A Visit to Lloyd House

I work in Old Town Alexandria, and for those of us with an inclination towards historic buildings, it's an area that really scratches an itch. While I've been working close to it for several months now, I hadn't yet made it to the Lloyd House. It was definitely an oversight on my part.

For months, I'd walked by the Lloyd House, at the corner of Queen and Washington Streets, and admired the impressive brick facade and wonderful Georgian symmetry. For months I'd thought to myself that I really must make a visit. And finally, one very gray, rainy weekday afternoon, I made the time to visit. And I have to say that I was rather impressed.

The home is now the office of the City of Alexandria's Office of Historic Alexandria, but the first floor is open to visitors. As was the case on this particular day, the house is also bookable for events, and there was a buzz as preparations were made for a birthday party being held there that very weekend. 

My friend and I had a lovely time walking through the first floor, and were given insights into the history by a lovely OHA staffer. The first floor was a delight from the moment we stepped through the heavy wooden door. 

A deep powder blue coated the walls (a recent restoration had led to the discovery that a color similar to this had been used around the turn of the 18th century, when the home had been built), and the long hallway offered a pleasing air of grace and graciousness. 

On one side of the hall, the dining room took up the length of the house, while a smaller parlor (and staff kitchen) were on the other. 

The dining room was all white, showcasing the aged wood flooring and accenting the rather lofty height of the ceiling. 

Our guide showed us a hidden feature in a window, built-in shutters (that still work, even 200+ years later). 

As in many Virginia homes of the period, the room was fairly unadorned, though incredibly elegant. It wasn't hard to imagine a lively evening in this room, as members of the Alexandria well-to-do danced and reveled in this very room.

 Several portraits adorned the walls, including one of George Henley Smoot, an ancestor of the Smoot family who were residents of the home in the first half of the 20th century. 

The Smoots were owners of the house after the nearly hundred year residency of the titular Lloyd family, and appear to have been the last private owners to reside in the house.

Ambling across the hall, we entered the parlor room, and noticed an adorably whimsical Lloyd House dollhouse, charmingly primitive and a wonderful piece to have.

I was more than a little enamored with the staircase, as it somehow gave the impression of soaring without being as grand as some of its contemporaries. On the second floor landing, the banister curved gracefully into a half circle, and continued up to the third floor. It was a staircase made for photographs. 

Residing in the second floor hall was a bust of Benjamin Hallowell, founder of the Lyceum (in close proximity to the Lloyd House) and tutor to a gentleman you might have heard of - Robert E. Lee.

All told, the Lloyd House is quite a satisfying place to spend some time. While certainly not as popular as some of the local historic homes (Mt. Vernon, Woodlawn, Gunston Hall), the Lloyd House is well-restored and offers a look into Old Town's past. I actually enjoyed being the only two in the home, as I like having a guide to myself (not to mention not dealing with the fanny-packed tourists that tend to clog the bigger name sites during the never-ending DC area tourist season). For those seeking a bit of history and quiet, the Lloyd House should most certainly be on your radar. Additional photos below. 

  



    

Photos copyright Megan Petty