Gadsby's Tavern Museum (Historical Marker)

Here follows the inscription written on this roadside historical marker:

Gadsby's Tavern Museum
City of Alexandria Est. 1749

Gadsby's Tavern Museum consists of two buildings — the smaller c.1875 tavern and larger 1792 City Tavern and Hotel. While both were constructed by John Wise, they were made famous by John Gadsby, a rising tavern keeper who rented the buildings for only 12 years, from 1796 to 1808. This tavern and hotel provided a place for locals to gather around food and entertainment as they discussed business and events of the day. For travelers, the tavern offered overnight accommodations, as long as they didn't mind sharing a room or even a bed, while the hotel provided rooms more similar to what travelers might expect today. With little entertainment available in Washington, D.C., which was still under construction, Gadsby's elegant hotel became the destination for distinguished guests from both sides of the river.

"I found elegant accommodations at Gadesby's hotel. It is observable that Gadesby keeps the best house of entertainment in the United States."
—John Davis, 1801

Gadsby was known for his hospitality and flair for entertaining. Famous events include the Birthnight Ball hosted to celebrate George Washington's birthday, which Washington attended the last two years of himself.

Mr. Gadsby also hosted Thomas Jefferson's Inaugural Banquet in 1801. Today, the Museum brings these events to life for guests to experience first-hand.

While hotel operations continued after Gadsby's departure, no other tavern keeper reached the same level of fame. The buildings' connections to George Washington made them a tourist destination for Union soldiers stationed in Alexandria during the Civil War. Francis H. Pierpont, Governor of the Restored Government of Virginia, used the hotel for his temporary quarters during the war.

By the mid-1920s, interest in preserving the buildings was generated by the newly-formed American Legion Post 24, which was seeking not only a Post headquarters but also a fitting memorial to World War I soldiers. With support from many local groups and individuals, the American Legion purchased and restored both structures, then opened them to the public for tours. In 1972, the Legion gave the buildings to the City of Alexandria, which restored both buildings again and reopened them as a museum and restaurant in time for the Nation's bicentennial celebration in 1976.

Erected by City of Alexandria.


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History of Gadsby's Tavern Museum
Gadsby's Tavern Museum consists of two buildings, a ca. 1785 tavern and the 1792 City Tavern and Hotel. In those seven short years, the young Republic began to take shape through the conversations and choices being made in these tavern spaces. The impact of these choices about how far to extend power—political, economic, and social—are still being felt today.

Named for Englishman John Gadsby who operated them from 1796 to 1808, the tavern businesses were central to Alexandria’s port-based economy, offering spaces to dine, entertain, and spend the night. A large, enslaved labor force made Gadsby’s renowned hospitality possible. Notable patrons that enjoyed this hospitality included George and Martha Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and the Marquis de Lafayette. The most well-known event was the Birthnight Ball, when Washington celebrated his birthday in 1798 and 1799.

After serving as a tavern and hotel during the Civil War and into the late 19th century, the buildings were used for variety of commercial uses and soon fell into disrepair. In 1917, the Metropolitan Museum of Art purchased the historic woodwork of the City Tavern Ballroom because of its Washington connection to include in their new American Wing. Twelve years later, American Legion Post 24 purchased the buildings, saving them from demolition, and undertook a community-wide restoration effort. In 1972, the buildings were donated to the City of Alexandria, restored again, and re-opened in 1976 for America’s Bicentennial Celebration.

Though the buildings were saved due to the taverns’ connections to famous guests, the Museum now tells the story of all people who interacted with the spaces as they negotiated daily life in the early United States.