Friendship House (also known as The Maples, Maple Square, or Duncanson House) is a

Georgian Georgian may refer to: Common meanings * Anything related to, or originating from Georgia (country) ** Georgians, an indigenous Caucasian ethnic group ** Georgian language, a Kartvelian language spoken by Georgians **Georgian scripts, three scrip ...

townhouse A townhouse, townhome, town house, or town home, is a type of terraced housing. A modern townhouse is often one with a small footprint on multiple floors. In a different British usage, the term originally referred to any type of city residence ...

, located at 619 D Street, (630 South Carolina Avenue),

Southeast, Washington, D.C. Southeast (SE or S.E.) is the southeastern quadrant of Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States, and is located south of East Capitol Street and east of South Capitol Street. It includes the Capitol Hill and Anacostia neighborhoods, ...

, in the

Capitol Hill Capitol Hill, in addition to being a metonym for the United States Congress, is the largest historic residential neighborhood in Washington, D.C., stretching easterly in front of the United States Capitol along wide avenues. It is one of the ...

neighborhood.

History

] It was designed by William Lovering in 1795. The first owner of the home was William Mayne Duncanson, whose house guests included

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...

. In August 1814, it served as a hospital after the Battle of Bladensburg. In 1815, it was purchased from bankruptcy, by

Francis Scott Key Francis Scott Key (August 1, 1779January 11, 1843) was an American lawyer, author, and amateur poet from Frederick, Maryland, who wrote the lyrics for the American national anthem "The Star-Spangled Banner". Key observed the British bombardment ...

. In July 1838, it was purchased by Major Augustus A. Nicholson. On June 2, 1856, it was purchased by

John M. Clayton John Middleton Clayton (July 24, 1796 – November 9, 1856) was an American lawyer and politician from Delaware. He was a member of the Whig Party who served in the Delaware General Assembly, and as U.S. Senator from Delaware and U.S. Secretar ...

. He added a ballroom with decoration by

Constantino Brumidi Constantino Brumidi (July 26, 1805 – February 19, 1880) was a Greek-Italian-American historical painter, best known and honored for his fresco work, Apotheosis of Washington, in the Capitol Building in Washington, DC. Parentage and early life ...

. On April 20, 1858, it was purchased by

Louis François de Pourtalès Louis François de Pourtalès (4 March 1824 – 18 July 1880) was a France, Franco-United States, American naturalist, born at Neuchâtel, Switzerland. Early life and education Pourtales was born on 4 March 1824 and regarded as a Switzerland, ...

; there are rumors of his winecellar. In 1871, it was purchased by journalist Mrs.

Emily Edson Briggs Emily Pomona Edson Briggs (September 14, 1830 – July 3, 1910) was a journalist in Washington, D.C. during the 19th century. She was one of the first American women to become nationally known as a reporter. She came to national attention during t ...

; she named it "Maple Square." The Friendship House Association, founded in 1904, purchased the house in 1936, and operated a settlement house, and community center there. As the Capitol Hill neighborhood

gentrified Gentrification is the process of changing the character of a neighborhood through the influx of more affluent residents and businesses. It is a common and controversial topic in urban politics and planning. Gentrification often increases the econ ...

, most of the people served were in other parts of Washington, D.C. It was placed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

on January 18, 1973. The property was sold in 2010, to a private developer.

References

External links

*http://wikimapia.org/1412760/Friendship-House {{Registered Historic Places Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Washington, D.C. Georgian architecture in Washington, D.C. Houses completed in 1795 Individually listed contributing properties to historic districts on the National Register in Washington, D.C.

History

See also

References

External links