Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-02-29
THE oCTAG0N HOUSE
At WASHINGTON
A Brief Description and History
Now Occupied as Permanent
Offices Of the American Insti-
tute of Architects.
(By Glenn Brown

tute of Architects. -.
(By Glenn Brown go.
The Octagon House, at the corner Of
New York Avenue and Eighteenth St.,
Washington, D. c.. erected by Col. John
Tayloe, was commenced in 1898 and
completed in 1890.
During the process Of it's erection.
General Washington often visited the
building. He took lively interest in
the house. it being the home Of his
friend as we'll as one Of the finest
residences in the country at the time.
After the year 1914, the. British having
burned the White House, President
James Madison occupied the Octagon,
and during his occupancy the Treaty
Of Client, which closed our second war
with England. between the United
States and Great Britain was signed
by him, in the circular room, which Is
now used as the Secretary's Office of
the American Institute Of Architects.
The house Is we'll built, of brick trim
med with Aqua Creek sandstone. The
lot is triangular in form and fenced in
by high brick wall. The kitchen,
stable and outhouses are built OF brick
and accommodated a large number Of
both servants and horses. Colonel
Tayloe being a noted turfman and
keeping many fine running horses. The
building and walls conform to the
street lines, showing that the streets
were accurately laid off even at that
early day. The interior is deliberately
finished, the doors Of the first story be-
ing of mahogany. They are still in an
excellent state of preservation. All the
work in the circular vestibule comedies
with the circumference of the tower,
the doors, sash and glass being made
on the circle, and all are still in work.
ing order. The parlor mantel is made
of fine cement composition, painted
white. The remains Of goldleaf show
the figures are excellent, evidently
having been modelled by some good
artist. The mantels in the bedrooms
are of wood, the ornamentation being
putty stucco.
Leading into the back hall and din
ing room are two secret doors in which
the washboards, chairboards, etc. run
across the door, being ingeniously cut
some distance from the actual door,
no key-holes. hinges or openings show
ing on the blind side. The knobs and
shutter buttons are Of brass and evil
IDENTIFY Of a special pattern. Two old
cast iron wood stoves still stand in the
inches prepared for them in the vesti-
bule.
Bishop Mead, in his "Old Churches,
Ministers and Families of Virginia. "
tells us that William Tayloe emigrated
from London to Virginia in 1850. John
Tayloe, his son. who was a member of
the House of Burgesses, founded the
noted estate Of Mount Airy, Virginia
He had IL children. one of whom, Col
John Tayloe. built the old Octagon
House. The Tayloes intermarried with
the Corbins, the Lees, the Washingtons
the Carriers, the Pages and nearly every
other prominent family of Virginia
The mother of Colonel John Tayloe of
the Octagon, was a daughter Of Gov
ernor Platter, of Maryland, and his wife
was Anne, daughter of Benjamin Ogle,
Governor of Maryland.
For those days. Colonel John Tayloe
commissioned by Washington in the
Revolution) was very wealthy man,
having at the age of 20 an income of
nearly $4,000 year, and when the Oc-
tagon was built he had an income of
$4,000 a year.
|. His eldest son, John, was in the Navy
and was distinguished in the battles of
the Constitution and the Guerrero, and
the Cyane in the Levant.
The memoirs of Benjamin Ogle Tay-
loe state that Colonel Tayloe was an
intimate friend of General Washington,
and it was on the advice of the General
that the Octagon was built in Wash
ington city, Colonel Tayloe having pre-
viously determined to build his winter
residence in Philadelphia.
At this period Colonel Tayloe was
distinguished for the unrivalled splen-
dor Of his household and equipages,
and his establishment was renowned
throughout the country for its enter
tainments, which were given in a most
generous manner to all persons of dis
tinction who visited Washington in
those days, both American and foreign
ers. In this list are included such
names as Jefferson, washington had
passed away before its completion),
Madison, Monroe, John Quincy Adams,
Decatur. Porter. Webster. Clay, CAL
houn, Randolph, Lafayette, Steuben
and Sir Edward Thornton, British Min
lister and father Of the recent British
Minister. and many others Of less dis
tinction than the ones named. Colonel
Tayloe died in 1928, and his death to a
certain extent terminated the splendid
Inequalities Of the Octagon. which had
covered a period Of nearly 30 years.
The architect Of the Octagon, DR..
William Thornton, was man Of note.
He was born in the Island of Tortola.
West Indies, May 81. 1861; studied and
travelled extensively in Europe, and
married Miss Brodeau, Of Philadel-
phia, in 1890. In the year 1898, he NOV
ed to Washington, where he lived until
his death in 1928.
As an architect he was the success
frl connection for the United States