1911 Pennsylvania Avenue NW (1796), Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C. (est. 1790, pop. ~690,000)
• the “Seven Buildings,” now the Mexican Embassy • among the city’s earliest residential structures • originally 6 privately-owned blogs., 7th added later [photo] • housed the Navy Department • after the White House was burned in the War of 1812, housed 4th U.S. President James Madison (1751-1836) & his wife, Dolley Todd (1768-1849) • also housed Vice President, Martin Van Buren (1782–1862) & his wife, Hannah Hoes (1783-1819) • most of the bldgs. demolished, 1959 • facades of remaining 2 incorporated into the Embassy of Mexico, 1986 —Wikipedia
The Seven Buildings were a row of houses built in the late 1790s at No. 1901-1913 Pennsylvania Avenue NW. The largest, No. 1901, on the corner of 19th Street, was also the most historic -- used for the original State Department, under John Marshall; later as the home of President James Madison and his wife Dolley, after the Executive Mansion was burned in the War of 1812; as the residence of Vice President Martin Van Buren; and as offices for Generals George McClellan and M. D. Hardin during the Civil War.
Much later, commercial occupants in No. 1901 included the Nichols Pharmacy from 1895 until 1927 [photo], and by the original Peoples Drug Store (from 1927 to 1958) -- which was included in the high-rise office building that was soon built on the site. By then only two of the "seven" original buildings remained -- No. 1909 and No.1911; That at No. 1911 was long occupied by the Marrocco Restaurant, until 1983; later in the 1980s, the Mexican Embassy occupied a new large office complex that had been built on the two sites -- with only the facades (with moved door locations) and roof lines of the two old houses maintained. (See James Goode's “Capital Losses") —DC History Center
Plaque:
“The Embassy of Mexico incorporates the two surviving facades of a set of seven row houses known as “The Seven Buildings”. This complex has an intimate relationship with American history, and the government of Mexico is proud to honor and preserve this landmark’s legacy.
“At the dawn of the 1800s, this complex housed the Declaration of Independence. Later, it was one of the early homes of the Department of State. Most famously, the Seven Buildings housed President James Madison and his wife Dolly between 1815 and 1817, while the White House was being rebuilt in the aftermath of the War of 1812. As a testament to the strength and depth of the ties that bind our two countries and peoples, Mexico commemorates the bicentennial of its independence and the centennial of its revolution with this plaque for the people of Washington, DC, and of the United States of America.”
1911 Pennsylvania Avenue NW (1796), Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C. (est. 1790, pop. ~690,000)
• the “Seven Buildings,” now the Mexican Embassy • among the city’s earliest residential structures • originally 6 privately-owned blogs., 7th added later [photo] • housed the Navy Department • after the White House was burned in the War of 1812, housed 4th U.S. President James Madison (1751-1836) & his wife, Dolley Todd (1768-1849) • also housed Vice President, Martin Van Buren (1782–1862) & his wife, Hannah Hoes (1783-1819) • most of the bldgs. demolished, 1959 • facades of remaining 2 incorporated into the Embassy of Mexico, 1986 —Wikipedia
The Seven Buildings were a row of houses built in the late 1790s at No. 1901-1913 Pennsylvania Avenue NW. The largest, No. 1901, on the corner of 19th Street, was also the most historic -- used for the original State Department, under John Marshall; later as the home of President James Madison and his wife Dolley, after the Executive Mansion was burned in the War of 1812; as the residence of Vice President Martin Van Buren; and as offices for Generals George McClellan and M. D. Hardin during the Civil War.
Much later, commercial occupants in No. 1901 included the Nichols Pharmacy from 1895 until 1927 [photo], and by the original Peoples Drug Store (from 1927 to 1958) -- which was included in the high-rise office building that was soon built on the site. By then only two of the "seven" original buildings remained -- No. 1909 and No.1911; That at No. 1911 was long occupied by the Marrocco Restaurant, until 1983; later in the 1980s, the Mexican Embassy occupied a new large office complex that had been built on the two sites -- with only the facades (with moved door locations) and roof lines of the two old houses maintained. (See James Goode's “Capital Losses") —DC History Center
Plaque:
“The Embassy of Mexico incorporates the two surviving facades of a set of seven row houses known as “The Seven Buildings”. This complex has an intimate relationship with American history, and the government of Mexico is proud to honor and preserve this landmark’s legacy.
“At the dawn of the 1800s, this complex housed the Declaration of Independence. Later, it was one of the early homes of the Department of State. Most famously, the Seven Buildings housed President James Madison and his wife Dolly between 1815 and 1817, while the White House was being rebuilt in the aftermath of the War of 1812. As a testament to the strength and depth of the ties that bind our two countries and peoples, Mexico commemorates the bicentennial of its independence and the centennial of its revolution with this plaque for the people of Washington, DC, and of the United States of America.”