Downtown in Northwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
The Dolly Madison House
Photographed by Craig Swain, August 4, 2007
1. The Dolly Madison House Marker
owned by
Ex-President of the United States
James Madison
1828 to 1836
Home of his widow
Mrs. Dolly Payne Madison
1837 to 1849
Home of
Rear Admiral Charles Wilkes, U.S.N.
and family
1851 to 1886
Judicial Center
The Dolly Madison House
Restored 1968
Lyndon B. Johnson, President
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Government & Politics • Notable Buildings • Women. In addition, it is included in the Former U.S. Presidents: #04 James Madison series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1828.
Location. 38° 54.005′ N, 77° 2.095′ W. Marker is in Northwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia. It is in Downtown. It is at the intersection of H Street Northwest and Madison Place Northwest, on the right when traveling east on H Street Northwest. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1520 H Street Northwest, Washington DC 20005, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Washington Metropolitan Area. It is also in the American Northeast, in the Upper South, in the Mid-Atlantic, in the Tidewater, and in the Chesapeake Bay Region. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Fleeing the Executive Mansion (a few steps from this marker); The Cosmos Club (a few steps from this marker); The Tayloe House (within shouting distance of this marker); Kosciuszko
this page online
More about this marker. There appears to be a spelling error on these plaques. The First Lady married to President James Madison spelled her name Dolleynot Dolly. Ed.
Also see . . .
1. Cutts-Madison House. Wikipedia entry (Submitted on August 21, 2016, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland.)
2. Charles Wilkes. Wikipedia biography:
Admiral Wilkes had a colorful career. Credited by some with the discovery of Antarctica, he also charted the Hawaiian Islands. During the Civil War, his ship intercepted the British ship Trent, which was carrying Confederate diplomats, leading to an international incident. Wilkes was actually court marshaled later for insubordinate remarks against the Secretary of the Navy. (Submitted on August 27, 2007, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)
2. Dolley Madison House
The markers can be seen on the left side of the house.
3. General George McClellans Headquarters. Mr. Lincoln's White House website entry:
During his tenure as commander of the Union armies in the Civil War, George McClellan maintained his headquarters at the house of his friend, Admiral Wilkes. (Submitted on August 27, 2007, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)
Photographed by Allen C. Browne, February 16, 2015
3. Dolley Madison
This 1848 portrait of Dolley Madison hangs in the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC.
“Dolley Madison served as White House hostess during the administrations of the widowed Thomas Jefferson and her own husband, James Madison. Her effervescence doubtless accounted, in part at least, for the popularity of Madison's presidency in its last several years. After the end of Madison's term in 1817, Dolley helped her husband put his papers in order, selling a portion of them to Congress after his death.
William Elwell painted Dolley Madison's portrait in February 1848 and later sold it to her longtime friend William Winston Seaton, editor and co-owner of the Washington, D.C., newspaper The National Intelligencer. The portrait offers a glimpse of the aging Mrs. Madison, described by the artist in his diary as a very Estimable lady—kind & obliging—one of the Old School.” — National Portrait Gallery
“Dolley Madison served as White House hostess during the administrations of the widowed Thomas Jefferson and her own husband, James Madison. Her effervescence doubtless accounted, in part at least, for the popularity of Madison's presidency in its last several years. After the end of Madison's term in 1817, Dolley helped her husband put his papers in order, selling a portion of them to Congress after his death.
William Elwell painted Dolley Madison's portrait in February 1848 and later sold it to her longtime friend William Winston Seaton, editor and co-owner of the Washington, D.C., newspaper The National Intelligencer. The portrait offers a glimpse of the aging Mrs. Madison, described by the artist in his diary as a very Estimable lady—kind & obliging—one of the Old School.” — National Portrait Gallery
Brady's National Photographic Portrait Galleries (courtesy of the Library of Congress), circa 1862
4. Rear Admiral Charles Wilkes
5. The Dolley Madison House
Library of Congress
6. The Cutts House, 1822
This detail of a sketch by Baroness Hyde de Neuville shows the Cutts house as it appeared in 1822 on what was then called President's Square.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 9, 2025. It was originally submitted on August 27, 2007, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 8,671 times since then and 55 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on August 27, 2007, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 2. submitted on October 21, 2007, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 3. submitted on August 28, 2015, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. 4. submitted on November 1, 2018, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. 5. submitted on October 21, 2007, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 6. submitted on August 21, 2016, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. • J. J. Prats was the editor who published this page.
