How long is the program?

The session runs approximately 2.5 hours, from 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm.

What is included with the $50 ticket?

The ticket covers the keynote lecture, curator-led vault access or collection spotlights as offered, coffee, and light refreshments; house tours may be included per session notes.

Is this suitable for children?

Content is best suited to older children and adults due to complex historical topics; families should judge readiness for discussions of wartime violence.

Can I park at the site?

On-site parking is limited; arrive early or carpool. Staff can provide directions and suggested nearby parking when you book.

Are recordings or photography allowed?

Photography policies vary by exhibit; casual exterior photos are fine but ask staff about vault or artifact photography during the session.

How do I get the Spring Package Pass?

Book the Spring Package Pass via the provided referral link to save 20% and secure spots for April–June sessions.

Coffee and Conversation at Woodlawn: Quakers, Free Black Neighbors, and Civil War Choices | History Tour | Guided Tour

Woodlawn & Pope-Leighey House in Alexandria, Virginia, is the setting for Coffee and Conversation: Woodlawn Quakers during the Civil War, a 2.5-hour speaker program on June 20 that stitches local memory to national history. Hosted on the grounds of the Woodlawn estate, the session brings historian Martha Claire Catlin to the lectern to examine how the northern Quakers who formed an antislavery colony at Woodlawn in 1846 responded to Confederate raids, conscription, and the daily moral hazard of living among slaveholders. Catlin's work traces the contested choices these Friends made as their meetinghouse was commandeered for Union picket duty, property was appropriated for military use, and alliances with free and enslaved Black neighbors shaped survival and resistance. This program moves beyond a single lecture: expect a close reading of local documents, a curator-led 'sneak peek' at the Friends Gather Here exhibit, and coffee to prompt conversation. The site's key features include the Woodlawn house and its surrounding farmland plots, a historic meetinghouse site with deep community significance, and curated vault collections that reveal objects linked to free Black families who formed a neighboring enclave. Those elements make the visit more than a museum stop; it is a chance to stand where questions of conscience, community, and survival were decided. Why book this when you're in Alexandria? The session pairs scholarly depth with approachable interpretation: Catlin's decades of public history and preservation work illuminate local choices that fed national policy and military practice. The program also offers access to rarely seen artifacts and interprets the entwined histories of Quakers and Black neighbors; stories too often left out of Civil War tours. Practical details: the program runs 1:00-3:30 pm and costs $50. The format includes a keynote discussion, a Q&A, coffee and light refreshments, and optional house tours or collection spotlights led by staff. The site is family-friendly for older children and adults, but the content addresses complex and sometimes violent episodes of the war. Booking through the provided referral link secures one of the limited seats and, if you plan a spring visit, consider the three-part Spring Package Pass to attend related talks at a discount. Whether you are a history-minded traveler, a public historian, or a visitor seeking a deeper, place-based story, this session at Woodlawn & Pope-Leighey House turns a field and a house into a classroom where local acts of courage meet the sweep of the Civil War. Martha Claire Catlin is a lifelong Quaker and historian for Alexandria Friends Meeting at Woodlawn, with decades in preservation and policy; she served on staff to the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, taught federal preservation law, and authored As They Were Led and The Quaker Scout, adding archival depth to presentation.

About Woodlawn and Pope-Leighey House

Woodlawn and Pope‑Leighey House, located in Alexandria, Virginia, preserves and interprets two distinct American landmarks. Woodlawn reflects a narrative that moves from plantation origins connected to George Washington to an antislavery farming community and active working farm. Pope‑Leighey House is a Frank Lloyd Wright Usonian design preserved for its architectural significance and natural setting. Together the sites offer a range of guided tours and specialty experiences that deepen understanding of architecture, regional history, and landscape.

Public offerings include house tours of Woodlawn and of Pope‑Leighey House, combined visits, and thematic tours such as “Slavery and Freedom,” “Architecture of Woodlawn & Pope‑Leighey House,” and a Lafayette specialty tour that explores Marquis de Lafayette’s 1824 connections to the Custis and Lewis families. Seasonal and limited-capacity events include “Wright at Twilight,” Yoga Nidra led by instructor Emily Hampton, Forest Bathing with guided mindfulness, and community programs like a pizza-and-history evening. Tours and experiences are led by named guides and instructors, offering documented perspectives on design, preservation, and community legacy.

The site supports ongoing preservation with visitor programs, and the grounds include a working farm and a gift shop that highlights local crafts. Small-group experiences and limited tickets for specialized sessions provide intimate access to sites and stories. Woodlawn and Pope‑Leighey House combines architectural significance, historical interpretation, and active stewardship to provide informative visits and meaningful public programming. Visitor support through admissions and events helps fund preservation, interpretation, educational programming, and ongoing stewardship of these significant historic properties for present and future generations alike.

Coffee and Conversation at Woodlawn: Quakers, Free Black Neighbors, and Civil War Choices

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