National Historic Landmark

Franklin and Armfield Office

Alexandria (Independent City), Alexandria County, Virginia
Listed
June 1, 1978
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
78003146

About this property

The Franklin and Armfield Office, which houses the Freedom House Museum, is a historic commercial building in Alexandria, Virginia (until 1846, the District of Columbia). Built c. 1810–1820, it was first used as a private residence before being converted to the offices of the largest slave trading firm in the United States, started in 1828 by Isaac Franklin and John Armfield. Ship manifests from the National Archives indicate that at least 5,000 slaves were trafficked through the office and its now-demolished slave pens. The building at 1315 Duke Street is located just west of Alexandria's Old Town. Its exterior, which was renovated in a vernacular Empire style after the building was subdivided into apartments, was restored to its original Federal appearance in 2025. The building was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1978, and has also been designated a Virginia Historic Landmark. The building was formerly owned by the Northern Virginia Urban League, which used the building for offices and a museum. The City of Alexandria purchased the building in March 2020 and reopened it as a museum in June 2022.

Location

1315 Duke St.
Alexandria (Independent City), Alexandria County, Virginia
38.80391, -77.05450

Categories

COMMERCESOCIAL HISTORY
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Southwest No. 1 Boundary Marker of the Original District of Columbia
Listed
0.1 mi
Bruin's Slave Jail
Industrial
0.2 mi
Orange and Alexandria Railroad Hooff's Run Bridge
Industrial
0.2 mi
Alexandria National Cemetery
Listed
0.2 mi
Alfred Street Baptist Church
Early Republic
0.3 mi

Nearby Battles

Raid on Alexandria
1814Early Republic
0.4 mi
British Occupation of Alexandria VA
1814Early Republic
0.4 mi

Questions about this property

When was Franklin and Armfield Office listed on the National Register?

Franklin and Armfield Office was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 1, 1978.

What type of historic resource is Franklin and Armfield Office?

Franklin and Armfield Office is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Franklin and Armfield Office a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Franklin and Armfield Office has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for Franklin and Armfield Office?

The period of significance for Franklin and Armfield Office is recorded as the industrial era.

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