Franklin and Armfield Office
Historic house in Virginia. Added to the National Register in 1978, and a National Historic Landmark.
What it is
The Franklin and Armfield Office, which houses the Freedom House Museum, is a historic commercial building in Alexandria, Virginia. 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.
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The record
| Property type | Building |
| Address | 1315 Duke St., Alexandria (Independent City), VA |
| Independent city | City of Alexandria |
| Listed | Jun 2, 1978 |
| Listed for | Commerce, Social history |
| Level of significance | National |
| Also known as | 1315 Duke Street Apartments |
| Reference number | 78003146 |
| Type of place | commercial building, African-American museum |
| Designations | National Historic Landmark, Virginia Historic Landmark |
| Contributing resources | 1 building |
| Standing | Yes |
The nomination form, the document that argues why this place matters, is in the National Archives: Read the nomination ↗
Visiting
| Address | 1315 Duke St., Alexandria (Independent City), VA |
| Coordinates | 38.8039° N, 77.0545° W · Directions ↗ |
| Also in Alexandria (Independent City) | 44 listed places in Alexandria (Independent City) → |
| Nearest national park unit | Oxon Cove Park & Oxon Hill Farm · 2 miles · on Park Atlas |
| Federal campgrounds nearby | Fort Dupont Park Picnic Areas 6 miles · Fort Hunt Picnic Areas 6 miles · Fort Washington Park Day Use Facilities 7 miles |
Explore
Map
Nearby in City of Alexandria
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
When was Franklin and Armfield Office listed on the National Register?
Jun 2, 1978. It is also a National Historic Landmark, the higher of the two designations.
Source: National Park Service
Can I visit Franklin and Armfield Office?
Yes. Franklin and Armfield Office is recorded as open to the public.
Source: Wikidata
Where is Franklin and Armfield Office?
1315 Duke St., Alexandria (Independent City), City of Alexandria, Virginia. The nearest national park unit is Oxon Cove Park & Oxon Hill Farm, 2 miles away.
Source: Oxon Cove Park & Oxon Hill Farm
Where is the nomination form for Franklin and Armfield Office?
The National Archives holds the nomination form, the document that made the case for listing.
Source: National Archives
Are there campgrounds near Franklin and Armfield Office?
Three federal campgrounds are within reach. The closest is Fort Dupont Park Picnic Areas, 6 miles away. Fort Hunt Picnic Areas is 6 miles away, and Fort Washington Park Day Use Facilities is 7 miles away.
Source: Campsite Atlas
Is there cell service at Franklin and Armfield Office?
FCC coverage maps show Verizon 5G, AT&T 5G, and T-Mobile 5G at the listed point. Coverage indoors and behind old masonry is another matter.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
Sources
Location, type and contributing counts come from the National Park Service's National Register spatial data. Listing dates come from the National Register office's spreadsheet where it carries the listing. Construction date, architect, style, photograph and encyclopedia link come from Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons, matched on reference number 78003146. Nothing here is transcribed by hand. The nomination form and photographs ↗ at NPGallery are the original nomination as filed with the National Park Service, and the form is often the best description of the place. The description under "What it is" is the opening of the Wikipedia article, CC BY-SA.