By: Elizabeth Schock
Edited by: Mary Reich

As you stroll down the cobblestone streets of Alexandria, you’ll overhear haunted tales from the lantern-led ghost tours or gaze in awe at the elaborate, larger-than-life Halloween decorations on Captain’s Row. 

As the weather cooled down and the leaves began to change, Historic Alexandria embodied the quintessential small-town charm. It feels like you’ve stepped back into time as you walk around and admire all the historic homes. The Junior League of Washington (JLW) partners with Historic Alexandria Docents and provides volunteers who support several sites with tours, programming and events. One of these sites is the Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden, which works to preserve Alexandria’s history through the stories of the families that owned and worked in the home. The house receives no public funding, instead operating off donations and relying on volunteers to support the museum’s events and programming. 

In October, JLW volunteered with Lee-Fendall’s inaugural Fall Frolic! The Frolic is hosted in the home’s garden, which dates back to the 1850’s when Louis and Harriott Cazenove purchased the house and converted the food garden into a Victorian ornamental garden. Although the garden has been restored, several of the trees were planted by the Cazenove family. 

The Lee-Fendell House garden in the fall.

As you walked around the garden during the Fall Frolic there were several family-friendly stations for children to explore. If they were feeling crafty, families could stop by the craft station to use various art materials to create a ghost or pumpkin cup. Next, they could participate in lawn games and a cake walk. They even had sweet treats for the whole family with local ice cream donated by Pop’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream. If families loved dressing up, the hourly costume contest crowned a winner. 

This event was a great opportunity to not only celebrate the start of fall but to also support the partnership with Historic Alexandria. If you missed the Fall Frolic it’s not too late to check out all the other wonderful events the Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden has planned throughout the year. Each season, the house hosts a variety of themed events. In December, you can venture back in time for a Victorian Christmas. The house will be decorated for the holidays and there will be activities in each room, along with. music, treats, crafts, storytime and tours of the house. 

The Lee-Fendell house is all decorated for the holidays.