Old Town Alexandria is a quaint historic town. It is situated across Potomac River from Washington DC. The river front at Alexandria formed a port during in 1749 during the American Civil War. The town has been refurbished and its historical character has been maintained and strengthened. The water front area contains cobblestone streets, colonial houses, churches, museums, shops and restaurants which are reminiscent of those times.
You can begin your tour of the town with a visit to Ramsay House situated at the corner of King and Fairfax Streets in the heart of the town. The house is named after William Ramsay. He was a Scottish merchant and a loved friend of US President George Washington. He was one of Alexandria's most distinguished founders. Ramsay House was in fact constructed in about 1724, nearly 24 years before the town of Alexandria was founded. The center is open to public visits daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Another landmark in Old Town Alexandria is Gadsby's Tavern and Museum, an early American style 18th century building named after an Englishman John Gadsby. The Tavern was a center of Alexandria's economic, political, and social life. George and Martha Washington, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams stayed here for some time during the 18th Century.
If you walk along Washington Street, you will come across Lyceum, Alexandria's History Museum. Constructed in 1839, Lyceum is a Greek Revival building. The museum displays around 1,500 historical objects that represent the history of Alexandria and Virginia from 1749 till today.
