Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 06/17/1986
NRHP Listing Date 11/06/1986
DHR's Virginia Board of Historic Resources easement
NRHP Reference Number 86003136
A sumptuous example of a wealthy merchant’s town house of the mid-19th century, the Bayne-Fowle House was built in 1854 for William Bayne, a commission merchant and grocer. It is one of the few buildings in Old Town Alexandria with a stone façade, although the brown sandstone has been painted for many years. Of particular interest is the richly appointed suite of reception rooms comprising one of the grandest mid-Victorian interiors in the state. The rooms retain their 1870s gasoliers, early pier mirrors, and window cornices. The parlors are separated by a pendant arcade, the only example of this architectural device in the state. The Bayne-Fowle House was occupied by Union troops during the Civil War. In 1864 the Federal government confiscated the property for a hospital. Original graffiti from the occupation remains on the attic walls.
Many properties listed in the registers are private dwellings and are not open to the public, however many are visible from the public right-of-way. Please be respectful of owner privacy.
Abbreviations:
VLR: Virginia Landmarks Register
NPS: National Park Service
NRHP: National Register of Historic Places
NHL: National Historic Landmark
Updated: February 10, 2022
