Historic Mansions and Estates of Washington, D.C.

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The Evans-Tibbs House is a historic home in Washington, DC’s Shaw neighborhood. Built in 1894, the house is particularly notable for being the residence of the first African American opera singer of international fame, Lillian Evans Tibbs. For some time after her death, her grandson housed an art gallery in the home. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in September of 1987.

2. Edward "Duke" Ellington Residence

Internationally renowned jazz composer Duke Ellington was born in 1899 in Washington, D.C., and spent part of his youth in this house. Though Ellington opposed the construction of labels to place music into categories such as "jazz," he was among most influential in creating and popularizing that genre of music. From Ellington's perspective, however, his unique sound was simply "American music."

3. Zalmon Richards House

One of the founders of the National Education Association (NEA), Zalmon Richards, lived in this house from 1882 until his death in 1899. He served as the NEA's first president and in that role laid the foundation for the organization's early development. It is now the largest labor union in the country. Richards also led the effort to get Congress to pass legislation that created the Office of Education, the predecessor of the Department of Education, in 1867. The house itself, which remains a private residence today, is a small but elegant Victorian home erected 1873. It features a mansard roof, three-sided wooden bays with arched windows and decorative brackets, and an arched main entrance. The house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a National Historic Landmark.

4. Charlotte Forten Grimké House

Abolitionist, suffragist, writer, poet, and educator Charlotte Forten Grimké (1837-1914) lived in this two-story brick rowhouse from 1881 to 1885. In 1862, she became one of the first free women of African descent to go to the South during the war for the purpose of teaching formerly enslaved people when she moved to St. Helena Island, South Carolina, a sea island that was controlled by the Union early in the war. Grimké is also notable for her diaries, particularly those from the pre-Civil War period and her time on the island. For its association with Grimké, the house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a National Historic Landmark.

5. The Alma Thomas Home

Built in 1875, this beautiful red brick home nestled in Logan Circle is where Alma Thomas resided for well over 70 years. Thomas drew inspiration from the natural beauty surrounding her home including a variety of different flowers and trees. One work, "White Roses Sing and Sing" shown below, is said to be influenced by roses grown in her backyard and azalea blooms at the National Arboretum.

6. Robert Simpson Woodward House

The second president of the Carnegie Institution, Robert Simpson Woodward (1849-1924), lived in this house from 1904 to 1914. Woodward was a geologist, civil engineer, and mathematician who made significant contributions to science over the course of his career, particularly in the field of geology and in scientific experimentation. He was also a skilled administrator. The house itself is believed to have been built around 1885 and was eventually divided into apartments. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1976 for its association with Woodward.

7. Brodhead-Bell-Morton Mansion

The Brodhead-Bell-Morton Mansion, otherwise known as the Levi P. Morton House, is a historic home in Washington, DC. Originally built in 1879 for John T. and Jessie Willis Brodhead as a home, the Morton House has served as host to numerous other high-profile occupants, such as Alexander Graham Bell and U.S. Vice President Levi P. Morton. As of 2016, the building is under the ownership of Hungary with the intention to move the Hungarian Embassy to the home. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in October of 1987.

8. Elliott Coues House

The Elliott Coues House, located in the Dupont Circle neighborhood of Washington, D.C., served as the home of the notable 19th Century ornithologist Elliott Coues from 1887 until his death in 1899. Coues is most remembered for his contribution to the knowledge base regarding North American bird life and classification. In addition to his numerous publications, Coues helped to found the American Ornithologists' Union in 1883. Though the house's architecture is not notable, Coues' former residence was added to the National Register of Historic Places and listed as a National Historical Landmark in 1975 because of its connection to the ornithologist.

9. Heurich House Museum

Welcome to the Heurich House Museum, which preserves the historic Victorian-era Heurich mansion as a museum, event space, and place to build community connections. The mansion, built between 1892-94, was the family home of German immigrant, local brewer, and philanthropist Christian Heurich. Household staff were largely responsible for the upkeep of the large and ornate Heurich family estate in Dupont Circle. This tour will introduce you to some of the places the Heurich house staff lived while working for the family. Let’s begin by exploring what life was like for staff who lived on the grounds of the Heurich family house.

10. Dora Neibuhr, 1307 New Hampshire Avenue, Heurich House

Today, the Heurich House stands as a museum and space for building community in Dupont Circle. However, when it was originally built in 1892, the mansion served as a home for not only the Heurich family, but also for many of their household staff. Young women such as Dora Niebuhr and other recent migrants from Europe most commonly lived in the house while working.

11. Patterson Mansion

Elinor "Nellie" Medill Patterson, the wife of Chicago Tribune editor Robert Patterson, built this elegant mansion in 1903 as a second home for the family, although its primary purpose was to entertain guests. It is one of two mansions still standing on Dupont Circle (the other is the Wadsworth House) and is a fine example of Neoclassical architecture with Italianate decorative elements. The Patterson's daughter, Eleanor "Cissy" Patterson, became one of the first women in the country to run a major newspaper when she established the Washington-Times Herald in 1939. The Patterson Mansion is also notable for being briefly the home of President Coolidge and his wife, Grace, in 1927 when the White House was undergoing renovations. Another notable guest was aviator Charles Lindbergh, who stayed at the mansion for two nights in June of that year. Today the mansion is an apartment building and event venue called the Oakwood Suites & Studios Dupont Circle.

12. Fraser Mansion

The Fraser Mansion is a historic building located in the Dupont Circle neighborhood of Washington, DC. Built originally as a home in 1890, the Fraser Mansion has gone through a highly varied number of uses over the years, including being a boarding house, a restaurant, and home to portions of the Church of Scientology. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in August of 1975 as the Golden Parrot Restaurant. Today, Fraser Mansion is currently owned by the Church of Scientology, and it serves as their office of National Affairs.

13. Lothrop Mansion

The Lothrop Mansion is one of the most architecturally striking early 20th century mansions in Washington D.C. Erected in 1909, it is named after its builder and prominent businessman Alvin Mason Lothrop (1847-1912), who cofounded a successful department store called Woodward & Lothrop. From the 1970s to 2017, the mansion operated as the Russian Trade Mission. In terms of design, the mansion is an excellent example of Beaux-Arts architecture. It features decorative elements including quoins, an elaborate cornice, and on the south, main facade a projecting octagonal bay, decorative ironwork, a pair of urns, and a large dormer. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988, the mansion's current status is unclear.

14. Windsor Lodge (William E. Borah Residence)

Built in 1910-1911, the Windsor Lodge, also known as the William E. Borah Apartment and the Chancellery Cooperative, is a 16-unit apartment building in the Sheridan-Kalorama Historic District of Washington, D.C. Apartment 21 of the Windsor Lodge was once home to noted isolationist and presidential candidate, Senator William Edgar Borah (1865–1940). Owing to its association with Senator Borah, the apartment building was added to the National Register of Historic Places, and listed as a National Historic Landmark, in 1976.

15. Woodrow Wilson House

The President Woodrow Wilson House was the abode that President and Mrs. Edith Wilson called home after his retirement from office in 1921. Wilson was the only president to remain in Washington D.C. after his term until Barack Obama in 2017. While Wilson lived at the house only three years until his passing in 1924, Mrs. Wilson kept residence there until her death in 1961. She donated the entire site and its contents to the National Trust for Historic Preservation as a memorial to her late husband, the 28th President of the United States. The house, built in 1915, was added to the National Register of Historic Places and designated a National Historic Landmark due to its association with the Wilsons.

16. Joseph Beale House

The Joseph Beale House is a historic house designed by architect Glenn Brown. Built in 1909, the Beale House was built for Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Beale, with an emphasis on design and entertaining guests. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in May of 1973.

17. Charles Evans Hughes House

This historic home was once the residence of Charles Evans Hughes (1862-1948), who was one of the country's leading political figures during the early 20th century. He served as New York Governor from 1907-1910, as an Associate Supreme Court Justice from 1910-1916, as U.S. Secretary of State from 1921-1925, as Judge of the Permanent Court of International Justice from 1928-1930, and as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court from 1930-1941. Hughes, who was a Republican and often supported liberal policies, also unsuccessfully ran for president in 1916. He lived in the house during his tenure as Chief Justice. It has been the official residence of the ambassador of Myanmar since 1948 and is situated between the Embassy of Kenya and the Embassy of Cyprus. It is a National Historic Landmark and listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

18. Anderson House

Built between 1902 and 1905, the Anderson House is a mansion constructed for American diplomat Larz Anderson and author Isabel Weld Perkins Anderson. It is located along Embassy Row in the Dupont Circle neighborhood of Washington, D.C. After the death of Larz Anderson, the house was bequeathed to Society of the Cincinnati, an organization established in 1783 for veterans of the Continental Army and their descendants, of which Larz Anderson was an active member. Today, the Society maintains its headquarters at the Anderson House, along with an extensive research library and a museum related to the home and its history. The Anderson House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 and declared a National Historic Landmark in 1996.

19. Dumbarton House

Built in 1800, Dumbarton House is a Federal style mansion located in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. It is the headquarters of The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America (NSCDA) and features a museum of colonial history. Its first occupant was Joseph Nourse, the first Register of the Treasury. The property was acquired by the NSCDA in 1928 and was given the name “Dumbarton House” after the original name of the land. The NSCDA hoped to illustrate domestic life in Georgetown during the early Federal period and opened the two main floors of the structure as a museum in 1932. The property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 28, 1991.

20. Isaac Owens House

The Isaac Owens House is a historic home in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, DC. Built in 1816, the house is a notable example of Federal-era architectural style, and has served as the home of several notable persons during its lifetime. On June 19th of 1973, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Recently, the home underwent a period of restoration.

21. John Stoddert Haw House

The John Stoddert Haw House is a historic home located in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, DC. Built in 1816 by John Stoddert Haw, the nephew of United States Secretary of the Navy Benjamin Stoddert, the home would go on to pass between multiple owners over the years. On June 19th of 1973, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Today, the home also contributes to the Georgetown Historic District.

22. Newton D. Baker House

The Newton D. Baker House was built in 1794 by architect Thomas Beall. The house reflects a New England style of architecture. At five stories high, the home includes six bedrooms, three fire places, and a library. Newton D. Baker, for who the house is named, lived in the house from 1916 to 1920. The house was also occupied by Jackie Kennedy after John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963. It was listed as a National Historic Landmark in 1976.

23. Old Stone House (Washington D.C.)

Built in 1765, The Old Stone House in Washington, D.C. is the oldest building in the District of Columbia. It is also Washington’s last pre-revolutionary colonial building on its original foundation and it has remained unchanged over the years since it’s construction year. Local folks have preserved the house from demolition and remains untouched unlike most colonial homes in the area that were torn down or redeveloped into new buildings. In the 1950s, the house was converted into a public museum and is apart of the Georgetown Historic District.

24. Forrest-Marbury House

The Forrest-Marbury House is a historic home in the Georgetown area of Washington, DC. Originally built in 1788, the Forrest-Marbury House went through several different phases of ownership in its lifetime, serving as residential, government, and commercial space. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in July of 1973. Today, the building is home to Ukraine’s US Embassy.

25. Halcyon House

Halcyon House is a historic home located in the Georgetown area of Washington, DC. Built in 1787 by Secretary of the Navy Benjamin Stoddert, the Halcyon House sports a Federal-era-styled architecture, and in its heyday, the home was a hotspot for social events in Washington, DC. On March 31st of 1971, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. After undergoing a restoration effort, the home is currently occupied as the headquarters of the non-profit S&R Foundation.

26. Tudor Place

Tudor Place is a Federal mansion overlooking the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., connected with important individuals and families who founded the nation and its capital city. Tudor Place was built in 1816 by Martha Parke Custis Peter, Martha Washington’s granddaughter, and Thomas Peter, a businessman from Georgetown. Dr. William Thornton, the first Architect of the United States Capitol, designed Tudor Place with architecture styles inspired by ancient Rome and contemporary France. Tudor Place stayed in the Peter family for six generations until the property was deeded to a foundation in 1983. It opened as a museum in 1988 and interprets the multiple historical eras. Tudor Place is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was among the first properties designated as a National Historic Landmark.

27. Dumbarton Oaks

Dumbarton Oaks includes the historic Dumbarton Oaks House museum and its associated formal garden, a 27-acre wilderness area, and Harvard University's Dumbarton Oaks Research Library. Founded by Robert Woods Bliss and Mildred Barnes Bliss, the Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection specializes in Byzantine, Garden and Landscape, and Pre-Columbian studies, and includes not only books, but also images, art, objects, and documents.

28. Babcock-Macomb House

The Babcock-Macomb House is a historical home originally contracted to be built by Kate Woodman Babcock, and it is located in Washington, DC. After the death of her husband Joseph W. Babcock, Kate commissioned the construction of the home in 1911, and it was completed in 1912. Kate never lived in the house, and it changed hands numerous times over the years, and in February of 1995, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Today, the home is currently in use by the Republic of Cape Verde as its United States Embassy.

29. Woodley

Woodley is a Federal mansion in Washington, D.C. constructed in 1801 by Philip Barton Key. As a private residence, it was home to well over a dozen influential individuals, including Presidents Grover Cleveland, Martin Van Buren, and James Buchanan, and Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson. Since 1952, Woodley has been home to the Maret School, a private K-12 school founded in 1911 by three French sisters.

30. Tregaron Estate

The Tregaron Estate, also known as the Causeway, is a twenty-acre estate located between Washington, D.C.’s Woodley Park and Cleveland Park neighborhoods. Built in 1912, the Tregaron Estate was designed by famed architect Charles Adams Platt, and it remains one of his most well-known works of architectural design in Washington, D.C. The historic estate includes a mansion, carriage house, greenhouse, gardener's residence, a Russian-style dacha, and numerous landscaping features designed by Ellen Biddle Shipman. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990 for its significance in architectural and landscape design and its notable homeowners. It is also a contributing feature of the Cleveland Park Historic District. Today, the buildings are home to the Washington International School and the Tregaron Conservancy. The Tregaron Estate is in the midst of a restoration project by the Tregaron Conservancy and is open to the public.

31. Cloverdale

Cloverdale is a historic home located in Washington, DC’s Forest Hills Neighborhood. Originally constructed as a home in 1810, the building was remodeled numerous times while retaining its Colonial Revival style of architecture. In August of 1990, the home was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Today, the building is no longer a home, but the Education Office of the Chinese Embassy.

32. Hillwood Estate, Museum, and Gardens

Since its purchase in 1955 by the businesswoman, socialite, philanthropist and collector Marjorie Merriweather Post, Hillwood has served to function once as a place of residence, and forever as a museum to educate and awe those who visited it. Hillwood is known largely for its sizeable decorative arts collection that focuses heavily on the House of Romanov, a collection of French decorative art, and acres of sculpted gardens. Included in the collection are, among other pieces, Fabergé eggs, 18th and 19th century French art, and one of the country's finest orchid collections. Hillwood's mansion and gardens opened to the public in 1977 and are maintained by the Post Foundation.

This Tour is a Walking Tour.

Historic Mansions and Estates of Washington, D.C.

Created by Pamela Curtin on November 17th 2017, 1:37:16 pm.

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Description

Explore a selection of nearly three dozen of D.C.'s historic homes on this tour. Whether hosting parties, producing literature or art, or bearing witness to important social, business, and political decisions, these homes offer so much to learn about the history of D.C. This tour will introduce you to notable individuals and the places they called home, and often explore the architecture and the stories of people who lived or worked at the estates or work to preserve these properties to this day. Many of the stops on this tour are private homes or organizations, but some are open for tours and may require advanced booking, so please check in advance if you are interested in a tour.

Entries on This Tour

Historic Mansions and Estates of Washington, D.C.

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