Bank of Alexandria
Why it's listed
Standing at 125 North Fairfax Street in Alexandria, this three-story brick Federal building with a two-story east wing was completed in 1807 as the permanent home of the Bank of Alexandria, the first bank chartered in Virginia. The main block is laid in Flemish bond beneath a carved stone cornice and balustrade, and its two entrances have stone surrounds with eagle-motif keystones. Inside, high first-floor ceilings and a forty-foot second-floor drawing room suggest it was meant as a public showplace. Founders and clients included William Herbert and George Washington. After the bank failed in 1834, the building briefly served as a post office and customs office, then became the Mansion House Hotel under James Green, who enlarged it in 1855. It later served as a Union hospital headquarters, then held apartments and shops from 1910 to 1972. Removal of the hotel additions was planned to restore its original form.
Significance in brief: It housed the first bank chartered in Virginia, established by an Act of the Virginia Assembly in 1792. It is described as one of the best examples of restrained elegance in commercial architecture, and one of the few remaining Federal-period commercial structures with much of its original trim intact. Its stockholders and clients included the city's leading families and George Washington.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 73002202, listed June 4, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 133 N. Fairfax St., Alexandria (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Alexandria |
| Listed | June 4, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73002202 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is listed as good and altered. The mid-nineteenth century hotel additions were being removed to restore the original configuration. The building held apartments and shops from 1910 to 1972. |
| Acreage | 9.9 |
| Within district | Alexandria Historic District |
| Coordinates | 38.80537, -77.04208 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 73002202.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4856019
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.