Wilkes Street Cemetery Complex Walking Tour

Discover where many of Lee Fendall's stories truly end—among the gravestones of Alexandria’s historic Wilkes Street Cemetery Complex.

Join public historian David Heiby for a guided walking tour exploring what is often described as the most historic cluster of cemeteries in the United States. Established after Alexandria’s devastating yellow fever epidemic of 1803 and the city’s 1804 burial edict, the complex represents more than two centuries of American history.

Together, its thirteen historic cemeteries hold more than 35,000 stories spanning generations of Alexandrians and the events that shaped the nation.

Along the way, discover the final resting places of many families connected to the Lee-Fendall House, including members of the Lee, Fendall, Cazenove, Fleming, and Downham families. Hear the stories of Revolutionary War patriots, Civil War soldiers, prominent Alexandrians, and the everyday people whose lives shaped the city’s history.

Led by David Heiby—Superintendent of the historic Presbyterian Cemetery and a member of the Lee-Fendall House Board of Directors—this tour brings Alexandria’s past to life through the remarkable stories found among its gravestones. His tours and lectures are known for combining rigorous research with engaging storytelling that brings Alexandria’s past vividly to life.

This program is presented as part of the Lee-Fendall House Museum’s America250 programming commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.