Take a walking tour of Richmond Highway’s lost historical houses

The cover of Jay Roberts’ recent book Lost Alexandria, which includes the histories of three famous Richmond Highway-area houses torn down in the 1960s and 70s.

Richmond Highway residents curious about the area’s past can get a guided walking tour of where three of the most noteworthy homes in the corridor once stood. 

Jay Roberts, a Groveton resident, is the author of Lost Alexandria: An Illustrated Guide to Sixteen Destroyed Historic Homes in and Around Alexandria, Virginia. The book, released earlier this year, tells the story of 16 significant homes in the greater Alexandria area that for various reasons were lost to history. 

Three of those homes were located in the Richmond Highway area, and on Oct. 28 at 10 a.m., Roberts will lead residents on a walking tour of locations where they were located. The walk will start at Mount Eagle Park and will be held rain or shine. 

The three homes, located in northern part of the Richmond Highway area, all lasted until heavier development along the corridor led to their demise. Each had a unique role in this area’s history:

• Mount Eagle, which once stood not far from the present-day Huntington Metro, was the location of George Washington’s last meal away from Mount Vernon. Built by a member of the Fairfax family, Mount Eagle’s long life even included a stint as a country club. It was torn down in 1968.
• Spring Bank, which was located near the King’s Crossing Walmart in the Penn Daw area, was once owned by George Mason’s grandson and was occupied by Union troops during the Civil War. The estate eventually was turned into apartments before being bulldozed to make way for a Kmart in 1972.
• City View I and II were located at the present-day location of the Beacon Center near Famous Dave’s at the Beacon Center on Route 1. The first City View burned down in 1918 while the second City View, famous in its time for its luxury and panoramic views from its observation room, lasted until the early 1960s.

You can visit Roberts’ website for more information and to RSVP.