An application for curatorship has been received for the historic Dranesville Tavern. The Fairfax County Park Authority will continue to accept resident curator applications for the rehabilitation and long-term maintenance of the tavern until Friday, Oct. 10, 2025, at 5 p.m.

The Resident Curator Program offers long-term lease agreements to qualified tenants in beautiful public park settings. The curator leases are without charge in exchange for a financial commitment and approved rehabilitation of the Park Authority’s underutilized historic properties.

The Dranesville Tavern is one of the few remaining examples of a rural Virginia inn or ordinary. Built at the intersection of two major roads (Georgetown Pike and Alexandria Leesburg Pike), it served travelers moving through the region. Built in 1823 by Stanford Cockerille, it originally consisted of two two-story log structures connected by a dogtrot. The inn changed hands over the years with various owners adding onto the original structure. The tavern remained open to the public until 1946, and to boarders until 1968. In the 1970s, the tavern was threatened by the expansion of Route 7 until FCPA purchased it and moved it 135 feet away from its original location.

To identify potential lessees in the Resident Curator Program, FCPA is seeking proposals for the rehabilitation of the house in accordance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation. Curators will be determined through an open and competitive process, based on several criteria, including a formal proposal, demonstrated experience and competency in historic preservation techniques, financial capabilities and the incorporation of public benefits.

Complete application forms and additional information about the properties are available by visiting the Resident Curator Program’s Dranesville Tavern webpage.

For more information, contact Stephanie Langton, Resident Curator Program manager, at 571-407-6586 or by email at stephanie.langton@fairfaxcounty.gov.