City of Fairfax, VA
Home MenuHistoric Blenheim and the Civil War Interpretive Center
Hours of Interpretive Center: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday - Saturday. House Tour 1 p.m. Closed New Year's Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day and the day after (Friday), Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day and select other holidays.
Free admission • Fully accessible • Free parking on site Phone: 703-591-0560.
Tour Information:
- Guided Historic Blenheim house tours: Tuesday-Saturday, 1 p.m., limited to seven people
- For groups of four or more, please call 703-591-0560 in advance.
- Guided group tours and programs for students, scouts, and adults require separate reservations and fees; for more information visit the Tours and Programs page.
To request reasonable ADA accommodations, call 703-385-8414 or 703-591-0560.
About the Historic Site
No visit to Fairfax City is complete without a visit to Historic Blenheim and the Civil War Interpretive Center. The site is famous for its Federal soldier signatures, pictographs, and thoughts preserved on the attic and house walls of this Greek-Revival-style brick house. Built c. 1859 by Albert and Mary Willcoxon, the house was home to four generations of their descendants until the city purchased the house and surrounding 12 acres in 1999 as a public historic site.
This “diary on the walls” left by Federal soldiers in 1862-1863 provides historians and visitors insight into the lives of common soldiers and extends to the effect of this war on local residents, such as the Willcoxon family, and free and enslaved people of African descent.
Your Visit
Begin your visit at the modern Civil War Interpretive Center where a gallery features a full-sized ADA accessible replica of the house's attic, which is not accessible to the public. Examine the graffiti up-close ponder about the soldier’s wish to be remembered. Learn more Civil War history with an illustrated timeline of Civil War events, artifacts that interpret the common soldier, soldier biographies, information about the family and enslaved residents, and temporary displays. The multipurpose room features videos of the house graffiti, past Civil War lectures and events. Come join us for an upcoming program.
Guided Tours of Historic Blenheim House
Join a knowledgeable docent in the Civil War Interpretive Center for the 1 p.m. tour (Tuesday – Saturday) of the first floor of the house and historic landscape features.
Civil War Interpretive Center, 2008 |
Cannon drawing in replica attic |
Self-Guided Tours
Walk the secluded 12-acre grounds and view interpretive signage along groomed pathways. Stop at Grandma’s Cottage, c. 1840, that was home to Margaret Conn Willcoxon Farr, Albert Willcoxon’s sister. Moved to the Historic Blenheim site in 2001, the cottage is important for its combination of log-wall construction and rare hewn timber framing with brick infill between the studs.
No visit is complete without a stop at the fascinating Willcoxon Family Cemetery where you will find the graves of both Willcoxon and Farr family members.
Grandma’s Cottage c. 1840 |
Willcoxon Family Cemetery |
Gift Shop
Peruse the gift shop for books, children's toys and games, replica items, and souvenirs related to the Civil War and Fairfax history.
Revealing History
Historic Blenheim, a Virginia Civil War Trails and Northern Virginia Graffiti Trail site, received a federal grant to further analyze the writings on the wall with cutting-edge multispectral technology. How many more soldiers’ stories will be revealed? To learn about the newest investigative research of the graffiti, watch the video below.
Make Your Event Memorable
Are you looking for a unique setting to make your special event truly historic? Hold your event in the Interpretive Center’s spacious multipurpose room, or consider having your event outside surrounded by towering trees and the historic house in the background. Appointments required for rental viewing. Call 703-385-7858 or email rentalvenues@fairfaxva.gov
Visit the rental venues page to check availability and pricing, and watch a short video highlighting the property’s amenities.
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