After Lewis died, his son leased out the Lee–Fendall House until 1973. The son then sold it to the Virginia Trust for Historic Preservation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation doing-business-as Lee-Fendall House Museum and Garden. The Trust was created in 1968 by Jay W. Johns with encouragement from Frances Shively in hopes of purchasing and preserving the house upon Lewis' death. The Trust received financial assistance from the Commonwealth of Virginia and the City of Alexandria in completing funding for the purchase.