Robert E. Lee’s Childhood Home!

Robert E. Lee’s Childhood Home!

Robert E. Lee's Childhood Home!

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An Alexandria, Virginia townhouse where Confederate General Robert E. Lee lived as a child and George Washington slept overnight is for sale at $8.5 million.

Though Lee was actually born in Stratford, Virginia in 1807, his parents moved to Alexandria, Virginia after their father’s lack of farming knowledge and disastrous land speculations brought the family to financial ruin. They rented a townhouse in 1812 that was close to many of the Lee family relatives. Forced to live on a restricted budget, courtesy of a legacy from his grandfather and proceeds from a book his father had written while in debtor’s prison, Robert lived at the Alexandria home until he left for West Point in 1825.

Built in 1795 by John Potts who was a local wealthy merchant, the house has seen a number of illustrious owners and visitors. George Washington lived at his Mount Vernon plantation but the trips on horseback were long and tiring when he had to spend time in the city and he dined and stayed over with various families in Alexandria, one of which was Potts’ townhouse. Poet Archibald MacLeish wrote some of his poetry at the home and Robert came back to visit in 1870 after he was paroled by the government for his role in the Civil War. In 1967, the home became the Stonewall Jackson Museum, but by 2000 it became clear that the museum was unable to afford repairing its structural issues and quietly sold it to Mark and Ann Kington who would restore the building back into a single-family home, creating a fair share of tongue wagging amongst other museum curators.

Now, structurally sound and once again an elegant, private family home for the first time in 50 years, the 8,145-square-foot house nestled in a half acre of lush gardens is being offered for sale. A registered Virginia Landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the house has undergone a total restoration with historical details preserved while ensuring that it has all modern day updates. All rooms are spacious with high ceilings and the six bedrooms and six baths are large including the master suite dressing room that has one of the many fireplaces that exist throughout the house. Sized for entertaining on either a grand or intimate scale, the formal rooms and outdoor courtyard and terraces are perfect for dining both indoors or out. The separate two-car garage also has a workshop/studio on the second floor.

The listing agents are Robert Hryniewicki, Adam T. Rackliffe, and Christopher R. Leary of HRL Partners at Washington Fine Properties.

Robert E. Lee’s childhood home in Old Town, Alexandria, Virginia is newly on the market for the first time in 50 years as a professionally restored private residence, offered at $8.5 million.

Photo credit: Washington Fine Properties

Source: www.wfp.com