Alexandria,VA |
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Current Mostly Cloudy 80º Sunset 8:14 pm |
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| High: 82 | High: 75 |
| Low: 60 | Low: 56 |
Collections & Conservation
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Collections & Conservation When Scottish merchant John Carlyle completed his riverfront home in 1753, it was the grandest mansion in the new town of Alexandria. Carlyle’s business and social ties made him a leading citizen in Virginia and brought wealth and prestige to his family.In 1755, British General Edward Braddock organized the first major conference of colonial leaders. He met in the Carlyle House large parlor with five colonial governors to plan the strategy and financing of an upcoming campaign in the French and Indian War. Carlyle’s stone house dominated Alexandria’s 18th-century landscape. Today, Carlyle House is one of the nation’s finest examples of Georgian Palladian residential architecture. |
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Fortunately, a detailed inventory of John Carlyle’s possessions remains. The museum is dedicated to furnishing the house with everything from “1 Old Tea Chest Called the Mistake” to “2 walnut Clothes presses.” The most important piece in the collection is the original Carlyle bed, one of the top five extant Virginia bedsteads. While the museum displays a fabulous collection of 18th-century furnishings, the inventory is not yet complete. As a Friend, you can help complete the Carlyle inventory. |
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