Washington, D.C., District of Columbia story
A Hilltop Retreat
High on a hill sits the Woodley Mansion, a Federal-style residence constructed in 1801. Back in the nineteenth century, the surrounding Woodley Park area was a favorite summer ret…
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High on a hill sits the Woodley Mansion, a Federal-style residence constructed in 1801. Back in the nineteenth century, the surrounding Woodley Park area was a favorite summer retreat for Washingtonians looking to escape the heat of the city. Over the years, this house hosted some of the biggest names in American history, including Presidents Grover Cleveland and Martin Van Buren.
By 1938, it was donated to Phillips Academy by Henry Stimson, though he and his wife continued to live there. Eventually, in 1950, the property was sold to the Maret School, which moved its campus here in 1952. It's a grand remnant of an era when the city's elite sought solace in the cool breezes of the northwest hills.
Updated June 2026