Welcome
A Letter from the Co-Chairs
Welcome to the 82nd Historic Alexandria Homes Tour, hosted by The Twig, supporting Alexandria Hospital and serving the community since 1933. We hope you enjoy the homes on this year’s Tour as they each offer an exclusive view of life in Old Town Alexandria.
The owners of this year’s Tour homes have been extraordinarily gracious in opening their homes to our Tour guests. Their generosity in sharing their homes with us makes this event possible.
Our thanks also go out to our Tour sponsors, advertisers, and donors, many of whom have been loyal supporters for a number of years. You will find their advertisements in our Tour Book, which can be viewed in hardcopy form or digitally at historicalexandriahomestour.org. Please patronize these charitable businesses.
In each home you will discover a gorgeous floral arrangement, curated and donated by a local florist as well as a garden club. We are appreciative of their artistry and grateful for their continued support over the years.
The incredible Homes Tour committee members deserve our heartfelt thanks for the countless hours of preparation they have shared to make today’s Tour a memorable experience for all participants.
Finally, we are thankful for you, our Tour attendees. Our hope is for you to have a splendid day exploring the streets of Old Town and glimpsing what is behind the facades of our Tour’s elegant homes.
Sincerely,
Amy Fernandez and Lillian Siegel
Co-Chairs, 2024 Historic Alexandria Homes Tour
A Letter from the President
Greetings,
On behalf of The Twig, the Junior Auxiliary of the INOVA Alexandria Hospital, I am honored to welcome you to our 82nd Historic Alexandria Homes Tour. This year, the Tour features six of Alexandria’s most memorable homes, each with a rich history, a charming secret, and a peek into the history of our City. We hope that you will enjoy your visit to each home and appreciate its unique architecture, as well as the evolution of the interior design and decoration, reflecting each homeowner’s commitment to preserving these treasures while making them their own.
The Twig is grateful for the generosity of the homeowners who open their homes to us each year. We are also grateful to the many friends and local businesses who support the Tour through their sponsorship and advertising. Proceeds from the Tour, which is one of The Twig’s major fundraisers each year, will go towards our pledge to the INOVA Alexandria Hospital, ensuring the proceeds directly benefit our community.
The florists and garden clubs who have donated the marvelous floral arrangements you will see in each home are amazingly talented—and generous. We appreciate their support of The Twig through their talent and generosity.
And thanks to you for purchasing a ticket to the Tour and stepping into these amazing homes. We invite you to visit the Twig Thrift Shop at 106 North Columbus today or later. The proceeds of our Thrift Shop sales also go toward supporting our hospital pledge. The Shop is 100% volunteer operated and staffed by members of The Twig. And 100% of the items sold in the Shop are donated by Twigs and others in the Alexandria community.
Finally, my sincere thanks to each and every member of The Twig—Active, Sustaining, and Honorary. You serve with grace on our committees, enthusiastically lead us as we fulfill our commitments to the hospital, and support our community with outstanding dedication. Your efforts are much appreciated.
Best regards,
Rachel Bishop
Twig President 2024-2025
Twig 2024-2025
Twig Board of Directors
Rachel Bishop – President
Lori Ring – President-Elect/Membership
Kate Eltzroth – Recording Secretary
Cathy Kilcoyne – Corresponding Secretary
Susan Lipcaman – Treasurer
Lynne Rhoades – Assistant Treasurer
2024 Homes Tour Committee
Lillian Siegel – Co-Chair
Amy Fernandez – Co-Chair
Jocelyn Adamoli
Scoti Albrecht
Catherine Beale
Hillary Bennett
Sue Curda
Liz Dreazen
Patricia Fitzgibbons
Kathy Hirsch
Judy Joyce
Monica Mulvihill
Lynne Rhoades
Rosalind Resnick
Patty Sheetz
History of The Twig
For the City’s first hundred years, doctors cared for patients in their homes. After the Civil War, the need for a facility became clear when an outbreak of typhoid fever occurred on a boat in the harbor. Many sailors were stricken and brought to the home of a local doctor.
Miss Julia Johns, daughter of the Episcopal Bishop of Alexandria, called together a group of concerned women to “form a society to establish and control a hospital for the sick.” After this small group of charitably disposed friends met in 1872, the Alexandria Infirmary opened its doors in a converted house at the southwest corner of Duke and Fairfax streets. Miss Johns and the Board of Lady Managers oversaw the operation of the hospital, establishing a Nurse’s Training School, a dispensary, and a horse-drawn ambulance service. These first volunteers set the precedent for Alexandrians accepting responsibility for the support and operation of a community hospital.
In 1933, “The Twig” was born when a group of two dozen young women met at the home of Mrs. Julian T. Burke to form the Junior Auxiliary of Alexandria Hospital. Mrs. Nellie Sommers Blackwell suggested the name “The Twig;” this described the new organization as a small branch of the “tree” which supported the hospital. The Twig has worked since that time to help INOVA Alexandria Hospital provide the highest quality medical service.
To date, The Twig has raised more than $5 million in support of the hospital, primarily through the operations of its Thrift Shop located at 106 North Columbus Street and by sponsoring the Historic Alexandria Homes Tour.