Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 12/17/1985
NRHP Listing Date 06/05/1986
DHR's Virginia Board of Historic Resources easement
NRHP Reference Number 86001228
A handsomely articulated example of Federal architecture, the Robert E. Lee Boyhood Home was built in 1795 for John Potts, Jr., the first secretary of the Potomac Company. It is distinguished by its fine brickwork and restrained Federal woodwork. Its early 19th-century owners include William Fitzhugh, who served in the first Continental Congress. Gen. “Light-Horse Harry” Lee, father of Robert E. Lee, moved his family here in 1811 where they resided until 1816. In 1820, “Light-Horse Harry’s” widow, Anne Hill Lee, and her family again occupied No. 607. It was here that Robert E. Lee prepared for his entrance to the United States Military Academy. This little-altered building in the Alexandria Historic District served as a museum operated by the Lee-Jackson Foundation until the end of the 20th century, when the Robert E. Lee Boyhood Home was converted back into a private residence.
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: March 16, 2023
