Johnson, Dr. Albert, House
Also known as: Dhr#100-5015-0003
Why it's listed
Dr. Albert Johnson House at 814 Duke Street, Alexandria, is a mid-19th-century Italianate rowhouse of red pressed brick. It has two stories, three bays, a side-hall plan, a raised basement, a bracketed wooden cornice, an ornamented entry and a cast-iron stoop. It sits in the Bottoms, the city's oldest African American neighborhood, on the side of Duke Street where many educated African Americans lived. Albert Johnson, born in Lynchburg to parents who had been enslaved, graduated from Howard University's medical college in 1892 and moved to Alexandria in 1894. He bought the house in 1896 and lived there until 1940, using the lower level as his medical office. In 1900 he was the only African American physician listed in the city directory. He led a fundraising committee for the men's ward of the new Alexandria Hospital and served as master of a Masonic lodge. The house was renovated in 1974, and its interior has been heavily altered.
Significance in brief: The house was the home and medical office of Dr. Albert Johnson, one of Alexandria's first licensed African American physicians, who practiced in the city for 46 years. It is also significant for its place in the Bottoms, the city's oldest African American neighborhood.
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 03001422, listed January 16, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 814 Duke St., Alexandria (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Alexandria |
| Listed | January 16, 2004 |
| Reference number | 03001422 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1896-1940 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Black |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single dwelling; renovated in 1974 with extensive interior alterations. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Alexandria Historic District |
| Coordinates | 38.80489, -77.04909 (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 03001422.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5303954
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.