A Street Corner of Historical Import in Old Town Alexandria, Va.

In terms of American history, no location is insignificant; that includes Old Town Alexandria, Va., where Colonial-era Americans congregated.

A painting in the historical Gadsby's Tavern in Alexandria, Va., a place that has seen plenty of history, from Colonial-era revolutionaries to early methods to keep food cold. Deena Bouknight

President’s Day is just in our rearview mirror, and the country’s semiquincentennial—that is, its 250th anniversary—is on the horizon. Thus, anything pertaining to America’s early history is especially relevant. Few people may realize that a prominent historical corner at the intersection of North Royal and Cameron Streets in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, was the site of much 18th-century history. For one, the circa-1785 Gadsby’s Tavern is where the country’s first notables dined, including George and Martha Washington, the Marquis de Lafayette, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and James Monroe.

In fact, the famous Revolutionary War general and first president considered Alexandria his adoptive home. He surveyed it as a teenager and drilled troops there during the French and Indian War.