Dumbarton House: Washington's Historical Elite

Quite a number of Federal-style architecture homes remain since the days of yore in Washington, and the Dumbarton House is one of the exceptional ones. Located on the heights of Georgetown, the Dumbarton House is a pleasant place to visit, particularly as an event (like a wedding), mimicking the many parties once held here.

The house is a grand brick home with dressed stone accents, circular balconies and arched doorways. Inside is three levels, all turned into a museum, with the lower level open to events. A step inside transports visitors back in time in a slightly creepy but interesting way, where every room has been restored as if someone still lives there. Private events are popular at the house, and guests can tour the house during the event, but strict rules about red wine and drinks are upheld to preserve the house.

Construction began in 1799 and then was purchased by Joseph Nourse, the first Register of the U.S. Treasury. In 1928, the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America bought the house to serve as its headquarters and restored it to early 19th century character (the society is still headquartered here). It became a museum in 1932.

Inside are several rooms with period furnishings, instruments, paintings, textiles, silver and ceramics that define the style transition from Georgian to Adamesque Federal. The majority of the collection's 1,000 pieces are from the Federal period of 1790-1830. One of the highlights of the collection is a painting by Charles Willson Peale of the children belonging to Benjamin Stoddert, first Secretary of the U.S. Navy. The 1971 painting shows the children in a more relaxed pose with Georgetown in the background as an early tobacco port.

The Dumbarton House also has an extensive manuscript and document collection that includes one of the few original copies of the Articles of Confederation. There's also nearly 300 years of documentation of the Nourse family, of which the house has been redecorated to interpret how his family lived there.

The house hosts a number of events and activities throughout the year, mostly leaning towards an upper-crust lifestyle to keep in theme with the house's place in society. There are balls, socials, garden recitals, cotillion classes for older children, poetry readings, plays and lectures on Federalist lifestyle. Walking tours of Georgetown are also offered, as are “Jazz in the Garden” evenings. Registration for events can be made online.

Dumbarton House Nourse Georgetown historic home Washington DC