512 Prince Street
An 18th, 19th, 20th, and 21st Century Home
Walk under the Federal-style fanlight to enter a recreation of early Alexandria elegance. Check the 1770 English grandfather clock for the time. Admire the matching Chinoiserie-style chairs — these were most fashionable at the time, as China was a mysterious, faraway place, so the chairs added a touch of the exotic. Adding to the 18th century sophistication is the fine craftsmanship of the other antiques in the front room.
This home started life as a flounder house (1783), and the two-story flounder space remains. The occupants may have used either a rope, or a narrow, almost ladder-like, steep wooden staircase to climb to the second floor, according to homeowner and history buff Mark Hill.
This house has a pedigree as it was purchased in 2018 from the Ticers: Mayor Patsy Ticer was the first woman mayor of Alexandria (1991-1996), and her husband, Jack Ticer, was an Alexandria City Councilman in the 1950s and 1960s.
A son of the Ticers shared with Mark that the home served as a boarding house, accommodating multiple families, prior to his parents purchasing it in 1961. Surprised that this house in such a prominent neighborhood would have been a boardinghouse? Don’t be. In the 1960s and 1970s, Old Town was filled with derelict buildings and “the police and health departments consistently report more calls to this area than any other,” according to the then-Alexandria planning director.
As you move into the kitchen, the handiwork of homeowner Catherine Hill is in full view. Catherine combined the loveliness of Brunschwig & Fils wallpaper with the practicality of Home Depot: the “Willow” wallpaper is the show-stopper focal point of this tasteful modern kitchen.
The Hills started their home renovation in 2019 and it slogged through the Covid years reaching completion in early 2023. The renovations were primarily done by More Than Builders and Crowe Studios.
In researching the history of their house, Mark remains intrigued by the series of arches in the basement, unique to Old Town residences. The arches may have offered the late 1700s/early 1800s homeowner a way to and from Prince Street, over a stream or swampy area.
Did you know? Alexandrians can research the history of Old Town homes at the Kate Waller Barrett Library’s Special Collections at 717 Queen Street. See https://alexlibraryva.org/alexandria-house-histories.