Franklin and Armfield Office, African American history museum in Alexandria, United States.
The Franklin and Armfield Office is a Federal-style commercial building on Duke Street featuring original red brick construction with segmental arches framing its windows. The three-story structure exhibits a distinctive hipped roof and maintains its early 19th-century architectural details throughout its exterior and interior spaces.
From 1828 to 1836 the building served as headquarters for the largest domestic slave trading company in America, processing thousands of enslaved people. During the Civil War it was converted into a military prison for Confederate soldiers and subsequently operated as a hospital for African American troops.
The building takes its name from the two merchants who operated the trading operation, marking a place where millions lost their freedom and futures. Today visitors encounter real objects and personal accounts from enslaved people in the exhibitions, showing how they maintained dignity and humanity despite brutal circumstances.
The building is accessible through guided tours organized by the Northern Virginia Urban League, which provide detailed explanations of the exhibitions and history. Advance arrangements are typically needed to visit, so travelers should check ahead and allow several hours to fully experience the site.
The building received National Historic Landmark status in 1978, making it one of the few remaining structures documenting the domestic slave trade in the northern United States. It remains central to efforts in Alexandria to preserve and present African American history through authentic locations and survivor testimonies.
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