Leiter House
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The Leiter House was a mansion that once stood at 1500 New Hampshire Avenue NW in the
Dupont Circle Dupont Circle is a historic roundabout park and Neighborhoods in Washington, D.C., neighborhood of Washington, D.C., located in Northwest (Washington, D.C.), Northwest D.C. The Dupont Circle neighborhood is bounded approximately by 16th St ...
neighborhood of
Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
Completed in 1893 for wealthy businessman
Levi Leiter Levi Ziegler Leiter (November 2, 1834 – June 9, 1904) was an American businessman based in Chicago. He co-founded what later became the Marshall Field & Company retail empire. Early life Leiter was born to Anne (née Ziegler) and Joseph Thom ...
, the palatial 55-room neoclassical residence was designed by architect
Theophilus P. Chandler Jr. Theophilus Parsons Chandler Jr. (September 7, 1845 – August 16, 1928) was an American architect of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He spent his career at Philadelphia, and is best remembered for his churches and country houses. He fou ...
, whose notable works include Trinity Episcopal Church, the
Stirling Stirling (; ; ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city in Central Belt, central Scotland, northeast of Glasgow and north-west of Edinburgh. The market town#Scotland, market town, surrounded by rich farmland, grew up connecting the roya ...
mansion, St. Thomas Episcopal Church, and the
North Philadelphia station North Philadelphia station is an intercity rail and regional rail station on the Northeast Corridor, located on Broad Street (Philadelphia), North Broad Street in the North Philadelphia neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United State ...
. The house was one of several mansions that were built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries around the perimeter of Dupont Circle, a traffic circle and park that was considered a fashionable area at the time. Leiter had made his fortune in real estate ventures after cofounding what would later become the
Marshall Field & Company Marshall Field & Company (colloquially Marshall Field's) was an American department store chain founded in 1852 by Potter Palmer. It was based in Chicago, Illinois and founded in the 19th century, it grew to become a large chain before Macy's, I ...
department store chain. He and his wife, Mary, wanted to be involved in social circles in the nation's capital and relocated with their children to Washington, D.C. in 1883. They spent the first decade in the city renting another large Dupont Circle house, the James G. Blaine Mansion, before moving into their finished home in 1893. During their time in the city, the Leiters entertained at their residences, hosted foreign dignitaries and members of local society, and hosted a wedding breakfast and reception for their daughter,
Mary Mary may refer to: People * Mary (name), a female given name (includes a list of people with the name) Religion * New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below * Mary, mother of Jesus, also called the Blesse ...
, to
George Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston George Nathaniel Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston (11 January 1859 – 20 March 1925), known as Lord Curzon (), was a British statesman, Conservative Party (UK), Conservative politician, explorer and writer who served as Viceroy of India ...
. Following Leiter's death in 1904, his wife continued occupying the house for several years, hosting the weddings of their other daughters, including
Margaret Margaret is a feminine given name, which means "pearl". It is of Latin origin, via Ancient Greek and ultimately from Iranian languages, Old Iranian. It has been an English language, English name since the 11th century, and remained popular thro ...
to
Henry Howard, 19th Earl of Suffolk Henry Molyneux Paget Howard, 19th Earl of Suffolk, 12th Earl of Berkshire (13 September 1877 – 21 April 1917) was a British peer, styled Viscount Andover until 1898. Early life The eldest son of Henry Howard, 18th Earl of Suffolk and Mary Elea ...
. Mary gifted the house to her son, Joseph, and daughter-in-law on their wedding day in 1908. Joseph and his wife continued the tradition of hosting social events in the house for the next few decades. The couple allowed the Italian government to use their house during
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
and the
Soviet The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
government briefly rented the house for use as diplomatic offices in the 1930s. During
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
the US government rented the house as office space for the
National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) was a United States federal agency that was founded on March 3, 1915, to undertake, promote, and institutionalize aeronautical research. On October 1, 1958, the agency was dissolved and its ...
. It was during this time that Joseph's son, Thomas, sold the house to a local architect and real estate developer. Two years after the war, the building was demolished after being stripped of valuable building materials. It was replaced with the Hotel Dupont Plaza, now known as The Dupont Circle Hotel. Of the large residences that once lined Dupont Circle, the only ones that remain are the Blaine Mansion, Patterson Mansion, and Wadsworth House, home of the
Sulgrave Club The Sulgrave Club is a private women's club located at 1801 Massachusetts Avenue NW on the east side of Dupont Circle in Washington, D.C. The clubhouse is the former Beaux-Arts mansion on Embassy Row built for Herbert and Martha Blow Wadsworth ...
.


History


Owner background and construction of the house

Levi Ziegler Leiter (1834-1904) was born in
Leitersburg, Maryland Leitersburg is a census-designated place (CDP) in Washington County, Maryland, United States. The population was 523 at the 2000 census. History Bell-Varner House, Huckleberry Hall, and Leitersburg Historic District are listed on the National ...
, the ancestor of Dutch immigrants who arrived in the United States in 1760. After working as a salesman in
Springfield, Ohio Springfield is a city in Clark County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is located in southwestern Ohio along the Mad River (Ohio), Mad River, Buck Creek, and Beaver Creek, about west of Columbus, Ohio, Columbus and northeast of ...
, Leiter moved to
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
in 1854 and found employment working in a dry goods store. Eleven years later he and a coworker,
Marshall Field Marshall Field (August 18, 1834January 16, 1906) was an American entrepreneur and the founder of Marshall Field's, Marshall Field and Company, the Chicago-based department stores. His business was renowned for its then-exceptional level of qua ...
, created a business partnership with
Potter Palmer Potter Palmer (May 20, 1826 – May 4, 1902) was an American businessman who was responsible for much of the development of State Street (Chicago), State Street in Chicago. Born in Albany County, New York,Marshall Field's Marshall Field & Company (colloquially Marshall Field's) was an American department store chain founded in 1852 by Potter Palmer. It was based in Chicago, Illinois and founded in the 19th century, it grew to become a large chain before Macy's, ...
, when it was purchased by
Macy's, Inc. Macy's, Inc. (previously Federated Department Stores, Inc.) is an American holding company of department stores. Upon its establishment in 1929, Federated held ownership of the regional department store chains Abraham & Straus, Lazarus, File ...
Over the next ten years Leiter's fortune tripled and his real estate ventures included the
Second Leiter Building The Second Leiter Building, also known as the Leiter II Building, the Sears Building, One Congress Center, and Robert Morris Center, is located at the northeast corner of South State Street and East Ida B. Wells Drive in Chicago, Illinois. The ...
, one of the first skyscrapers built with steel frames, designed by architect
William Le Baron Jenney William Le Baron Jenney (September 25, 1832 – June 14, 1907) was an American architect and engineer known for building the first skyscraper in 1884. In 1998, Jenney was ranked number 89 in the book ''1,000 Years, 1,000 People: Ranking th ...
. Leiter was also a philanthropist, donating money to Chicago institutions including the
Art Institute of Chicago The Art Institute of Chicago, founded in 1879, is one of the oldest and largest art museums in the United States. The museum is based in the Art Institute of Chicago Building in Chicago's Grant Park (Chicago), Grant Park. Its collection, stewa ...
, where he served as its second president, and the
Chicago Public Library The Chicago Public Library (CPL) is the public library system that serves the Chicago, City of Chicago in the U.S. state of Illinois. It consists of 81 locations, including a central library, three regional libraries, and branches distributed thr ...
. Leiter's wife, Mary Theresa Carver (1844-1913), was a former schoolteacher from
Utica, New York Utica () is the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The tenth-most populous city in New York, its population was 65,283 in the 2020 census. It is located on the Mohawk River in the Mohawk Valley at the foot of the Adiro ...
, and a descendant of John Carver, the first governor of the
Plymouth Colony Plymouth Colony (sometimes spelled Plimouth) was the first permanent English colony in New England from 1620 and the third permanent English colony in America, after Newfoundland and the Jamestown Colony. It was settled by the passengers on t ...
. Though the two had become wealthy from Levi's business ventures, they were considered "
new money ; ), new rich, or new money (in contrast to old money; ) is a social class of the rich whose wealth has been acquired within their own generation, rather than by familial inheritance. These people previously had belonged to a lower social clas ...
" and not accepted in Chicago's social circles. The couple and their four children, Joseph, Mary Victoria, Nancy, and
Margaret Margaret is a feminine given name, which means "pearl". It is of Latin origin, via Ancient Greek and ultimately from Iranian languages, Old Iranian. It has been an English language, English name since the 11th century, and remained popular thro ...
, moved to
Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
for the winter of 1893, joining Field and Palmer who were also spending the winter in the nation's capital. The Leiters rented the large home of politician
James G. Blaine James Gillespie Blaine (January 31, 1830January 27, 1893) was an American statesman and Republican politician who represented Maine in the United States House of Representatives from 1863 to 1876, serving as speaker of the U.S. House of Rep ...
which was located in the fashionable residential area of
Dupont Circle Dupont Circle is a historic roundabout park and Neighborhoods in Washington, D.C., neighborhood of Washington, D.C., located in Northwest (Washington, D.C.), Northwest D.C. The Dupont Circle neighborhood is bounded approximately by 16th St ...
. The mansion was rented for $11,500 a year, an incredible sum at the time that was noted as being the most expensive rent paid for a house in the city. It's believed that the Leiters did not mind people knowing how much they paid because it was a way to let Washingtonians know how wealthy they were. For the next decade the family lived in their rented mansion in Washington, D.C., a home in Chicago, their home in Wisconsin, and also traveled to Europe. The Leiters decided to build their own home in the city, joining the ranks of large homes on Dupont Circle like the Blaine Mansion and Stewart's Castle. In February 1891 Leiter purchased a lot on Square 135 from William Walter Phelps at a cost of $83,276.53. The building permit, No. 2562, was issued on June 12 that same year. The Leiters selected architect
Theophilus P. Chandler Jr. Theophilus Parsons Chandler Jr. (September 7, 1845 – August 16, 1928) was an American architect of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He spent his career at Philadelphia, and is best remembered for his churches and country houses. He fou ...
to design their new house. Chandler's noted works include religious buildings such as the
Church of the New Jerusalem The New Church (or Swedenborgianism) can refer to any of several historically related Christian denominations that developed under the influence of the theology of Emanuel Swedenborg (1688–1772). The Swedenborgian tradition is considered to ...
, Trinity Episcopal Church, and the nearby St. Thomas Episcopal Church (destroyed), as well as residential buildings including
Stirling Stirling (; ; ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city in Central Belt, central Scotland, northeast of Glasgow and north-west of Edinburgh. The market town#Scotland, market town, surrounded by rich farmland, grew up connecting the roya ...
and the Bishop Mackay-Smith House. He was most active in Pennsylvania, where he designed the
North Philadelphia station North Philadelphia station is an intercity rail and regional rail station on the Northeast Corridor, located on Broad Street (Philadelphia), North Broad Street in the North Philadelphia neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United State ...
and helped found the School of Architecture at the
University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (Penn or UPenn) is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. One of nine colonial colleges, it was chartered in 1755 through the efforts of f ...
. The house was built at an estimated cost of $125,000 by general contractors J.E. and A.L. Pennock, who had also built the nearby Administration Building, Carnegie Institution of Washington. The cream-colored neoclassical house made of terracotta bricks and gray stone was three stories tall not including the basement, was long, wide, tall, and contained 55 rooms. The entrance with an elaborate
porte-cochère A porte-cochère (; ; ; ) is a doorway to a building or courtyard, "often very grand," through which vehicles can enter from the street or a covered porch-like structure at a main or secondary entrance to a building through which originally a ...
faced
New Hampshire Avenue New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 ** "New" (Paul McCartney song), 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, 1995 * "New" (Daya song), 2017 * "New" (No Doubt song), 1 ...
and not the traffic circle. Instead a two-story alcove with balconies and balustrade faced Dupont Circle. After entering the house there was a large vestibule. To the right was a large marble stairway leading to the great hall, which was long and wide, and to the left a stairway leading to the basement. Off the great hall was the wood-paneled music room which featured a large fireplace and ceiling panels. This room faced 19th Street and measured long and wide. Also off the great hall was the entrance to two rooms that overlooked Dupont Circle. At the end of the first floor vestibule was a stairway leading to a large landing featuring an ornate stained glass window. The entrance to the dining room was to the right of this stairway. Continuing up the stairs to the second floor led to another large hallway almost the length of the one found on the first floor. The same stairway led to the third floor. An elevator was later installed in 1902. The bedroom for one of the Leiter daughters was described as being
Louis XIV style The Louis XIV style or ''Louis Quatorze'' ( , ), also called French classicism, was the style of architecture and decorative arts intended to glorify King Louis XIV and his reign. It featured majesty, harmony and regularity. It became the official ...
, featuring eight French paintings, carved woodwork, a white marble ceiling, and an elaborate fireplace. The family moved into their completed house in 1893.


Levi and Mary

After their house was completed, Mary Leiter wasted no time in her attempt to enter local society, a venture her husband did not care about though he nevertheless supported his wife's endeavors. After early mishaps Mary eventually gained a reputation as a member of the social elites. Her parties proved to be popular among locals and these events were often full of surprises, such as when she had a large ribbon hung in the ballroom that separated what she described as the social elites from the others. In April 1895 the Leiters hosted a breakfast for 150 guests at their home on the morning of their eldest daughter's wedding. The wedding of Mary Victoria to Englishman
George Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston George Nathaniel Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston (11 January 1859 – 20 March 1925), known as Lord Curzon (), was a British statesman, Conservative Party (UK), Conservative politician, explorer and writer who served as Viceroy of India ...
, who would later become
Viceroy of India The governor-general of India (1833 to 1950, from 1858 to 1947 the viceroy and governor-general of India, commonly shortened to viceroy of India) was the representative of the monarch of the United Kingdom in their capacity as the Emperor of ...
, was held at St. John's Episcopal Church. British Ambassador
Julian Pauncefote, 1st Baron Pauncefote Julian Pauncefote, 1st Baron Pauncefote (13 September 1828 – 24 May 1902), known as Sir Julian Pauncefote between 1874 and 1899, was a British barrister, judge and diplomat. He was Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs betwee ...
, and First Lady
Frances Cleveland Frances Clara Cleveland Preston (, christened Frank Clara; July 21, 1864 – October 29, 1947) was the first lady of the United States from 1886 to 1889 and again from 1893 until 1897, as the wife of President Grover Cleveland. She was the ...
, a close friend of Mary Victoria, were among those in attendance. The wedding reception, described at the time as brilliant, was also held at the Leiter House. The
dowry A dowry is a payment such as land, property, money, livestock, or a commercial asset that is paid by the bride's (woman's) family to the groom (man) or his family at the time of marriage. Dowry contrasts with the related concepts of bride price ...
provided by Levi for Mary Victoria was reportedly $3–5 million. Her daughter's new status in the
British Empire The British Empire comprised the dominions, Crown colony, colonies, protectorates, League of Nations mandate, mandates, and other Dependent territory, territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It bega ...
helped elevate Mary even further up the Washington social ladder. Soon after the Leiter House was being described as being "better equipped for large entertainments than any other house in Washington." One particular event secured Mary's status as "Queen of Washington Society." In January 1898 Mary made plans for her daughter Nancy's formal debut and intentionally planned the event to occur on the same night as a dance being held by "old" Washington society. After the invitations were sent for the latter, Mary sent her own invitations. The organizers of the dance asked her to postpone the event, but she refused. Mary let those who were invited to both events know that if they attended the dance, they would no longer be welcome at her social gatherings. Almost everyone, including all invited diplomats and their families, attended Nancy's debut. One news report said "
ary ARY may stand for: * Abdul Razzak Yaqoob, a Pakistani expatriate businessman * Andre Romelle Young, real name of Dr. Dre * Ary and the Secret of Seasons, an action adventure video game * ARY Digital, a Pakistani television network * ARY Digital Net ...
deliberately submitted the question of her superior popularity to a crucial test such as a society leader rarely invites and the result was entirely satisfactory." A few years after the Leiter House was completed, the Patterson Mansion and Wadsworth House (now the
Sulgrave Club The Sulgrave Club is a private women's club located at 1801 Massachusetts Avenue NW on the east side of Dupont Circle in Washington, D.C. The clubhouse is the former Beaux-Arts mansion on Embassy Row built for Herbert and Martha Blow Wadsworth ...
) were built. When the Townsend House on Massachusetts Avenue was built nearby, news reports made note that it would be almost twice the size of the Leiter House. The Leiters continued hosting social gatherings at their home, cementing their status as Washington elites, with receptions attended by Treasury Secretary
Lyman J. Gage Lyman Judson Gage (June 28, 1836 – January 26, 1927) was an American financier who served as the 42nd United States Secretary of the Treasury in the cabinets of William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt. Biography Early life He was born ...
, Secretary of War
Elihu Root Elihu Root (; February 15, 1845February 7, 1937) was an American lawyer, Republican Party (United States), Republican politician, and statesman who served as the 41st United States Secretary of War under presidents William McKinley and Theodor ...
, Supreme Court Chief Justice
Melville Fuller Melville Weston Fuller (February 11, 1833 – July 4, 1910) was an American politician, attorney, and jurist who served as the eighth chief justice of the United States from 1888 until his death in 1910. Staunch conservatism marked his t ...
, Speaker of the House David B. Henderson, and dozens of other politicians and government officials. When Levi died in 1904 from heart disease, his estimated net worth was $30 million. Later that year Nancy married British military officer Colin Campbell, whom she had met while visiting her older sister in India, at a wedding that took place inside the Leiter House. Because the family was still in mourning, the event was small and only attended by less than a dozen people, one of which was
Henry Howard, 19th Earl of Suffolk Henry Molyneux Paget Howard, 19th Earl of Suffolk, 12th Earl of Berkshire (13 September 1877 – 21 April 1917) was a British peer, styled Viscount Andover until 1898. Early life The eldest son of Henry Howard, 18th Earl of Suffolk and Mary Elea ...
, the fiancé of the youngest Leiter daughter,
Margaret Margaret is a feminine given name, which means "pearl". It is of Latin origin, via Ancient Greek and ultimately from Iranian languages, Old Iranian. It has been an English language, English name since the 11th century, and remained popular thro ...
, also known as Daisy. Margaret's wedding took place the following month and much like her sister's event, it took place at the Leiter House and was subdued due to her father's recent death. The last of the Leiter children to be married was Joseph (1868-1932), who had gained a reputation as a prominent local businessman. While his father was still alive, Joseph had tried to corner the wheat market but was unsuccessful. His competitors prevailed and Joseph lost $10 million, an amount his father paid in order to settle his son's debts. Joseph was able to recover financially and once again became a successful businessman. He married Juliette Williams, the daughter of an America army colonel, in June 1908. As a wedding gift, Mary gave Joseph and Juliette the Dupont Circle house. She had made improvements to the property, including the addition of a greenhouse on two adjoining lots the family had purchased, the replacement of the tile roof with red slate, and a two-story brick addition on the rear of the house that was designed by
Jules Henri de Sibour Jules Gabriel Henri de Sibour (December 23, 1872 – November 4, 1938) was a French architect who worked in Washington, DC. Early life He was born in Paris, France, to Vicomte Gabriel de Sibour and Mary Louisa Johnson of Belfast, Maine. He mov ...
. Mary continued living in the home and hosting social events until her death in 1913. Her funeral, which took place inside the house, was attended by members of society including diplomats. Upon her death, members of society not only from Washington, D.C., but also
Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
, Philadelphia, and Chicago, wondered who would take her place as leader of the "smart set."


Subsequent ownership

Joseph and Juliette split their time between the Dupont Circle house and another house they had built near
Langley, Virginia Langley is an unincorporated community in the census-designated place of McLean in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. The name "Langley" often occurs as a metonym for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), whose headquarters, the George ...
, for the next 20 years. In 1917 during
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
the couple lent the house to representatives of the Italian government, including Prince Ferdinando, who were escorted from
Union Station A union station, union terminal, joint station, or joint-use station is a railway station at which the tracks and facilities are shared by two or more separate railway company, railway companies, allowing passengers to connect conveniently bet ...
to Dupont Circle by two cavalry troops. At the end of the war, British military officers attended a victory ball held at the house. Juliette continued the tradition of holding elaborate social gatherings at the house, hosting events attended by diplomats, politicians, and other members of society. One such event included a reception for the future
Edward VIII Edward VIII (Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David; 23 June 1894 – 28 May 1972), later known as the Duke of Windsor, was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Empire, and Emperor of India, from 20 January ...
. To avoid running out of alcoholic beverages for these events during
Prohibition Prohibition is the act or practice of forbidding something by law; more particularly the term refers to the banning of the manufacture, storage (whether in barrels or in bottles), transportation, sale, possession, and consumption of alcoholic b ...
, Joseph had $300,000 worth of liquors and wines stocked in the house cellar. When Joseph died in 1932, he left the bulk of his fortune of approximately $10 million to Juliette. The Dupont Circle house was given to their surviving son, Thomas. In his will Joseph stated: "I request that Thomas permit my wife, Juliette, during her life to use the house at Dupont Circle, Washington, for herself and as a common home for the children." He left their daughter, Nancy, the Virginia home and securities holdings. Two years later the
Soviet The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
government rented the house to use as diplomatic office space while the family was not using the property. Two of the last major social events that took place at the house involved Nancy. The first was her formal debut in 1935 and the second was her wedding to Charles Thomas Clagett Jr in February 1941. The wedding was attend by 100 people and another 200 were invited to a wedding breakfast.


Demolition

In 1941 Juliette chose to make her permanent home at
Beverly, Massachusetts Beverly is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, and a suburb of Boston. The population was 42,670 at the time of the 2020 United States census. A resort, residential, and manufacturing community on the Massachusetts North Sho ...
, leaving the Dupont Circle house vacant, which a local news report lamented: "For Washington society the breaking up of the Leiter menage means more than just a change of residence for the family. It's the finish of an era of lavish and elegant entertaining that none of us may ever see again." After Juliette died in 1942, the house was rented by the US government during
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
as office space for the
National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) was a United States federal agency that was founded on March 3, 1915, to undertake, promote, and institutionalize aeronautical research. On October 1, 1958, the agency was dissolved and its ...
. The house was rezoned for apartment use that same year, despite objections from neighbors including the Woman's National Democratic Club, headquartered at the nearby Whittemore House. Thomas sold the house in 1944 for $190,000 to architect and real estate developer Alvin C. Aubinoe, who announced plans to demolish the building and replace it with a hotel. The house was opened to the public in July 1947, with over 10,000 people going through the building before it was demolished the following month. Salvageable building materials were removed and sold before the Arrow Wrecking Company demolished the house and afterwards people went through the wreckage, hoping to find valuables that had been forgotten. The Dupont Plaza Hotel, later called the Jurys Washington Hotel and now The Dupont Circle Hotel, was built shortly afterwards. The three remaining mansions on or near the perimeter of Dupont Circle are the Blaine Mansion, Patterson Mansion, and Wadsworth House.


See also

*
Henderson Castle Henderson Castle, built in 1895, is a large privately owned home located on the steep West Main Hill overlooking downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan. The castle has been recently renovated and is under new ownership. The building is open to the public ...


References


External links

* {{Commons category-inline, Leiter House Buildings and structures demolished in 1947 Demolished buildings and structures in Washington, D.C. Buildings and structures in Dupont Circle Houses in Washington, D.C. Neoclassical architecture in Washington, D.C. Residential buildings completed in 1893