Fort Hunt Road meanders from Rt. 1 south of Old Town at Huntington over about 5 miles to Mount Vernon. Fort Hunt Road runs generally parallel to the George Washington Parkway where it runs south from Alexandria to Mount Vernon. Where the GW Parkway runs along the Potomac at the river's edge, Fort Hunt road climbs up to the ridge described in detail here.

Fort Hunt is quilted with quiet neighborhoods that are among my favorite in Northern Virginia. From affordable cozy condos at River Towers and Belle View to the impressive riverside residences to Arcturus or ridgetop homes of Belle Haven, Fort Hunt has all that is great in America. I even love the middle America type neighborhoods of Bucknell Manor and Waynewood. In addition there are architecturally distinctive and important homes at Hollin Hills.

There are two schools on Fort Hunt Road: Belle View Elementary and Carl Sandburg Middle School. (My children attended both of these schools.) There are two nieghborhood shopping centers on Fort Hunt Road: the Belle View Shopping Center and the Hollin Hall Shopping Center. Fort Hunt Park, the road's namesake is at the lower end of the road.

Fort Hunt Park consists of 105 acres located along the Potomac River in Fairfax County, Virginia, approximately 6 miles south of Old Town Alexandria. The Park is a part of the over 7,000 acres that make up the George Washington Memorial Parkway. The lands of Fort Hunt Park were originally a part of George Washington's personal farm and were became a military outpost and now serves as a picnic area and nature park.

So that all may better understand the history of Fort Hunt, the Park Service has begun research to uncover the names of the many veterans who served at Fort Hunt when it was a military outpost.

Fort Hunt Park was converted into a fortification during the Spanish - American War. In 1897 the fort was modernized for military operations. During War World II the fort was used as a top secret military intelligence outpost.

After both World War I and World War II, Fort Hunt was virtually abandoned due to military cutbacks. The National Park Service now adminstrates Fort Hunt Park a recreational park for public use. Fort Hunt has been a focal point of personal dramas of all kind throughout its history, but now it's dedicated to public recreation.

Hours are 7am until sunset year round for general use. From April - October reservations are needed to use some areas of the park. For information about homes and neighborhoods near and around Fort Hunt Road check out Fort Hunt Info.

Mount Vernon Estate & Gardens is the oldest national historic preservation organization in the country, and it has always been in the forefront of the restoration field. Mount Vernon is the most popular historic estate in America and is open 365 days a year. Mount Vernon was the home of our first President George Washington. The grounds are well-preserved as is the home itself.

Alexandria Lyceum is a grand hall built in the late 1800's to provide a place for lectures, scientific experiments and quiet reading. Since that time, it has been a Civil War hospital, a private home, an office building and the nation's first Bicentennial Center. In 1985, The Lyceum became Alexandria's History Museum, providing exhibitions, school programs, lectures and concerts, volunteer opportunities and space for rental functions for the community. The Lyceum Museum Shop carries a wide variety of maps, books, note cards and special items related to Alexandria's history. The present-day Lyceum Company serves the museum as a membership and fund-raising organization.

Walk to Old Towne! Old Towne is filled with
historic landmarks, carriage rides and walking history tours.

Just a few miles down George Washington Parkway is the nationally renown collection of museums called the Smithsonian Institution. The Smithsonian National Zoological Park is a wonderful zoo.

Civil War enthusiasts might want to inspect Fort Willard just as President Lincoln did. Fort Willard has long since abandoned its military use and is now a quiet park like Fort Hunt.

If you are interested in architecture and local history visit Frank Lloyd Wright's Pope-Leighey House or the Woodlawn Plantation. The Collingwood Library and musuem is dedicated to providing information about our national heritage to the American Public. Collingwood is available to anyone who cares to learn of the heroic efforts made by American Patriots, particularly members of the Masonic Fraternity, in founding and developing this, the greatest nation on earth.

Collingwood is a resource as a local library but also interesting place to visit in it's own right.

A gristmill is a mill for the grinding of grain, specifically a customer's own grain. Grist mills were a common site in colonial America, but there are few such mills still in operation today. Pierce Mill a Rock Creek Park in DC is open to the public but is non-operational. The mill needs repairs.

But George Washington's Gristmill in Mount Vernon Virginia is fully operational and is a site to see! The mill operates everday from April until the end of October. The gristmill is three miles south of Mount Vernon on the site of Washington's original mill and distillery. Combination tickets which include a visit to the Gristmill are sold at Mount Vernon's Main Gate.

George Washington inherited Mount Vernon in 1754 and the mill was part of the estate. At that time, the gristmill was a "custom mill", meaning that grain was ground here for private usage. Grain was not ground for sale. Rather, neighbors and residents of Mount Vernon used the mill almost exclusively.

Washington decided to convert the custom mill into a "merchant mill". A merchant mill ground flour and cornmeal as a service for profit. In 1771, Washington added a second pair of grinding stones. Washington's Gristmill served Mount Vernon but it also ground grain for sale up and down the East Coast of America and as far away as Portugal and the West Indies. The current reconstruction depicts the operation of the mill during this period.

As in Washington's day, the mill was powered by a stream of water from Dogue Run. In those days, a wharf at the point where Dogue Run enters the Potomac served to bring grain to and from the mill.

The Collingwood Foundation's main building and grounds, which were once part of George Washington's River Farm, are south of Alexandria on the banks of the Potomac River, surrounded by woods and gardens. The mission of the foundation is to foster an appreciation of our American Heritage by sharing these facilities with all. There are three components to acheiving this mission.

Firstly, the Collingwood Library on Americanism boasts a library of more than five thousand volumes on American heritage. Secondly, the Collingwood Museum is home to an eclectic collection of Americana. Lastly, the foundation opens the grounds to serve as a venue for weddings, corporate gatherings and other private events. are available for weddings, receptions and other private functions.

Collingwood, as the whole is generally refered to, is primarily dependent upon contributions from the public and income from third party events. Collingwood is comprised of a historic mansion between the Potomac and the George Washington Memorial Parkway. Today the property is approximately 8.7 but the property was once a part of George Washington's estate of his River Farm at Mount Vernon. Collingwood was purchased by George Washington in 1760. River Farm was the largest of the five working farms all of which were a part of his Mount Vernon estate. Collingwood's namesake was a member of the British forces at the Battle of Bunker Hill and in 1805 an Admiral commanding a portion of the British fleet in the Battle of Trafalgar.

The original house constructed in 1792 was a modest one, but in time there were at least three major additions to the house. From a small two-room house to its current condition as a colonial mansion the property has had many occupants and usages over time. Over the course of the last two and half centuries, Collingwood has been home to farmers, a ferry operator, airline crew members, and Intelligence School students. For a part of the 20th Century, Collingwood served up meals as an area restaurant.

But time took a toll on Colingwood and by 1977 it was no more than overgrown, neglected land and a much vandalized building that only hinted at the history found here. At that time a group of dedicated National Sojourners obtained the property. took possession of the property. Presently, the Foundation for Collingwood Library and Museum on Americanism, with offices for Headquarters National Sojourners, maintians and occupies the property.

Collingwood Library and Museum consists of a historic mansion that houses thousands of books and artifacts relating to the history of America. As part of George Washington's River Farm, our rich history had many of our founding fathers walking this land in our nation's infancy. Nestled on approximately 8.7 acres on the Potomac River off the George Washington Memorial Parkway in Alexandria, VA, Collingwood is available for conferences, retreats, business meetings and weddings.

River Farm is on Virginia's side of the Potomac River in Fairfax County just south of Alexandria. Originally together with nearby Collingwood, River Farm was a sprawling farm that was one of five farms that compromised George Washington's Mount Vernon Estate. Today, River Farm is twenty five acres of meadows, woods and landscaped gardens.

The gardens bloom all year from the daffodils and lilacs in early spring to the cherries and dogwoods of late spring. Magnolias in the early summer give way to the Crepe Myrtles in later summer. The asters of fall herald the brilliant fall foliage that promises a winter of holly and persimmon. The woods and river banks of River Farm provide habitat for many birds, including bald eagles and ospreys, as well as animals as small as lizards and as big as deer.

These and many other plantings make River Farm an excellent destination for a one day outing but also a lovely place to host an event. River Farm is open to the public from 9 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday, excluding national holidays. In addition, from early April through September 25 River Farm is open on Saturdays from 9 am to 1pm. River Farm organizes special events and children's programs throughout the year. River Farm's ballroom, patios and gardens are a great place for a spring wedding or corporate get-away.

River Farm

7931 East Boulevard,
Alexandria, VA 22308
Toll-free: (800) 777-7931

The headquarters of the American Horticultural Society is also at River Farm. The American Horticultural Society strives to inspire Americans to appreciate the vital connection between people and plants so that we might become become better caretakers of the Earth. Both experienced and novice gardeners may find the many publications of The American Horticultural Society very useful. Here are a few of their resources:

• The American Gardener
• Tres Fromme's "Gardening by Design" series
• AHS Gardening Books
• Book Recommendations
• Heat Zone Map
• Heat Zone Finder
• On-Line Gardening Catalogs
• Youth Garden Resource List