Lee-Fendall House — Alexandria, Virginia's haunted Colonial mansion

The Lee-Fendall House at 614 Oronoco Street in Alexandria, Virginia, was built in 1785 by Philip Richard Fendall on land purchased from Light Horse Harry Lee, the father of Robert E. Lee. The house served as home to 37 members of the Lee family between 1785 and 1903, and later as the residence of labor leader John L. Lewis. With such a deep history, the house has accumulated substantial ghost stories. Staff and visitors to the house museum have reported hearing the rustle of long skirts on the staircase, seeing the figure of a woman in 18th-century dress standing near the windows, and smelling lavender perfume in rooms that have been closed. Objects in the museum have been found moved from their display positions, and doors have been heard opening and closing on the upper floors when the building is locked. Ghost Hunters investigated the property and documented anomalous sounds and cold spots, particularly in the basement and on the second floor. The house's connection to the Lee family, one of Virginia's most prominent colonial dynasties, gives its haunting stories a historical resonance that extends beyond the building itself to encompass the broader story of early American aristocracy and its legacy.