Octagon House, Washington DC
Designed by William C.
Designed by William C. Thornton, and completed in 1800, the Octagon House was owned by Colonel John Tayloe, a Virginia plantation owner. A few years later, the Tayloes offered the house for use as the French Embassy, where the Treaty of Ghent was signed by President James Madison to end the War of 1812 (he was working there temporarily following the 1814 burning of the White House). The house was sold in 1855, and since used as a military hospital during the Civil War, an apartment building, a girl's school, and has been owned by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) since 1902. The AIA still owns the house, though they are now located in a large office building adjacent to the Octagon House. The house is now used as a museum, and a gallery is located in the main AIA building.
Hours
Sun
Closed
Mon
8:30
17:00
Tue
8:30
17:00
Wed
8:30
17:00
Thu
8:30
17:00
Fri
8:30
17:00
Sat
Closed
About Octagon House
1799 New York Ave NW, Washington, DC 20006, USA
+1 202-626-7439
Octagon House and Nearby Sights on Map
Ringgold-Carroll House
The Ringgold-Carroll House was built in 1825 for Tench Ringgold, who was part of a three-member team in charge of restoring public buildings in the District of Columbia, following the War of 1812
Corcoran Museum of Art
This is the oldest art gallery in the American capital, housed in a beautiful, large Beaux-Arts building
Old Executive Office Building
The Eisenhower Executive Office Building was built in 1871 to house the War and Navy Departments, replacing the obsolete War Office building on the same site
Renwick Gallery
The building that now houses the Renwick Gallery was originally the home of the Corcoran Gallery of Art
Declaration of Independence Memorial
A little known memorial stands on the island in the Constitution Gardens Lake, dedicated to the signers of the Declaration of Independence
White House
The White House is the official residence and workplace of the President of the United States, and Washington DC's most famous address
Decatur House
Benjamin Henry Latrobe designed the house, completed in 1818, for naval hero Stephen Decatur and his wife
Diplomatic Reception Rooms
The Department of State offers guided tours of its formal reception rooms, used for official meetings with foreign representatives
World War II Memorial
The World War II Memorial in the National Mall commemorates the 16 million servicemen of the US armed forces who supported the country's World War II efforts
St. John's Church
A smaller, less spectacular church near St