Carlyle House

Alexandria Home Revisited

Description

This 18th-century Palladian-style house in northern Virginia was the home of Scottish merchant John Carlyle and his wife Sarah Fairfax. Built in 1753 and completely out of stone, the couple moved in the same day that their first son was born. The Carlyle House was a symbol for the social elite, and was considered one of the most luxurious homes in Alexandria. The house even has a significant military past dating back to before the Revolutionary War. The mansion was used as a personal headquarters by British General Braddock in 1755 to coordinate his troops in the French and Indian War. The Carlyle family was marred by personal tragedies when eight of his children didn't live past childhood, and his first wife Sarah died tragically during childbirth. The house itself has a fascinating history worth taking a look at what life was like before and after the Revolutionary War. After the family lost ownership of the house in 1827, the house took on various uses including a hospital during the Civil War and a hotel and private residence. Later in 1970, the house was restored to its original appearance during the years that Carlyle and his family lived there, showing an aspect of social life in early Alexandria.