Decatur House
Historic house in Washington, D.C. Built 1818 by Benjamin Henry Latrobe. Added to the National Register in 1966, and a National Historic Landmark.
What it is
Decatur House is a historic house museum at 748 Jackson Place in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. It is named after its first owner and occupant, the naval officer Stephen Decatur Jr. Built in 1818, the house is located at the northwest corner of Lafayette Square, about a block from the White House.
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The record
| Property type | Building |
| Address | 748 Jackson Pl., NW., Washington, DC |
| County | District of Columbia |
| Listed | Oct 15, 1966 |
| Listed for | Military, Politics and government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Reference number | 66000858 |
| Built | 1818 · more from the 1810s |
| Architect | Benjamin Henry Latrobe |
| Type of place | historic house museum |
| Style | Federal architecture |
| Designations | National Historic Landmark |
| Contributing resources | 1 building |
| Standing | Yes |
The nomination form, the document that argues why this place matters, is in the National Archives: Read the nomination ↗
Visiting
| Address | 748 Jackson Pl., NW., Washington, DC |
| Coordinates | 38.9001° N, 77.0382° W · Directions ↗ |
| Also in Washington | 675 listed places in Washington → · walking tours → |
| Nearest national park unit | The White House and President's Park · under a mile · on Park Atlas |
| Federal campgrounds nearby | Rock Creek Park Group Picnic Areas (Dc) 4 miles · Fort Dupont Park Picnic Areas 4 miles · Greenbelt Park Ranger Station 9 miles |
Explore
Drawings & photographs
Measured drawings and photographs from the Library of Congress. Public domain. All 5 records ↗
Map
Nearby in District of Columbia
Local history books for Washington
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Guidebooks to historic places in Washington, D.C.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
When was Decatur House listed on the National Register?
Oct 15, 1966. It is also a National Historic Landmark, the higher of the two designations.
Source: National Park Service
When was Decatur House built?
1818, designed by Benjamin Henry Latrobe, in the Federal architecture style.
Source: Wikidata
Can I visit Decatur House?
Yes. Decatur House is recorded as open to the public.
Source: Wikidata
Where is Decatur House?
748 Jackson Pl., NW., Washington, District of Columbia, District of Columbia. The nearest national park unit is The White House and President's Park, under a mile away.
Are there historic photographs or drawings of Decatur House?
Yes. The Historic American Buildings Survey at the Library of Congress has drawings or photographs of it.
Source: Library of Congress
Where is the nomination form for Decatur House?
The National Archives holds the nomination form, the document that made the case for listing.
Source: National Archives
Are there campgrounds near Decatur House?
Three federal campgrounds are within reach. The closest is Rock Creek Park Group Picnic Areas (Dc), 4 miles away. Fort Dupont Park Picnic Areas is 4 miles away, and Greenbelt Park Ranger Station is 9 miles away.
Source: Campsite Atlas
Is there cell service at Decatur House?
FCC coverage maps show Verizon 5G, AT&T 5G, and T-Mobile 5G at the listed point. Coverage indoors and behind old masonry is another matter.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
Sources
Location, type and contributing counts come from the National Park Service's National Register spatial data. Listing dates come from the National Register office's spreadsheet where it carries the listing. Construction date, architect, style, photograph and encyclopedia link come from Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons, matched on reference number 66000858. Nothing here is transcribed by hand. The nomination form and photographs ↗ at NPGallery are the original nomination as filed with the National Park Service, and the form is often the best description of the place. The description under "What it is" is the opening of the Wikipedia article, CC BY-SA. Drawings and photographs are Historic American Buildings Survey records at the Library of Congress, public domain.