Carlyle House Historic Park
The historic Carlyle House was completed in 1753 by British merchant John Carlyle for his bride, Sarah Fairfax of Belvoir, member of one of the most prestigious families in colonial Virginia. Their home quickly became a center of social and political life in Alexandria and gained a foothold in history when British General Braddock made the mansion his headquarters in 1755. Braddock summoned five colonial governors to meet there to plan the early campaigns of the French and Indian War. On the National Register of Historic Places, Carlyle House is architecturally unique in Alexandria as the only stone, 18th-century Palladian-style house.
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Hours
Regular Hours for Carlyle House:
- Monday CLOSED
- Tuesday - Saturday 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
- Sunday 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Holiday Hours for Carlyle House
Guided Tours and Museum Shop
Open December 24th 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Closed December 25th
Closed January 1st
(Note: Many places fill to capacity on busy, nice weather days, especially holiday weekends. Please call ahead or visit the official website to get the most up-to-date information before visiting.)
Fees
Ages 4 and Under Free
Age 5 - 12 $3
Age 13 & Over $5
Friends of Carlyle House Free
For group or other discounts, please visit the website for more information.
Activities
Daily tours of the house, programs for schoolchildren, special events, exhibits and lectures explore the life and times of John Carlyle in pre-Revolutionary Alexandria. The site may be rented in the evenings for private functions and weddings.
History
Members of the family that built Carlyle House experienced the War of 1812 first-hand.
British merchant Col. John Carlyle built the house in 1753. His 36-year-old grandson and heir John Carlyle Herbert became a prominent Maryland politician. He fought in the Battle of Bladensburg on August 24, 1814, as a captain in the Bladensburg Troop of Horse.
Herbert’s parents William and Sarah lived in the house during the war and witnessed Alexandria surrender to the British, who occupied the town for several days.
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