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Fredericksburg Walking Tour
Item 4 of 18

When the building was completed in 1914, it was home to the largest and finest hotel between Richmond, Virginia and Washington D.C. Designed by local architect Philip N. Stern in the Colonial Revival style, the former hotel features a two-story portico and round, arched windows on the first floor. The hotel had a banquet hall, pool room, shoe shine parlors, and a restaurant. Many prominent figures were patrons of the hotel including President Warren Harding who stayed one night and Winston Churchill, who ate lunch there twice. The former hotel is now an office building. The structure is a contributing property of the Fredericksburg Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The building stands on the site of a previous structure known as the Barton House, erected in 1785 by the first American ambassador to England, James Maury. Confederate General Robert E. Lee and Daniel Webster were among the prominent visitors to the Barton House.


The Princess Anne Building was built in 1914 and operated as the Princess Anne Hotel for several decades. It is now an office building.

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In the 1800s, Fredericksburg boasted many hotels that offered lodging to people traveling to and from Washington D.C. Like many hotels today, they also served as event and theater venues. By the early 1900s, however, hotels had declined thanks to the rise in popularity of steamboats and railroads. This did not last long. Hotels soon rebounded with the emergence of the automobiles and visitors once again came to Fredericksburg in large numbers. The Princess Anne was one of the hotels that were built in this period.

The Princess Anne Hotel was the most popular venue in Fredericksburg for many years. Weddings, debutante balls, and other events were held here. The restaurant was very popular, and the hotel also had a delicatessen and bar. The hotel eventually declined by the 1970s, and there was a question about the building's future. A local developer bought it in 1976 and proceeded to restore and convert it into an office building.

"Inside look at FXBG’s historic Princess Anne Building." Fredericksburg, VA Economic Development and Tourism. YouTube Video. June 5, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFfyPLCXnaI.

"Site of Barton House." The Historical Marker Database. Accessed June 29, 2023. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=14426.

Virginia Historic Landmarks Commission. "Fredericksburg Historic District." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. September 22, 1971.

Wilson, Richard Guy et al. "Princess Anne Building (Princess Anne Hotel). Accessed June 29, 2023. https://sah-archipedia.org/buildings/VA-01-FR3.

Image Sources(Click to expand)

The Historical Marker Database