Just across 16^th Street from St. John’s Church at the corner of H Street stands the Hay-Adams Hotel, a small, luxury, Italian Renaissance-style hotel built in 1927. Elegant, and with a distinguished address to match, it has spectacular views of the President’s House, Church of Presidents, and Lafayette Park.

The hotel is named for the men who resided in two massive adjoining Romanesque style homes designed by famed architect H. H. Richardson in 1885, which stood on this site until razed by the hotel developer.

Before heading south on the last segment of the President’s Park Walking Tour, continue west on H Street to Teaism for a relaxing treat of tea accompanied by something light and tasty. 

You might welcome the break at this point along the tour as there are some spectacular things to see through the end of the walk:  charming Federal-style row houses, some of the grandest buildings in the city, two monuments of special interest to veterans, and five museums you might want to take the time to visit – the Decatur House, a house museum; 3 art galleries: the Renwick, the Corcoran, and the Art Museum of the Americas; and the DAR Museum, whose rooms offer a glimpse into life as it was in early America..

Jackson Place, on the west side of Lafayette Park south of H Street is a charming street lined with several 19^th century row houses, restored treasures from the capital’s early years. They add a delightful and historic quaintness to the monumental grandness of the President’s neighborhood and have colorful presidential connections.

The Decatur House is one of these. Located at 748 Jackson Place, it’s yet another of Henry Latrobe signature, flat front, elegantly restrained, Federal-style gems.

The Italianate townhouse on the south side of the Decatur House was built in 1870.  Usually referred to by its address, 736 Jackson Place, it’s also known as the Marcy/Townsend House – for its first and last private owners, both women.  While not open to the public, it has a presidential connection.

During the summer and fall of 1902, it was leased from Mrs. Townsend for use as the temporary White House when a major interior renovation of the White House forced President Theodore Roosevelt, his family and his executive staff to move out.

At the corner of Jackson Place and Pennsylvania Avenue, turn right to the Blair-Lee House – the President’s Guest House – at 1651 Pennsylvania Avenue. Visiting dignitaries, especially heads of state, reside here as guests of the President, coming and going in streams of black vehicles.

The Blair-Lee House is actually made up of 4 visually distinct, interconnected 19^th century houses: the symmetrical Federal-style Blair House, built in 1824 of stucco-covered brick; the painted red brick Lee House, to its west, built in the 1850s in a later interpretation of Federal-style; and the Victorian-era 700 and 704 Jackson Place.

From the Blair-Lee House, walk west on  Pennsylvania Ave. to the corner of 17th Street NW.   The ornate red brick building with intricately carved sandstone trim and distinctive slate 2^nd Empire style mansard roof can’t be missed. 

It’s the Renwick Gallery, the Smithsonian museum dedicated to American decorative arts.

It’s fabulous, inside and out.  Plan to go in.  Admission is free and it’s open daily, 10-5:30.

Designed by New York architect James Renwick, whose work includes St. Patrick’s Cathedral and the Smithsonian Castle on the Mall (See East Mall/Washington Mall App), it was designed in 1859 for William Wilson Corcoran, wealthy banker and art collector. The 2^nd Empire style building, popular in Paris at the time, was to house a museum for Corcoran’s private collection.

Just across Pennsylvania Avenue from the Renwick is a beauty – the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.  Now regarded by many as one of the loveliest structures in Washington, the huge, frilly, frothy 2^nd Empire building has not always been appreciated.

When it was first designed by Alfred B. Mullet in 1871 as the State, War and Navy Building, the ornate 2^nd Empire style was in vogue. However, during the 17 years it took to complete it,  architectural styles changed. The over-the-top, Gilded Age grandness Mark Twain called the “ugliest building in America” was considered over-done and out of style. Even President Herbert Hoover weighed in, calling it an “architectural orgy.”

Proceed south on 17^th Street to the south end of the Executive Office Building.  There, reaching 80 feet towards the sky, the gleaming glided bronze winged Victory extends her left arm in blessing over those honored below – “Immortal Men” of the Army’s First Division who died in World War I, World War II, Vietnam, and Desert Storm.