Washington, D.C., District of Columbia story
A Presidential Refuge
Imagine the year 1814. The White House has been burned, and President James Madison and First Lady Dolley Madison need a place to stay. They found refuge here, at the Octagon Hous…
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Imagine the year 1814. The White House has been burned, and President James Madison and First Lady Dolley Madison need a place to stay. They found refuge here, at the Octagon House.
Completed in 1800, this was one of the grandest townhouses in the nation, built for Colonel John Tayloe III. It's a stunning example of late Federalist architecture, featuring decorative Coade stone elements imported all the way from England. While it served as a temporary presidential home during a time of crisis, it eventually transitioned from a private residence to a place of public history, opening as a museum in 1970.
Today, it stands as a National Historic Landmark in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood, reminding us of a time when the city's leadership had to find a home away from home.
Updated June 2026