The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-28
THE OLD 0CTAG0N HOUSE
Changes Since Its Occupation by
the Architects Institute.
Efforts Made TO Restore The Interior
to Its Original EIcEancc-Hor the
Rooms of the Mansion We're Fur
nished in the Days of Long Ago.

| The revival Of Colonial architecture be-
gan several years ago, and has already
| met with favor in many sections of the
! country. 1t is only quite lately, however,
| that architects, not merely OF local but
| national prominence. have begun to real
| ize that there is in Washington, perhaps,
! the best example to be found anywhere
| Of n genuine Colonial city mansion. This
! is the cid Octagon House. on the corner
of Eighteenth Street and New York Ave
nue.. formerly in possession of the Tayloe
family. Like Vigaola's famous octagonal
palace at Caprarola this house is of
those ingenious architectural works which
engage the study and attention of all
true artists. Since its occupation as the
headquarters of the American Institute
of Architects, it has attracted much no.
tice from the most prominent members
of the profession throughout the country
on account of the excellence of its plan,
which combines comfort and convenience
with elegance Of arrangement.
The Tayloe, or Octagon, house. as every
Washingtonian doubtless knows, was built
in 1900, by Colonel Tayloe. The architect
was DIR. William Thornton, and the pc
culiarity of his design lay in the unique
shape he gave to the house In order to
obtain for rooms the greatest amount of
light and air possible, as well as to give
a distinctive and elegant appearance to
the exterior. The latter, to be sure, is
exceedingly plain, but the beauty of pro-
portion is none the less apparent. Instead
of facing the street in the usual manner,
the front of the house faces the angle of
the corner lot upon which it is built. The
windows in the drawing room look south
toward the Potomac and the Mall The
sunlight streams in through these win
dows in winter, warming and cheering all
within, while in summer the apartment
has all the benefit of the cool breezes
from the river.
The vestibue of the octagon House is
unique, being more in the nature OF a
large circular hall nineteen feet in diane
ter, lighted by two windows, and former
~ heated by two old-fashioned stoves IN
inches on either side. y door opens from
this vestbule into the hall, Whlch Occu-
pies the entire remaining depth of the
house the windows at the rear throwing
an ample light upon the staircase. Doors
open from the hall, the one on the right |
on entering leading into the parlor nine
teen by twenty-seven feet, and the one on
the left in.o the dining room. also nine
teen by tyyenty-seyen feet There Is
back hall, opening from the main hall
These apartments constitute the nrSt moor
of the mansion. The two remaining
stories consist mainly of sleeping apart
ments.
Although great many repairs have |
been effected in the Tayloe house by the |
architectural club now occupying IL, an |
it's original fittings and embellishments
have long since vanished. The front
doors of massive Spanish mahogany an |
inch thick, were evidently found TOO un- |
Wieldy to carry off in the days when the |
mansion was left to go to rack and ruin. |
But the black and white tiles OF Whlch |
the floors were composed were appro- |
priated by vandals, as was also the brass |
knocker, which was Of curious pattern.
After the death of Mrs. John Tayloe in |
1855, the house was given over to care |
takers. From that period until 1899 when |
il was chosen as the headquarters of |
the American Institute of Architects the |
house fell into slow decline along with |
the neighborhood in which it is situated, |
which was once the most fashionable
part of the city.
When the architects took possession
they caused to be carefully patched the |
cornices. mantels and stair rails. The
walls were scraped down and their |
original colors have been reproduced.
The handsome mahogany doors were
scraped and polished, and the whole place
about the doors is that they slowly close |
by themselves, the hinges being cut |
spirally. IT is said that in its palmy days
the Octagon House never knew the light |
of gas nor the heat of a furnace. Mrs.
Tayloe abhorred both Improvements and
chung TO candles and open fire places.
The windows Of the house are numerous
and of generous size They are recessed
and cut down to the floor. All the wood
work is white. excepting the doors and |
hand-rail of the staircase. The mantels,
which have been restored, are very hand
some and elaborate
The interior. it was originally fur
nished, was a model of elegant simplici-
ty. There was all the eighteenth century
air of quaintness. The drawing room
walls were tinted a delicate 'bHff, and 1t |
is said that the principal furniture was
set Of ash Of sixteen pieces. comprising
dozen chairs and settee with flower
ed chintz cushions in the seats. and three |
card tables. This furniture had small
panels painted with Tyres and roses. Two