Decatur House is one of Washington’s most historic homes, standing just steps from the White House at the corner of Lafayette Square. Built in 1818 by the great neoclassical architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe, it is one of only three of his houses still standing in the United States.
The home was commissioned by Stephen Decatur Jr., a celebrated naval officer who became the nation’s first post–Revolutionary War hero. Decatur supervised the construction of U.S. naval vessels, commanded them in battle, and won fame for his victories against pirates and foreign adversaries. His promising career ended abruptly in 1820, when he was killed in a duel with fellow officer James Barron. Decatur’s death at just 41 shocked the young republic.
In 1836, later owners added an outbuilding behind the house, which included slave quarters — a reminder that the grandeur of Lafayette Square coexisted with the realities of enslavement.
Today, Decatur House is both a museum and the home of the National Center for White House History, operated by the White House Historical Association, the nonprofit founded by First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy in 1961 to preserve and share the history of America’s Executive Mansion. The association offers free public tours of Decatur House every Monday (excluding federal holidays and the Monday after Thanksgiving). The house and courtyard can also be rented for private events, including weddings. A small shop offers books, gifts, and keepsakes that make excellent mementos of a visit to the nation’s capital.
Standing in its elegant rooms, it’s easy to sense the layers of history — from Decatur’s tragic end to the continuing work of preserving White House history. Decatur House remains both a monument to a naval hero and a reminder of the complexities of America’s past.
Sources: The White House Historical Association | National Trust for Historic Preservation | National Park Service | Wikipedia
