Skip to main content

Move into these historic Fairfax Co. homes — rent free

Imagine living in a home that is older than the country itself, without paying rent. The Fairfax County Park Authority is offering the opportunity for two separate houses, one dates back to the 1750s and the other 1823.

The park authority is looking for what they call “resident curators,” who will be responsible for some long-term maintenance and rehabilitation on the homes.

The Fairfax Arms Tavern is one of the options.

It was built in the 1750s and is the only surviving building of what used to be the town of Old Colchester. While it may be some hard work, it is rent free and also sports an expansion with a modern kitchen, so you won’t quite be living like a settler on the frontier.

Fairfax Arms Tavern is listed under both the National Register of Historic Places and the Fairfax Inventory of Historic sites.

Dranesville Tavern
The Dranesville Tavern was built in 1823 and served as an inn for weary travelers. (Courtesy Fairfax County )

That is not the only place accepting resident applications. On the other side of the county, the park authority is looking for someone to live in the Dranesville Tavern on Leesburg Pike.

It was built in 1823 and served as an inn for weary travelers. The tavern was open to the public until the 1940s.

Decades later, it was bought by the park authority and then moved one hundred feet away to make room for a road expansion on Route 7.

According to the park authority, The Resident Curator Program will be offering these long-term lease agreements to tenants who are qualified. Those leases are free of charge in exchange for a financial commitment and approved rehabilitation for the historic taverns.

Applications can be filled out on the park authority’s website.

Player of the Week: Westfield’s Jason Lartey

[connatix_element_embed script_id=e787a3f55a3742329bb7c6dd526a21fd player_id=7bc491b4-922b-4e8d-b1b1-150648e80442 video_id=f1633bbc-8a01-4e41-bad5-0302ea73a5f6 align=right] Jason Lartey began his Westfield High School football career as a wide receiver. Even after switching to the defensive side of the ball, eventually settling at linebacker, it took a little bit of time for the transition to take place.
Read Next Story