Lloyd House (Alexandria, Virginia) facts for kids
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Lloyd House
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 Location in Alexandria Historical District
Location in Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Location | 220 N. Washington St., Alexandria, Virginia |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1796 |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| NRHP reference No. | 76002222 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | July 12, 1976 |
The Lloyd House is an old and important building in Alexandria, Virginia, United States. You can find it at 220 North Washington Street in the historic Old Town area. This special house became part of the National Register of Historic Places on July 12, 1976. A successful businessman named John Wise built it around the late 1700s. He designed it in the popular Georgian style of that time.
Contents
History of Lloyd House: From Home to Library
The Lloyd House was built between 1796 and 1797 by John Wise. It was a very fancy house, and even President George Washington visited it once!
Early Owners and a Famous Student
In 1810, John Wise sold the house to Jacob Hoffman. Jacob Hoffman later became the Mayor of Alexandria. In 1824, Hoffman sold the house to James Hooe. After James Hooe passed away in 1826, his wife rented the house to a teacher named Benjamin Hallowell. He used the building as a school.
When Hooe's widow died in 1831, the house was sold to John Lloyd. John Lloyd's wife was a cousin of Robert E. Lee. Robert E. Lee had actually been a student at the school when it was run by Benjamin Hallowell! The Lloyd family owned the house for more than 100 years, until the 1930s.
Saving the Historic Lloyd House
During the 1940s and 1950s, the Lloyd House started to fall apart. There were plans to tear down parts of the building in 1956. However, the Historic Alexandria Foundation worked to stop this.
A businessman from Wyoming named Robert V. New bought the house. He saved it from being destroyed and paid for a big renovation. After being fully restored, the Lloyd House was sold to the City of Alexandria in 1968.
Lloyd House Today: A Center for History
Today, the Lloyd House is the main office for the Office of Historic Alexandria. This is a part of the City of Alexandria government. This department works to collect and protect important historical places and items.
Since 1976, the building has also held important history and family research collections. These collections are part of the Alexandria Library. The house had its shelving space tripled to hold over 4,000 books and other materials.
Architecture: The Look of Lloyd House
The Lloyd House shows the style of buildings from early post-colonial Virginia. It is a great example of Federal domestic architecture.
Building Design and Features
It is a two-story building made of brick. It has a rectangular shape. The front of the house, facing Washington Street, has five sections with windows and doors. It has four chimneys and a sloped roof with three small windows called dormers.
The main front door is made of solid wood. It has two decorative columns, called Doric pilasters, on each side. When the house was fixed up in the early 1960s, some of the original brickwork on the outside was changed. The original wooden floors inside were also covered.
Archives: Discovering History at Lloyd House
The Lloyd House has many important historical records. These records help people learn about the past.
Collections for Research
- It has a full collection of the Virginia census records from 1790 to 1920.
- You can find information about Virginia's county and city histories and family trees.
- There are also special materials for African-American research. These include records of births, deaths, cemeteries, wills, and marriages.
- The archives also have church records, tax records, and microfilm.
- There is a large collection of over 9,000 old photographs and maps of Alexandria.
Events at Lloyd House
The rooms of the Lloyd House can also be rented for special events. People use them for things like wedding receptions or conferences.
