Knowing how much I like the 18th century, my friend took me to dinner at Gadsby’s Tavern in Old Town Alexandria.
Excited about that opportunity, I wore my fancy 1957 changeable red/black silk taffeta dress, which some of the waitstaff complimented…which often happens when I wear 1950s dresses, causing W to chuckle and shake his head.
PROPOSAL
While enjoying our delicious dinner, W asked me to marry him!
I said, yes!
We had a lovely dinner, quietly chatting, talking about our future, watching the twinkly lights outside the window, wondering if it would snow on the way home.
Knowing each other for a few years, W became a great friend and confidante during some trials in my life, similar to what he, himself, had previously faced.
We talked a lot about what marriage looks like…with our faith in God as the foundation.
Calling me his strategic advisor, I helped him with a few projects, since I knew quite a bit about house buying, renovating, and remodeling, even gardening…I advised Mr. Not-a-DYI-er on good v bad points of the houses he looked at, choosing paint colors for the walls, etc.
Often driving across the Occoquan River from my apartment to his townhouse, I kept quite busy opening doors for repairmen and estimators, while I took furious notes to relay to W…trying to explain to everyone I’m only the strategic advisor from across the river. 😉
I had no idea I was ultimately designing my future home…although he says he knew. 😉
In between projects we take lots of hikes, eat at delicious restaurants, and watch the stars and fireflies at night.
We both like reading, and writing, and history, although I’m 18th century and he’s Civil War…he’s rather stoked at the 18th century military stuff I know. 😉
And…W wanted to know the history of this place where we decided yes, forever.
GADSBY TAVERN HISTORY
In 1792, John Wise built the City Hotel on the corner of North Royal and Cameron Streets.
Cameron Street was named for Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron, who owned the Northern Proprietary that extended from Alexandria to the Blue Ridge Mountains.
The next year, Wise added to the hotel a three-story brick building for a tavern and well-finished rooms.
Surrounded by the busy tobacco port city of Alexandria on the Potomac River, the hotel and tavern (later rented by John Gadsby) were also located along the mail and stage coach lines, which provided a plentiful business.
SOCIAL LIFE IN THE BALLROOM
Under John Gadsby’s proprietorship from 1796 to 1808, the ballroom on the second floor of his tavern was the center of social and political life, for balls, concerts, lectures, auctions, meetings, etc.
Musicians sat in a raised balcony of the ballroom, which made the music easier to hear and gave more room to dance on the floor below.
The most popular ball at Gadsby’s Tavern reflected British tradition by celebrating the head of state, by celebrating George Washington’s birthday, a tradition that continues today.
Went up to Alexandria to the celebration of my birth day. Many Manœuvres were performed by the Uniform Corps and an elegant Ball & Supper at Night. -George Washington diary, February 11, 1799
Other famous guests included John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, and the Marquis de Lafayette (while on his Grand Tour of American in 1824).
ALEXANDRIA HELPS FORM WASHINGTON DC
After Virginia ceded Alexandria and Arlington to form the District of Columbia in 1789, business began to dwindle because Virginia no longer owned it, and DC ignored the land across the river.
During the War of 1812, the Alexandria militia left town to defend Maryland.
As the British invaded from Maryland, they burned Washington DC, then sailed to defenseless Alexandria.
Carrying a white flag, the town mayor and staff rowed toward the British ships to discuss terms of surrender.
If return for military supplies, weapons, ships, flour, cotton, tobacco, etc, the British promised to leave the people and homes in Alexandria alone.
Struggling to survive after the war, Alexandria County was returned to Virginia in 1847.
In 1870, the city portion of Alexandria became an independent city (no longer part of a county).
Due to confusion between the city and county of Alexandria being two different places, Alexandria County was renamed Arlington County in 1920.
METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART – NEW YORK CITY
In 1917, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City purchased the architectural elements from the Gadsby Tavern’s ballroom, such as the musician’s gallery, cornice, door frames, and mantelpieces, for an exhibit they opened seven years later, in the American Wing of their museum.
