Gadsby's Tavern Museum

Gadsby's Tavern Museum consists of two buildings, the smaller c.1875 tavern and the larger 1792 City Tavern and Hotel. Both were constructed by John Wise, but they became famous through John Gadsby, a rising tavern keeper who rented them from 1796 to 1808. The tavern and hotel served local people as places to gather over food and entertainment while discussing business and current events. Travelers could find overnight lodging at the tavern, often sharing a room or even a bed, while the hotel offered rooms more like those expected today. Because Washington, D.C., was still under construction and had little entertainment, Gadsby's elegant hotel drew distinguished guests from both sides of the river. Gadsby became known for his hospitality and skill in entertaining, hosting notable occasions such as the Birthnight Ball celebrating George Washington's birthday, which Washington attended in his last two years, and Thomas Jefferson's inaugural banquet in 1801. After Gadsby left, hotel operations continued, but no later tavern keeper achieved the same fame. During the Civil War, the buildings' association with George Washington made them a destination for Union soldiers stationed in Alexandria, and Francis H. Pierpont, Governor of the Restored Government of Virginia, used the hotel as temporary quarters. By the mid-1920s, the newly formed American Legion Post 24 helped spark preservation of the buildings while seeking both a post headquarters and a memorial to World War I soldiers. With support from local groups and individuals, the Legion bought and restored both structures and opened them for public tours. In 1972, the Legion transferred the buildings to the City of Alexandria, which restored them again and reopened them as a museum and restaurant for the nation's bicentennial in 1976.

Alexandria, Virginia · United States