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 Dolly Madison House - Washington, D.C.
N 38° 53.993 W 077° 02.102
18S E 323526 N 4307635
The Dolly (or Dollie) Madison House, also known as the Cutts-Madison House, is a contributing property to the Lafayette Square Historic District. It's now part of the National Courts building in Washington, D.C.
Waymark Code: WMK9G1
Location: District of Columbia, United States
Date Posted: 03/04/2014
Views: 7
Other than the Decatur and Blair Houses, Lafayette Square has but two historic houses left, both of which are incorporated in the Cosmos Club Building at the southeast corner of Madison Place and H Street. One of these, the Dolly Madison home, has undergone so many changes that it is of more romantic than architectural interest. The other, to the rear and adjoining the main club building on Madison Place, is the small buff brick house built by Benjamin Ogle Tayloe in 1828, which preserves much of its original character and charm. The Madison house was built in 1820 by Richard Cutts, brother-in-law of Mrs. Madison, and there the widowed Dolly Payne Madison spent the last 12 years of her life. From 1837 to 1849 her home was again a center for the social life of Washington, and, on New Year's Day, it was customary to go directly from the White House to make a ceremonial call on Mrs. Madison. ---Washington City and Capital 1937
If the walls of the former First Lady's house could talk, I'm sure they'd have much to say considering all the politicos and dignitaries that passed through its doors after visiting the White House. The house was built from 1818-1820 in the American colonial architectural style. In the late 1950s, during the redevelopment of Lafayette Square (located across the street from the house), the Dolly Madison house was threatened with demolition. However, due to opposition to the demolition, the house was saved and a plan was developed to incorporate both the Dolly Madison house and the Tayloe house into the new construction of the National Courts Building. The house is now part of the National Courts complex.
Book: Washington, DC
Page Number(s) of Excerpt: 454-455
Year Originally Published: 1937
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