Water & War: Jones Point Walking Tour
Walk under the Wilson Bridge and back in time along the Potomac River.
Tour Description
WALKING DISTANCE: 2 MILES Enjoy Alexandria's fashionable Old Town district and allow Nathaniel Lee to guide you on a two-mile round trip walk back through time along the Potomac River through its founding in colonial days as a major Atlantic shipping port and relive the terror of the British invasion of the city in 1814! VISIT -- the vessels that archaeologists uncovered in 1989 at the foot of Franklin Street and decided to save them for future generations by preserving them under the new townhouses! VISIT -- the last remaining riverine lighthouse in Virginia built in 1856 on Jones Point! VISIT -- the memorial to Margaret Brent, an extraordinary woman of colonial America; she acted as a lawyer and politician, and was the first woman landowner in the colonies. She added to her estates in Saint Mary's City, Maryland, with the grant of a 700-acre plot of land encompassing Jones Point and extending north to present-day Queen Street. With this 1654 acquisition, she became the first European owner of land which became part of Alexandria in 1749. VISIT -- the District of Columbia cornerstones found along the seawall. George Washington included the prosperous port of Alexandria in the 10-square-mile area of Virginia and Maryland which became the District of Columbia. As the Federal District survey team laid out the boundary, they placed markers every mile along the perimeter; the first stone was placed in 1791. VISIT -- the ropewalks; long buildings in which workers walked backwards the length of the structure, spinning raw fiber into rope for ships. Remains of Josiah Davis' 19-century ropewalk were discovered here; it extended about 1,200 feet. Many rope makers were African Americans, both slave and free. VISIT -- Windmill Hill, home to a water-drawing windmill built in 1843, much to the amazement of locals. African Americans fleeing slavery during the Civil War crowded into Union-occupied Alexandria; they lived in shanties at the base of the bluff and held religious services here. ... AND SO MUCH MORE!
Accessibility and Cancellation Policy
Some of our tours are marked as active walking tours; guests are advised that they should be physically capable and prepared to walk around an urban environment for the time and distances listed. ASSISTANCE DOGS: All assistance dogs are welcome on our tours including registered guide dogs, hearing dogs and medical alert dogs. Please make us aware of this beforehand by email at franconiahistory@gmail.com WHEELCHAIRS AND MOBILITY VEHICLES: Any guests who use a wheelchair must be capable of travelling throughout the length of the relevant tour, some parts of which will be on uneven terrain. Manual wheelchair users are likely to need to bring a personal assistant with them. Self-propelled wheelchair users even with assistance are likely to struggle in some areas and as a result may experience difficulty on some areas of tours. Guests who use an electric wheelchair or mobility scooter must ensure they have sufficient battery power for the duration of a tour. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any queries on the suitability of a tour. TOILET FACILITIES: As we host outdoor tours, we are not able to provide permanent toilet facilities for visitors. We however try to ensure our tours are designed to pass via publicly accessible toilets as a rest break for visitors. We are however not able to guarantee that these will be open at all times during our tours. Our guides will always try to direct visitors towards open facilities if required. TOUR CANCELLATION POLICY: Franconia History LLC understands that schedules change, especially while you are on vacation or with family. You are welcome to cancel or reschedule your tour with us at no additional charge up to twelve hours prior to the scheduled start time of your tour. If cancellation is required, you are requested to notify us no later than twelve hours before your scheduled tour start time. Please note that any cancellations you make within twelve hours of your scheduled tour start time will cause the forfeiture of one-half of the fee you paid for the tour. Franconia Museum LLC cannot be held responsible for delays or cancellations of customer trips that result from weather, traffic, mechanical difficulties or circumstances beyond our control. If Franconia History LLC is forced to cancel your tour due to reasons outside of company control, all prior payments will be refunded to you within ten business days.
Contact Details
franconiahistory@gmail.com
Franconia Museum, Inc., 6121 Franconia Road, Alexandria, VA 22310, USA