Bayne-Fowle House
Also known as: Bayne--Moore Mourot House
Why it's listed
Built in 1854 for Alexandria commission merchant William Bayne, this three-story town house at 811 Prince Street shows the Italianate style in a city better known for Federal-era buildings. Its brick walls carry a coursed sandstone facade, now painted, with a side-hall plan, tall windows, stone balconies and a bracketed cornice. Inside, the first-floor double parlors and dining room have deep plaster cornices, ceiling medallions, heavy woodwork and a pendant arcade with cast-iron brackets. The house passed to merchant William H. Fowle in 1855. During the Civil War Federal forces occupied it, and in 1864 it was confiscated for use as a military hospital. Fowle sued for its return but died in 1869, and his estate sold it in 1871. It has been a private residence since then, and several later owners were physicians who kept offices in the east extension. The architect remains unidentified. It was recognized for its architecture and as an expression of merchant-class status.
Significance in brief: The house is presented as a little-altered example of a wealthy mid-19th-century merchant's residence and one of few Old Town buildings with a stone facade. Its first-floor parlors and dining room, with elaborate plasterwork and an unusual pendant arcade, are called among the finest mid-Victorian interiors in Virginia. It also has Civil War associations, having been occupied and then confiscated as a military hospital.
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 86003136, listed November 6, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 811 Prince St., Alexandria (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Alexandria |
| Listed | November 6, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86003136 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | In use as a private residence since its construction; condition listed as excellent, with minor alterations that have not compromised its integrity. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Alexandria Historic District |
| Coordinates | 38.80435, -77.04908 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
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 86003136.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4874651
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.