The Woodlawn and Pope-Leighey House share space on acres of maintained and preserved landscape located in historical Alexandria, VA. Woodlawn was built on land that was once a part of Mount Vernon. Washington gifted the land to his nephew upon his marriage to Martha's granddaughter in 1799. The young couple built the massive Georgian/Federal house, which they named Woodlawn.
Woodlawn and Pope-Leighey House Histories
Woodlawn went through a lot of changes since it was built, but restoration has brought it back to what it looked like when it was new. Opened in 1949 as a historic museum, Woodlawn exemplifies the culture that surrounded the home throughout its long history.
In 1939, a journalist from Falls Church, Loren Pope, had a home built by Frank Lloyd Wright. He lived in the home until he sold it in 1946 to Robert and Marjorie Leighey. Due to an expansion of nearby Highway 66, the Pope-Leighey house had to be moved. Mrs. Leighey decided to give the home to the National Trust; they then relocated the house to the Woodland property. Mrs. Leighey lived in the home until she died in 1983. The home was moved again in 1995 to a spot 30 feet further uphill to keep it from sinking into the soft wet clay soil.
Woodlawn and Pope-Leighey House are open on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday from April until December. They follow the Fairfax County Public School system, so if inclement weather closes all schools, the Woodlawn and Pope-Leighey properties will also be closed.
The only way to see the Woodlawn and Pope-Leighey House is by taking a tour. Tour prices range from $20. for adults to see both homes, to free for those 5 and under. It takes about seven minutes to walk between the Woodlawn and Pope-Leighey House. It is highly recommended that visitors wear comfortable walking shoes. Tours generally last about 45 minutes for the Woodlawn and Pope-Leighey House, so comfortable shoes will make the whole outing enjoyable for all.
Are you interested in this area of Northern Virginia? Would you like a free property valuation on your current home? Contact Darren for guidance in this competitive real estate market. Call Darren at 703-462-0700 or email us at DarrenRobertsonHomes@gmail.com.