Free previewStop 2 of Old Town Alexandria Walking Tour: Duke Street to the Waterfront
A Church Paid for in Tobacco
You're standing at the Columbus Street side of Christ Church, the brick church in its walled churchyard that Old Town simply calls Christ Church. Look at the corners of the building. Those pale blocks stacked up the edges, set against the red brick, are stone quoins, cut at the Aquia quarry nearby. And this building was paid for, in a way, with leaves.
In 1765 the Church of England created a new parish here, Fairfax Parish. Its vestry wanted two new churches: this one, and another out at Falls Church. The architect was Colonel James Wren, a descendant of Sir Christopher Wren, the man who rebuilt London's churches.
Money was the next problem, and the vestry solved it with a crop. They raised 31,186 pounds of Oronoco tobacco from parishioners to finance the church in Alexandria.
That's the opening. The rest plays at stop 2 of Old Town Alexandria Walking Tour: Duke Street to the Waterfront (2 min in all). Unlock the tour to hear it all, or try stop 1 free first.
