Woodrow Wilson House (Washington, D.C.) facts for kids
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Woodrow Wilson House
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The Woodrow Wilson House in November 2020
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 Location in Washington, D.C.
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| Location | 2340 S St., NW Washington, D.C., U.S. |
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| Area | less than 1-acre (4,000 m2) |
| Built | 1915 |
| Architect | Waddy Butler Wood |
| Architectural style | Georgian Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000873 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | July 19, 1964 |
The Woodrow Wilson House is a special building in Washington, D.C.. It was once the home of Woodrow Wilson, who was the 28th president of the United States. He lived here after his time as president ended. The house is located on S Street NW, near an area called Embassy Row. It is part of the Sheridan-Kalorama Historic District. President Wilson passed away in an upstairs bedroom of this house on February 3, 1924.
Today, the Woodrow Wilson House is a National Historic Landmark. This means it is a very important place in American history. The National Trust for Historic Preservation owns the house. They keep it open as a museum for people to visit and learn about President Wilson's life.
Contents
History of the Wilson House
Building the House
The Woodrow Wilson House was built in 1915. A man named Henry Fairbanks had it built. The design for the house came from a famous architect named Waddy Butler Wood.
Wilson Buys His New Home
Woodrow Wilson bought this house during the last few months of his second term as president. He bought it as a special gift for his wife, Edith Bolling Wilson. He gave her the official papers for the house in December 1920. Interestingly, President Wilson had never actually seen the house before he bought it!
The former president and his wife moved into their new home on March 4, 1921. This day was their Inauguration Day, which was when new presidents used to start their terms. Today, Inauguration Day is on January 20.
Changes to the House
President Wilson made some changes to the house to make it more comfortable for him and his wife. He added a special room for playing billiards. He also added shelves for his huge collection of over 8,000 books. There was even a new brick garage built for their car.
Wilson's Last Public Appearance
On November 11, 1923, President Wilson stood on the balcony of the house. He spoke to a crowd of people gathered outside. This was his very last public appearance before he passed away.
Even though the Wilsons did not have many visitors, some very important people came to see the former president. These guests included David Lloyd George, who was once the Prime Minister of Britain. Georges Clemenceau, a former Prime Minister of France, also visited. Woodrow Wilson usually met his guests in his library at 3:30 PM. The library had a cozy fireplace and comfortable furniture.
After Wilson's Death
Woodrow Wilson passed away in 1924. After his death, many of his books were given to the Library of Congress. Edith Wilson continued to live in the house for many years. She lived there until she passed away on December 28, 1961.
During her time in the house, Edith Wilson hosted important guests. One famous visitor was First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. They had brunch together in the formal dining room. When Edith Wilson passed away, she left the house and all its original furniture to the National Trust for Historic Preservation. This is why the house is now a museum, allowing people to see how the Wilsons lived.
See also
