Gadsby's Tavern Museum

Diggory and I took the bus (yes, the bus) to Gadsby's Tavern Museum in Old Town Alexandria yesterday morning.  I'll start off by saying that the bus ride itself was a lovely adventure, and Diggory was so excited about it that we went out to the bus stop almost fifteen minutes early to wait with unbridled anticipation.  Silly goose.  Even though the route each way takes almost 45 minutes, Diggory was (mostly) content and happy and I don't mind taking a gander at the beautiful homes along upper King Street in the Rosemont neighborhood.  A girl can dream.  

"Ride bus, mommy? Hooray!"

Our bus route brought us to within one block of the museum at 134 N. Royal Street.  There are two entrances...one to the museum and one to the restaurant (which is really fun, by the way), but the museum entrance will be clearly marked.  As a bit of background, the museum actually consists of two buildings named for John Gadsby, who operated the c. 1785 tavern and the c. 1792 City Hotel between 1796 and 1808.  The establishment was the site of numerous theatrical performances, dances and balls, and meetings of local organizations, and welcomed the likes of George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and the Marquis de Lafayette as its guests.  

We were there to take part in the tavern's hospitality as well, meeting our friend Amanda and her two lovely children at the museum for Tavern Toddlers, a program for walkers through age 36 months held in the historic ballroom every Monday (September through April) from 10:30am to 12:00pm.  It's open play time with books and toys (blocks, a tunnel, and old-school clothespins...sounds weird, but Diggory thought they were awesome...etc.), music for dancing, and a craft.  The admission is $7.00 per child, but you can buy a pass of five visits for $30.00.  There were about 15 children there during the height of the organized chaos, which I'm told is a fairly typical turnout, though there are sometimes as few as four and as many as twenty...depending on the weather.    

Yep, we take our photo in mirrors.

Diggory and his pal inside the tunnel.

As for logistics...street parking with a two-hour meter limit is available all around the museum, but if you prefer the convenience and reliability of a parking garage, there's a garage under City Hall (on the adjacent block).  The entrance is on N. Fairfax Street...sort of across from the Carlyle House.  I wouldn't recommend bringing a stroller, because there are a lot of stairs, but if you do, you can park it inside the museum.  The ballroom is on the second floor (above the restaurant side of the building) and the restrooms are up more stairs from there, on the third floor.  There's no changing table, but I was told it's okay to change diapers in the ballroom, if you need to do that.  

In full disclosure, we did not actually tour the museum, but I did peak into some of the furnished rooms as we walked from the entrance to the ballroom.  It's a really interesting space, full of history, and I'll have to go back sometime for the comprehensive experience.

After our visit, we ventured a few blocks down King Street for lunch, and then hopped back on the bus for the ride home.  Diggory fell asleep, as I suspected he would, and I snapped the photo below.  It might very well be one of the last times my little boy falls asleep on my lap.  Sigh.  

Once again, we had an awesome time on our museum outing...and now it's time to think up our next big adventure!

Hush.  It's time for sleeping.

Jones Point Park and Lighthouse

Last week, on a fabulously sunny and warm "winter" day, Diggory and I ventured south to Old Town Alexandria to investigate Jones Point Park.  If you haven't been, and you live in the Washington, DC area, go there.  Like, right now.  I am totally impressed and kicking myself for not finding it sooner.  And here's why.

First, the park is steeped in history.  The highlight, at least for me, is the lighthouse.  Built in 1855, the Jones Point lighthouse is the last riverine lighthouse in the Chesapeake Bay region.  It served an important role as a navigational tool on the Potomac River and supported the maritime economies of Alexandria, VA and Washington, DC in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.  The exterior has been renovated - and it appears as though the interior is currently under construction.  Maybe it will open to visitors sometime in the near future?  Anyone know?  In addition to the lighthouse, the paved and gravel paths throughout the park are lined with interpretative signs and historical markers, including several cement plinths marking the original Virginia boundaries of Washington, DC.  In fact, one marker is the south cornerstone dating from 1791 or 1794 and is thought to be "among the oldest existing physical monuments associated with the Federal City."  Other signs discuss the ecology of the Potomac River and native species of fish, the history of commercial fishing in Alexandria, the now-dismantled WWI shipyard that used to occupy the space, and the history of the indigenous cultures in the area and archaeological artifacts found within the park.

   

I tried to remain patient and let Diggory run at will.

The lighthouse.  Peek inside the windows on either side of the door facing the water for a view inside.

We frolicked on the rocks in front of the lighthouse.  In hindsight, not my most responsible parenting moment...but throwing rocks into the water is just so much fun!

Second, you get to walk UNDER the Wilson Bridge, which in itself is pretty cool.  The parking lot for the park is accessible from Royal Street on the south side of Old Town Alexandria.  It's located just north of the Capital Beltway (I-495), so you get to walk under the bridge to get to the lighthouse.  Maybe I'm just a total geek, but I thought it was pretty cool.  There's also a few picnic tables, basketball hoops, impressively clean restroom facilities with a changing table, and two playgrounds - one on the north side (and better for toddlers) and one of the south side (and better for older kids).  Here's a map of the park, for your reference.

Cool bridge architecture and interpretive signs.  Neat!

So, that brings me to my third point.  The playgrounds are AWESOME!  Diggory has always liked swings, but the slides, climbing apparatus, and squishy ground (for falling) is just really, really cool.  Good luck pulling your kid away from them...maybe tell them that they can go throw rocks in the water.  Oh man, I swear I'm a good mom.  All in all, it was a wonderful morning in the sunshine.  And we'll be back again soon.

Yet another picture of Diggory in a swing.

There are a bunch of these path markers.  This one is for a rabbit, but there's one for a raccoon, a dog, and several other animals.

Potomac River sunshine.