One of Alexandria's oldest homes is getting a historically-appropriate update.
Murray-Dick-Fawcett House, M. Enriquez for Visit Alexandria
Murray-Dick-Fawcett House, Sara Dingmann for Alexandria Living
Murray-Dick-Fawcett House, Sara Dingmann for Alexandria Living
Murray-Dick-Fawcett House under renovation, photo by Susannah Moore
Murray-Dick-Fawcett House under renovation, photo by Susannah Moore
Murray-Dick-Fawcett House under renovation, photo by Susannah Moore
At the corner of Prince and South St. Asaph streets sits an unassuming yet remarkable house – the Murray-Dick-Fawcett House. Although it may not technically be the oldest house in Alexandria, it has the honor of being the least-altered 18th-century home in the region.
Construction began on the house, located at 517 Prince St., in 1772, before the American Revolution, and additions were added on the western side of the house through 1823. The house is named after its owners, Patrick Murray, the first owner; physician Elisha Cullen Dick, who was one of the physicians who attended to George Washington on his deathbed and was also a mayor of Alexandria and the Fawcett family, descendants of owner John Douglass Brown, generations of whom lived in the house for 184 years.
The Office of Historic Alexandria purchased the historic home in 2017 from Joseph Reeder, to be permanently preserved as a historic site and small park. Reeder, now in his 90s, has life-tenancy in the house, which means he continues to reside there and the inside of the house is only open to the public on special occasions.
As for most things, time and weather has not been kind to the centuries-old home. Currently, scaffolding covers the house and a large dumpster sits in front of it. The small garden is filled with wooden planks and other construction materials.
The City of Alexandria began the process of restoring the exterior of the house in 2021, with the help of Oak Grove Restoration Company. “Oak Grove [Restoration Company], they are extraordinary craftsmen and they are using the same techniques and they are paying attention to all the little details,” said Gretchen Bulova, the director of the Office of Historic Alexandria.
Phase I of the extensive restoration project, which is mostly complete, involved replacing the wood shingle roof on the original portion of the house and the seam metal roof on the brick addition and the supporting wooden structures, much of which had rotted from water damage. \
Luckily for the restoration company, remnants of the original fish scale wood shingles were preserved in the attic. While they were unable to match the exact type of wood used, instead using resilient cypress, the size and varying widths of the shingles were carefully recreated. The original metal roof was made with a significant amount of lead, so it was replaced with a Roofinox stainless steel roof that matches the look of the historic roof. The roof cricket (designed to divert rainwater) was also rebuilt to prevent future water damage.
Finally, the south and west-facing dormers on the house were restored, using as much of the original materials as possible. The restoration project is now in
Phase II which will involve working on the exterior doors, windows and wide-board siding. Some of the siding is original to the house and some is reclaimed wood that was installed by Reeder after he purchased the home in 2000. Each piece of wood is tagged with a number and will be rebuilt at an offsite location before it is reassembled on the house. A wood analysis and paint analysis will be done to determine the type of wood used and what colors the house has been painted over time.
Phase II is expected to be complete sometime in 2023. Like many other construction projects, the restoration has faced some wood sourcing and other supply chain issues. No work will be done on the interior of the house until Reeder is no longer living in the house. A quick peek inside the windows shows the
pride Reeder has in the historic nature of the property and an extensive collection of antiques. The house is one of nine properties owned by the Office of Historic Alexandria and Bulova is excited for what the future will hold for the Murray-Dick-Fawcett House. “It’s a beautiful house," she noted. "We are starting a master plan where we will actually work with the community and lay out our vision for the site and ask for their input on how this can be an asset to the community."
“We are not really looking for it to be a historic house museum like 'It was so-and-so’s house at a certain point in time.' I don’t think that’s what people want to see nowadays. I think looking at this [house] from its architectural significance or building construction and what this house has seen over time, I think is going to be fascinating,” Bulova explained. The house certainly has its share of unique architectural features.
A few sets of privies with a total of eight seats sit on the far west side of the house. Historians are unsure why there were so many, but it suggests that the property may have had a public use at one time. The Office of Historic Alexandria has a number of pieces and documentation original to the house in its collection, which will likely go on display in the house in the future. A garage built in the 1970s which sits on the property will be used for visitor services, restrooms and storage for the future museum.
More information on the house and a more detailed description of the restoration process can be found at alexandriava.gov/historic-sites/murray-dick-fawcett-house.
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