Welcome to Dumbarton House, a 1799 Federal period historic house museum in Georgetown, DC. Dumbarton
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The mission of Dumbarton House, headquarters of The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America, is to support the organization’s Corporate Societies and their members, to maintain its historic museum property, and to enhance the cultural life of Washington, D.C. Through the interpretation of its historic site and collections, Dumbarton House promotes the understanding of historic preservati
on and of the early history of our nation, so that the lives and ideals of early Americans inspire present and future generations.
Happy Thanksgiving!
This year, we're thankful for the care and generosity of everyone in our Dumbarton House community. Whether you are a member, volunteer, patron or neighbor, we thank you for being a part of our family!
Dumbarton House will remain closed until Monday, Nov. 27 as our staff take time to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday.
Dumbarton House Museum and the NSCDA offices will be closed for maintenance and in celebration of the Thanksgiving holiday beginning today, Nov. 21, until Monday, Nov. 27.
We look forward to welcoming you back to Dumbarton House next week following the holiday weekend!
Join us TODAY from 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. for our annual Maker's Market!
Local artisans are taking over the museum grounds, so you can get your holiday shopping in early!
This event is free to the public and does not require a ticket, so stop by and experience the event for yourself!
in 1800, Congress met in Washington, D.C., for the first time. Although the building was not yet complete, Congress met in the newly finished north wing of the Capitol.
Fun fact: the young United States had nine capitals between 1776 and 1800: Philadelphia, Baltimore, Lancaster, York, Princeton, Annapolis, Trenton and New York, before finally making Washington, D.C. the permanent capital.
Image: Architect of the Capitol
Here's your reminder that this Saturday is our Fall Maker's Market!
Get a jump on your holiday shopping and support local businesses throughout the Dumbarton House grounds selling handmade goods, locally sourced items, art, stationery, home goods & more. The Market will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., with LOADS of exciting items to choose from. Come by and see!
We'll be sharing the shops that will be there in our stories, so keep an eye out!
Here's your reminder that this Saturday is our Fall Maker's Market! Get a jump on your holiday shopping and support local businesses throughout the Dumbarton House grounds selling handmade goods, locally sourced items, art, stationery, home goods & more!! The Market will be open from 10 am to 3 pm, and is sure to be a great day with LOADS of exciting items to choose from! Come stop by and see! Also, we'll be sharing the shops that will be there in our stories, so keep an eye out!
Join Dumbarton House in celebration of Veterans Day and thank those who served in our nation's armed forces.
Please note that our offices will be closed today (11/10) and tomorrow (11/11) in observance of the holiday. The museum will be open at regular times - Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 3 pm.
As we prepare to celebrate Veterans Day this Saturday, we highlight the commitment of our NSCDA and Dumbarton House family to honoring the legacy of America's veterans.
Specialist Rosendo Montana was killed in action in 1970 during the Vietnam War. A loving father and devoted patriot, Specialist Montana earned many awards for his conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action, including the Distinguished Flying Cross, Silver Star, and Bronze Star.
His son Rolando, Dumbarton House's Facilities Manager, keeps his memory alive through active participation in veterans support organizations, including SDIT (Sons and Daughters in Touch), VVMF (Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund), and Mission POW/MIA.
Join us this Saturday to remember Specialist Montana and every American veteran.
Here's your reminder- Friday Morning Music Club's first performance of the season at Dumbarton House is tomorrow!
Come listen to live classical music concerts performed by the Friday Morning Music Club, a community of music lovers and musicians promoting classical music in the Washington area for over 130 years. This performance is free, and seats are first-come, first-served.
This Saturday is Veterans Day! Join us Saturday at 10:00 a.m. for one final Vetoga session for the season.
10:30 Yoga Class with DC Dame Stephanie Green
11:15 Meditation with Marine Corps Veteran Michael Stickley
12:30 Tai Chi with Nick Gracenin with DC Tai Chi
Sign up here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/veterans-day-garden-yoga-meditation-and-tai-chi-at-dumbarton-house-tickets-742273408747?aff=oddtdtcreator
Friday Morning Music Club returns to Dumbarton House this season! Enjoy their first performance this Thursday, November 6th at 7:00! Experience music that would have been listened to in the Federal Period at this free event! For more information, visit the link in our bio.
Dumbarton House's annual Fall Makers Market! Join us Nov. 18 from 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. for your opportunity to get a jump start on all your holiday shopping while supporting small, local businesses from around the area.
Follow along during the lead-up to the market to hear more about the vendors in attendance!
November is Native American Heritage Month. Several Native Peoples called the area now known as Washington home prior to the arrival of European colonists, including the Piscataway, Pamunkey, Nentego (Nanichoke), Mattaponi, Chickahominy, Monacan and Powhatan cultures.
The Nacotchtank village (where the name Anacostia comes from) was the largest of three Native American villages located in the Washington area and a significant trading center. Nameroughquena was a village on the Potomac’s west bank in present-day Arlington, VA and Tohogae was where Georgetown now sits. This image shows a map drawn by John Smith in 1606 of the Chesapeake Bay and depicts a Native American man in the corner.
Image: John Smith's Map of the Chesapeake Bay, 1606. Image courtesy of The Library of Congress
Happy Halloween from all of us at Dumbarton House!
Today is Visit a Cemetery Day! Did you know that Dumbarton House is right next to several cemeteries?
The Mt. Zion and Female Union Band Society cemeteries were active from 1808 until the 1950s. These cemeteries served members of neighborhood Methodist congregations, primarily those of the Mt. Zion United Methodist Church, the oldest Black congregation in DC.
The Female Union Band Society provided monetary relief for Black and Native American women when they were sick and ensured they received a proper burial in death. Today, Black Georgetown Foundation, Inc. preserves these graves and the legacy of those buried there.
We don't just do research in our own archives - sometimes, we go to other archives to search through their resources to help our research! For example, this summer, our Curatorial and Collections Assistant, Abby, went to The Library of Congress to research photographer Frances Benjamin Johnston's images of Dumbarton House!
Swipe to see two of the original photos Abby researched during her time at the Library of Congress!
Image credit: Library of Congress
Happy National Pumpkin Day! Last week, we had a blast with pumpkins at our annual Halloween-themed Dumbarton at Dusk program! Here are some of the pumpkin highlights of the evening!
Are you carving any pumpkins this season? Show us in the comments below!
On Oct. 23, 1928, Dumbarton House was purchased by The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America. Founded in 1891, the national women's organization had raised money to preserve several historic properties but had no national headquarters. In 1927, they resolved to purchase a historic house in Washington to serve as a museum, repository for Society archives, and headquarters.
The NSCDA bought a Federal period home in Georgetown, known as Belle Vue, and renamed it Dumbarton House after the historic name for the neighborhood. The NSCDA restored the house to its Federal appearance and opened it as a museum to the public in 1932.
Want to hear some of Georgetown's creepiest stories this Halloween season?
Join DC tour guide Dwane Starlin Oct. 21-22 for an evening out on the spooky streets of Georgetown! This walking tour covers the scariest history of Georgetown between the Old Stone House and the Exorcist Stairs. Are you in for a scare? Sign up for the walking tour at DumbartonHouse.org or via our link in bio!
Did you know that October is Archives Month? At Dumbarton House, we hold the archives for the museum and The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America. That means these boxes of paper hold important records about life in early Washington, as well as meeting minutes and other documents about the organizational history of the NSCDA. Luckily, these moving shelves mean we have lots of space to keep all that material!
Keep an eye out over this month as we highlight different works and artifacts from the archives!
Here's your reminder to join us in one week for October's Dumbarton at Dusk, happening October 19 from 5:30-8:00 p.m. Our annual fall festival features live music from local musicians, free food and candy, chinoiserie pumpkin decorating, and carving.
Learn more about Dumbarton at Dusk and our other Fall programs at DumbartonHouse.org!
Unfortunately, due to unexpected circumstances, Dumbarton House will be closed today
October 7, 2023. Please come visit us again tomorrow!
What does the fortune teller see in your future? Pumpkins, snacks, drinks, music, and activities! Join us on October 19th from 5:30-8:00 for our Dumbarton at Dusk: Fall Festival! The event is free, but we encourage registering online. For $5, you can add to the fun with pumpkin carving. We hope to see you there!
Happy World Architecture Day! One element we don't often get to show visitors to Dumbarton House is the home's interior structure. This wall, located on the house's second floor and uncovered during restoration work, shows several generations of changes throughout Dumbarton House's history.
See if you can spot the following elements in the photos of the wall above:
- A door frame bricked up during the 1800s
- The shadow of a staircase which once led to the attic
- Wooden shims used to hold the brick together
- Broken brickwork where a fireplace once was
Take a step back to the early days of Washington's history with a trip to Dumbarton House! Visit the only museum telling the story of the Federal City's beginnings, now featuring a newly renovated visitors center and period rooms.
Open Friday-Sunday 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Happy first day of fall!
We love watching the colors change in our beautiful garden- what's your favorite fall feature of Dumbarton House?
Stay tuned to learn more about our upcoming programs by visiting DumbartonHouse.org/programs.
in 1781, Congress elected Joseph Nourse the first Register of the Treasury. He would serve in this position under four administrations until 1829.
The Register of the Treasury was a vital position whose duties included maintaining government accounting records, overseeing debt securities, and filing the certificates of US-registered ships. Fun fact: the Register's name appeared on most U.S. currency alongside that of the Secretary of the Treasury until the position's abolition in 1919.
We love today's floral design that highlights the beauty of our venue in a dreamy and organic way! Repost The Rosy Posy Floral Design and Event Studio photo by Kir2Ben with WeddingWire.
Today, we pause to remember a day that forever changed our city and the world. On this solemn anniversary, we honor the memory of the innocent lives lost, the brave heroes who responded, and the resilience of a nation that came together in the face of unimaginable tragedy.
To those who lost loved ones on 9/11, your pain is etched in our hearts, and we stand with you in solidarity. We are forever grateful to the first responders and military personnel who selflessly sacrificed for our safety.
Did you know that today is National Buy a Book Day?
We love books, new and old, including these titles in our new Education Center here at Dumbarton House. Consider signing your child up for one of our educational programs this Fall, where they will have a blast learning about Federal period history!
Happy Labor Day!
Wishing all our friends, family, and visitors a peaceful and happy day! Please note that our offices will be closed today in recognition of the holiday.
Calling all yogis!🧘♂️
Beginning September 10, join Dumbarton House and VETOGA for Sunday morning yoga sessions in our garden!
Experienced yoga instructors will help you get your zen on as you stretch and breathe your way through this hour-long class. The program provides something for everyone- a blast for newbies and experienced yogis alike. Please bring a mat to participate.
Visit https://ow.ly/KtPk50PH056 to learn more!
With the school year beginning, it's time to jump back into school and scout programs!
Do you have a class or troop looking for a fall field trip? Look no further than Dumbarton House! We have many programs planned for this fall, so check out our website and sign your kids up for a Federal Period adventure today!
Are you ready to head back to school this week? If you were an exemplary student in early Washington, you might have the opportunity to bring one of these tickets for "extraordinary merit and indefatigable application."
These tickets were an early type of report card and are part of the Dumbarton House collection. They were awarded to Josepha Nourse between 1799 and 1800 in Geography, French, Music, Mythology, and Singing. What a talented young lady!
Image: Dumbarton House Archives
in 1814, the British invaded Washington, D.C., during the War of 1812. Fire was set to many important buildings during the battle, including the White House. This event sparked the flight of Dolley Madison from the White House, who famously refused to leave until she had instructed enslaved workers to save precious documents and a portrait of George Washington that hung in the White House.
Fun fact- Dolley stopped at Dumbarton House (then Belle Vue) during her escape from Washington, an event we commemorate each year in August with our annual Dolley Day celebration!
Image: "The Burning of Washington" from The History of England by Paul M. Rapin de Thoyras (1816). Library of Congress
Join us in celebrating the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which was ratified in 1919. The Nineteenth Amendment extended suffrage to women, stating, "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of s*x."
Suffragists fought a long battle to win equal voting privileges. In this photo from The Library of Congress, National Woman's Party activists watch leader Alice Paul sew a star onto a "Ratification Flag," representing another state's ratification of the 19th Amendment.
Image:
The Library of Congress provides access to these materials for educational and research purposes and makes no warranty with regard to their use for other purposes. The written permission of the copyright owners and/or holders of other rights (such as publicity and/or privacy rights) is required for....
Dolley Day is today! Join us from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm for our annual Dolley Day celebration- Dolley Madison herself will be with us to share stories about her life and teach some of her favorite games! Additionally, yard games and ice cream (one of Dolley’s favorite foods) will be available to add to the fun.
The museum will be open for FREE self-guided tours with a special handout about Dolley. Dolley Day is not a ticketed event; feel free to stop in anytime during the day!
What's a bird's nest doing inside a history museum??? Early Americans loved keeping trinkets and knick-knacks around their homes, just like you might do today! This bird's nest, which sits on the mantlepiece in our Breakfast Room, is an example of the oddities the original house owners may have kept around.
Our research has shown that the Nourse family had a keen interest in nature, something they may have brought inside when it was time to decorate. Visit Dumbarton House to see the other personal touches set to simulate life at Dumbarton House in the early 1800s!
2715 Q Street NW
Washington D.C., DC
20007
| Friday | 10am - 3pm |
| Saturday | 10am - 3pm |
| Sunday | 10am - 3pm |
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Preservation is in progress at Dumbarton House this summer! We are working on the restoration of the Best Chamber, the primary bedroom in the house. Last week Sammie, our Collections Manager, and Jerry, our Historic Site Director, disassembled and removed all the furnishings. With these historic collections objects out of the way and safely stored, removal of the wallpaper and repairs to the plaster are taking place. Check back soon for an update on this exciting process!
The National Society of The Colonial Dames of
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