Price for Walking Tours:

$10 per person

$7 with Mason ID

$25 per family (3 or more)

Under 11 years old is free

Tickets purchased from tour guide

Cash or Credit only

Walking & Bus Tours

Available to groups upon Request

Other reservation options:

text or call:703-732-8780

e-mail: [email protected]

Hear Ye, Hear Ye!

FAIRFAX CITY HISTORIC WALKING TOUR

From the Founding Fathers!...to the Founding of Washington DC!...to the Civil War!...to the Suffragists!...to the CIA!...to Downton Abbey?!

Join us on a leisurely 90 minutes stroll through time in the Old Town Fairfax Virginia Historic District

Constitutional Rights Bus Tour

Come on a Constitutional Rights Bus Tour sponsored by the Friends of the Historic Fairfax Courthouse! We have fabulous historical sites right here in Fairfax County that illustrate our American constitutional rights. Therefore, we have developed a Constitutional Rights bus tour.

It has been given to the Virginia Historical Society, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at George Mason University, and for the 275th Fairfax County Commemorative Anniversary Celebration through the Fairfax County Parks and Recreation. It has been very well received. 

George Mason wrote: “That all men are by nature equally free and independent, and have certain inherent rights…” His words are found in the Virginia Declaration of Rights. This document became the foundation for the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution, the Bill of Rights and our tour.

Constitutional Rights Bus Tour

Bus Departs from Fair Oaks Mall in Fairfax, Virginia

Lunch, Entrance Fees, Tour Booklet included

Fairfax Courthouse – Learn about American Rights and enjoy a unique opportunity to tour this iconic Fairfax landmark on which construction began in 1799. Rare original documents, including George Washington’s will and the only existing document signed by both George Washington and George Mason, will be brought out of the vault exclusively for display to our group.

Pohick Church – Learn about the history of Religious Freedom. Take a seat in a pew once occupied by George Washington and George Mason, who were vestrymen in this colonial church, to hear the story of Truro Parish’s role, from the settling of northern Virginia through the Civil War, told by a character in period costume.

Gunston Hall – Sit down to lunch as a guest lecture is held, usually on topics surrounding the Virginia Declaration of Rights, George Mason's role in the Constitutional Convention, and the Bill of Rights. Past lectures have been given by Gunston Hall’s Executive Director Scott Stroh. Afterwards, experience colonial living on a VIP tour of the house and grounds.

The Workhouse Arts Center – Learn the history of Voting Rights and put yourself in the place of the women who were imprisoned here by President Woodrow Wilson for picketing the White House in July of 1917. The brick workhouse buildings, constructed under President Theodore Roosevelt by the resident prisoners, now house a small museum and art studios.

Bus Trip Pick up Location at Fair Oaks Mall, parking lot 57 is located at

11750 Fair Oaks Mall, Fairfax, VA 22033.

The lot is outside the circular road in front of ManTech Corporation near the Macy's closest to SearsI'm a paragraph. Click once to begin entering your own content. You can change my font, size, line height, color and more by highlighting part of me and selecting the options from the toolbar.

Freedom of Religion

Walking Tour

We will meet outside the old Fairfax Courthouse (built 1800) in front where the cannons are located. We were able to get approval by the current chief judge to have the archivist come and open it for us. She will tell the history of the courthouse. I also received approval to see historical documents that includes a church pew document signed by George Washington and George Mason. In their day, you needed to be a vestryman in good standing with the church before you could be a judge.

We will then walk over to the nearby Truro church to the rebuilt pre-colonial Payne Church I will have open for us. We will talk more about freedom of worship and the separation of church and state. Did you know Rev. Jeremiah Moore was defended by Patrick Henry in Alexandria and won after being thrown in jail there for preaching as a roving Baptist minister because he did not have a license to preach? Rev. Moore preached later in the Fairfax courthouse!

It will last about 1 1/2 hours. The Saturday market will be going on behind the historic courthouse. So, you can enjoy that too! (8-1).

Families encouraged

History Lives in Fairfax

Join us on a 90 minute City Walking Tour

From the founding of George Mason University,

to Washington DC, to the Bill of Rights,

to the Suffragettes, to the CIA, to Civil Rights

Historic Fairfax Courthouse

(starts outside at the cannons)

4000 Chain Bridge Road

Fairfax, VA 2203