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Octagon House
The house was designed in 1798 by William Thornton, the first architect of the US Capitol. After the British burned the city in 1814, the Octagon House was one of the few remaining structures left standing. (It is said that the French Minister was in residence at the Octagon House so a French flag was flying over it during the attack. The British were not at war with France and spared the building.) While the White House was repaired, the Octagon House was temporarily the Presidential Mansion. While residing here, President James Madison signed the Treaty of Ghent which officially ended the War of 1812. His wife, Dolley Madison, hosted a huge celebration for the event and her ghost is said to still haunt the place.
In 1899, the American Institute of Architects took over the building, making it their home in 1910. In 1971, the AIA added the building seen behind this one. |