Franklin and Armfield Office
The Franklin and Armfield Office, which houses the Freedom House Museum, is a historic commercial building in Alexandria, Virginia (until 1846, the District of Columbia). 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. Another source, using ship manifests (lists of slaves) in the National Archives, gives the number as "at least 5,000".
Franklin and Armfield Office | |
U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
U.S. National Historic Landmark | |
Virginia Landmarks Register | |
Freedom House in 2022 | |
| Location | 1315 Duke Street, Alexandria, Virginia |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 38°48′14″N 77°3′17″W |
| Area | 27 acres (11 ha) |
| Built | 1810 |
| Architect | Robert Young |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 78003146 |
| VLR No. | 100-0105 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | June 2, 1978 |
| Designated NHL | June 2, 1978 |
| Designated VLR | October 16, 1979 |
The 1315 Duke Street building is located just west of Alexandria's Old Town, on the north side of Duke Street between South West and South Payne streets. It is a three-story brick building, topped by a mansard roof and resting on a brick foundation. Its front facade is laid in Flemish bond, while the sides and rear are laid in common bond. It has Federal-period styling, with windows and the entrance door set in segmented, arch openings, with gabled dormers at the roof level.
The building was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1978, and has also been designated a Virginia Historic Landmark. The building was formerly owned by the Northern Virginia Urban League which operated it as a museum, with exhibits about the slave trading firm and the life of a slave.
The City of Alexandria purchased the building in March of 2020 and reopened it as a museum in June of 2022.