One of the oldest surviving homes in Washington D.C. the Decatur House, is one of three remaining houses in the country designed by neoclassical architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe. Located across Lafayette Square from the White House, the Decatur House was completed in 1818 for a naval hero named, Stephen Decatur and his wife, Susan. In 1827 to 1833 it was the unofficial residence of the Secretary of State, and was also the successively home to Henry Clay, Martin Van Buren, Benjamin, Judah P., they each rented the house while they were in post.

1836 John Gadsby and his wife Providence moved into the Decatur House and brought their house slaves. The slaves that had previously lived in the main house had moved into a two story structure that was built as the slave quarters. That structure remains as one of the few examples of slave quarters in urban areas. It represents physical evidence of African American’s who have been held into a life of slavery in plain sight of the White House.

Edward Fitzgerald Beal purchased the Decatur House in 1872. Edward was a frontiersman, and a explorer who later became a rancher and diplomat. His daughter in-law, Marie bequeathed the Decatur House to the National Trust for Historic Preservation in the year 1956. The house was then designated as a U.S National Historic Landmark in 1976. The Decatur House, now a museum is located at 748 Jackson Place, N.W., on President’s Park. While the lower floor is kept in the the early 19th century style, the upper floor shows more modern renovations of the early 20th century.

Since the location of the Decatur House is central and across from the White House, it now contains more material interpreting African American History. Among that material is a story of Charlotte Dupuy, who in 1829 sued her master Henry Clay (the Secretary of Stat at the time), for her freedom and that of her two children. Charlotte lost in court but Henry later freed her and her daughter in 1840, and her son in 1844. A exhibit on African American history through 1965 was recently added to the museum and its website.