In the heart of historic OldTown, in Alexandria, Virginia, is The Athenaeum, home to the Northern Virginia Fine Arts Association (NVFAA). This beautiful Greek Revival building was constructed in 1851-52, and purchased by the NVFAA in 1964. It is on both the Virginia Trust and National Register of Historic Places. With a rich history in this historic seaport town, The Athenaeum is one of Alexandria’s two surviving examples of Greek revival neo-classic architecture open to the public. The elegant rooms have 24-foot high coved ceilings, enormous windows and beautiful woodwork. The exterior walls are stucco over stone and brick. The four soaring Doric columns across the veranda were originally fluted, but by 1861 had been plastered in the plain manner. The columns were restored to fluted condition in 1993. The building was constructed to be the Bank of the Old Dominion. Robert E. Lee did his banking here, as did many other prominent people 150 years ago. During the Civil War, the building was Commissary Headquarters for the Union Army, and after the Battle of Bull Run/First Manassas it served as a triage facility for wounded Union soldiers. When the Bank moved in 1905, the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Shop bought the building to use as a factory for grinding talcum powder, a popular necessity during hot Southern summers.The building became the FreeMethodistChurch in 1925, before Alexandria was revitalized and renovated. Today, The Athenaeum is surrounded by some of the oldest and most beautiful and elegant homes in the area, but in 1925 many of the neighboring houses were rough establishments in a red-light district. The FreeMethodistChurch took advantage of the building’s wide windows to share its joyful hymns with the neighborhood. Eventually the church outgrew the building.
The NVFAA recently completed a much needed restoration of the building with funds from members and the National Park Service Save America's Treasures grant.
Aptly named after Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, The Athenaeum continues to serve its purpose of enriching the cultural life of Northern Virginia.
The Athenaeum, 201 Prince Street, Alexandria Virginia 22314, 703-548-0035
