Rent The House Aaron Burr Slept In After His Infamous Duel With Alexander Hamilton

Searching for a Vrbo stay is a little like speed dating for real estate fans; each brief description next to a photo makes you choose between a “charming cottage” and a “modern getaway.”

Sometimes the picture doesn’t match reality. Sometimes you part as nice friends. But my last Vrbo discovery was love at first sight when I read this: “Sleep where Aaron Burr slept after his infamous duel with Alexander Hamilton!”

Aaron Burr?!? In a house in St. Marys, Georgia?!? It seemed too good to be true.

It wasn’t. This is another “Room Where It Happened” for Aaron Burr, appealing to Hamilton musical fans, history fans, and anybody else who wants a unique Vrbo stay.

It is only the beginning of what you’ll find when you book this historic home packed with modern amenities.

The History

Though my family kept calling this the Aaron Burr Home, this home on the Georgia coast just north of the Florida state line has had two other names.

For nearly two centuries, people called the home the Archibald Clark House, named after the first homeowner, a customs agent appointed by President Thomas Jefferson. Major Clark was friends with Aaron Burr. When sitting Vice President Aaron Burr shot and killed Alexander Hamilton in Weehawken, New Jersey, in 1804, the Clark house offered a literal getaway more than 900 miles south of the scene of the crime.

We wondered what Burr must have been thinking in his temporary quarters as he pondered the direction his life had taken.

There’s some idea of what Major Clark’s wife thought; Burr apparently stayed until he “wore out his welcome” with his hostess.

A few years later, the British commandeered the house as their headquarters during the 1812 War.

In 2019, Judge Keegan and Rebecca Federal bought the Archibald Clark House, the oldest house still standing in St. Marys, and renamed it The Federal Quarters. They say, “We decided that the house had such historical significance that we should share it with folks who would appreciate it, too!”

The Home

Each stay begins with a personalized tour. The Federal Quarters has 3 bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms, and plenty of other rooms for up to six guests. The suites have themes: Aaron Burr, Winfield Scott, and the Alexander Hamilton Suite. There are hotel-like amenities: fine linens, toiletries, phone chargers, and robes and slippers. Snacks and a bottle of wine were chilling for us in the kitchen.

Important Considerations: There’s a two-night minimum stay. All the bedrooms are on the second floor up steep stairs, and there is no elevator. If you are not able to go up the stairs, the Federals say that with advance notice, they can make up the Sunroom as a downstairs bedroom with a connecting bathroom.

This home was our midway point on a road trip and perfect for getting reorganized. We did laundry; I caught up on emails in a chess room that doubles as an office with high-speed Wi-Fi; the kids explored the Harry Potter room hidden under one of the staircases; and my husband enjoyed sitting on a front porch rocking chair. The kitchen had everything we would have needed to cook a Southern meal (including dozens of cookbooks), yet we were too intrigued by the community to spend an evening at home. Thanks to this home, we were able to go out in style, made possible by all the extras included in our reservation.

The Extras

The rental includes a garage full of treats for guests, top among them an antique Model A Ford convertible, complete with rumble seat. It is impossible not to be in a vacation mood when driving this down the streets. There is also a golf cart and bikes. The home has golf clubs, beach-ready gear, and games. If you prefer to relax in the quiet yard, there’s a grill and outdoor seating.

The Community

St. Marys has restaurants a few blocks away, many with waterfront views. Everyone recommended 401 West Restaurant, and the meal rivaled the sunset. St. Marys has a long history you can explore at places like the St. Marys Submarine Museum. There’s also river kayaking or hopping on a ferry to travel to the Cumberland Island National Seashore.

We kept busy visiting area attractions, and in the end, wished we had one more day to simply enjoy the home.

Guest reviews echo our sentiment, saying this is the kind of place you’re glad wasn’t the one that got away.

Pro Tips

The Federals offer an additional option: a chartered cruise on their Grand Banks 46-foot passenger trawler. We didn’t get to try that on this trip, but the idea could entice us to return one day for another Georgia adventure. Ready for your Aaron Burr House stay? Book here.

Want more on historic Georgia inspiration? Consider why This was wealthy America’s most coveted vacation destination at the turn of the century.