The William Ramsay House
Posted: 07.21.2024 | Updated: 07.21.2024
Visiting Alexandria, Virginia, today is like taking a step back in time. Every street corner seems to house a piece of local history, be it a memorial dedicated to World War II veterans or a home that’s been standing for almost as long as the town has existed. Travelers to Alexandria can stop at the cute Visitor Center to see a piece of the city’s history firsthand, though its relevance may not be apparent at first. Unlike many visitor centers, Alexandria’s isn’t a grand structure brimming with sprawling exhibits chronicling the town’s progress. It’s a quaint 2,330-square-foot home that once housed a family at the root of the city’s founding.The former Ramsay household may now welcome visitors to the idyllic city, but many years ago, it was where Scottish merchant William Ramsay raised his family. The warmth of a welcoming home can still be felt walking up its front porch and through the main entrance. Part of that is due to the building’s homey appearance, and another is thanks to the welcoming presence that’s remained attached to the former abode.Who haunts the William Ramsay House?
The Ramsay family patriarch is a shadowy figure who still calls the property home. He’s fine sharing it with the visitor center, though, so long as he still gets to stare out one of the second-story windows to watch over the nearby river. A friendly aura courses through the building, with some visitors believing it belongs to William’s son, Dennis, or one of the Ramsay family wives.Want to hear more about the haunted William Ramsay House in person? Book a ghost tour with Alexandria Ghosts!William Ramsay, the Scottish Merchant Who Founded an American City
Who William Ramsay was before he made the trek to the United States is buried under the influence he had once made landfall in Virginia. Arriving in the mid-18th century, he settled in Dumfries, where he made his roots for a short spell. It’s here where some believe he constructed the future visitor center in 1724. Records on Ramsay’s movement before Alexandria remain poorly documented, and whether the house was built in Dumfries and ferried up the Potomac or was built after he left Dumfries is unclear. What is known, though, is that he eventually moved north to a new settlement.Finding value in this new region, William Ramsay petitioned Virginia’s governor, Sir William Gooch, and the Virginia General Assembly to establish Alexandria as a new city. Despite Ramsay’s role as founder, the town was named after fellow Scotsman John Alexander, who had purchased much of the available land.William didn’t let all of Alexandria’s land go, though, and purchased two lots for his family, allowing him to reestablish his home on the corners of Fairfax and King. While most homes faced away from the Potomac, William ensured he had the perfect view when standing in the second story.During his time in Alexandria, William married George Washington’s cousin and continued his work as a merchant. He also served as the first postmaster and, in 1761, was appointed the honorary title of the city’s first Lord Mayor. He served the town well until he died in 1785, leaving behind a legacy that remains tied to the house to this day.William Ramsay’s Legacy
William’s role in the founding of Alexandria ensured that the Ramsay name lives on as a piece of the city’s history, but he wasn’t the only Ramsay to call the city of Virginia home. William and his wife, Ann McCarty Ball, had eight children. Only two lived on the King Street property and enjoyed the home’s unimpeded river view. The first to take ownership of the Ramsay house was William’s son, Dennis, who moved in immediately after the patriarch’s passing. Like his father, Dennis served the people of Virginia, joining the Virginia Continental Army and earning the rank of Captain. Upon Dennis’ passing, the house was transferred to his next kin, so the chain went until the Ramsay bloodline eventually moved away from the old building. After the last Ramsay left, Alexandria found various uses for the home, from a cigar factory to a brothel during the height of World War II.Come 1944, the home’s current owner sought to knock it down and replace it with an office building, prompting the city to step in and save the increasingly ramshackle piece of history. By 1956, the city had completed renovations and converted the building into Alexandria’s permanent Visitor Center.While some former homeowners may not take too kindly to their residence having been converted into a hub for business, the spirits watching over the William Ramsay House seem to feel quite differently.The Haunts of Alexandria’s Visitor Center
How many American cities can say the apparitions of residents’ past are present to welcome guests? The Alexandria’s Visitor Center isn’t stalked by a vicious specter or guarded by territorial poltergeists. Rather, whoever’s ghost remains a resident of the welcoming abode seems to encourage a friendly coexistence. Workers at the William Ramsay House state that the visitor center’s spirits tend to stay in the building’s basement. Others have found the family patriarch, dressed in his 18th-century garb, standing at the window overlooking the Potomac.Was it William who allegedly ensured the coffee maker ran before the staff arrived one morning? Or possibly Dennis, who took after his father as the home’s caretaker. You can hear more of these stories on your next Alexandria ghost tour or by reading our blog. For even more haunts in Alexandria, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Sources:https://www.riverexplorer.com/details.php?id=335https://www.virginia.org/listing/alexandria-visitors-center/15692/https://ramsay.arthistory.wisc.edu/about/https://www.alexandriava.gov/historic-alexandria/the-history-of-alexandria-virginia-an-introduction-and-resourceshttps://media.alexandriava.gov/docs-archives/historic/info/history/waterfronthistorylowerking.pdfhttps://hauntedhouses.com/virginia/the-william-ramsey-house/https://www.virginiahauntedhouses.com/real-haunt/ramsay-house.htmlBook A Alexandria Ghosts Tour And See For Yourself
Our Alexandria ghost tour reveals Old Town’s hallowed past and eerie hauntings to show you why Alexandria is one of the most haunted cities in Virginia.
From Natives who lived here thousands of years ago to John Smith and the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, join Alexandria Ghosts for an unflinching look into the city’s history, frighteningly haunted places, and tales of the real unexplained activity experienced by its residents.
