgeous, especially the staircase. I wish I could go see an open house.

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  7. oh how i adore this home + I’d take this in an instant + just for the staircase. xxpeggybraswelldesign.com

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  8. Meg, You're in luck---the house is still for sale AND it's been reduced to a smudge over $4.8 million. The owner changed realtors. Here's a link with more pictures http://www.trulia.com/property/3106543773-607-Cameron-St-Alexandria-VA-22314 That's the lady of the house in the portrait over the drawing room mantle. She and her husband did a lot of restoration work when they bought the house and won an award for the fine job they did. I know she has mentioned spending days scraping off excess paint from intricately carved molding with dental instruments. She's staying in town...in a smaller house.

    The folly, which has a fireplace and cooking arrangement, is on the lot beside the house. So, it's got a large back garden and a greensward/folly/garden to the side. I'm not in real estate, but I like the house and its owner.

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  9. What an architecturally interesting house! I was wondering about the size of the garden (extra lot) and the outbuilding (folly/garden house), so I really appreciate the readers' comments.

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  10. So beautiful and stately!!! 14'??? I could study that front hall all day.

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  11. So close to the street. The olden days, before cars and snow plows:).

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    Replies
    1. When the city was incorporated in 1749, it had very specific rules for houses. One was they could be built only so far off the street. Only a couple of house built before the rules sit back from the street.

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