In 1927, the National Board of The National Society of the Colonial Dames of America (NSCDA) approved that the Society should “acquire an old, historic Colonial house, in its domicile, Washington City, and maintain it as a museum, or educational center, for the collection, care and display of American arts of the Colonial Period; to […]
Ninety Years of Dumbarton House! Read More
In 1790, a swampy spot near the Potomac River was chosen to be the new United States capital. However, it was made into a city by the politicians, families, and workers – free and enslaved – who moved here and re-established their lives. As the new nation struggled for recognition on the global stage and
Preservation requires understanding the history and construction of the object or structure being preserved if it is to be done correctly. If not careful, our own present-day aesthetic sensibilities might lead us to make decisions that have nothing to do with how the object was originally designed, constructed, or even painted. Careful research not only
Restoration of the North Garden Niche Read More
For over a decade interns, volunteers, and staff at Dumbarton House have been researching the question—did the Nourse family have any enslaved workers or indentured servants in their household? If so, who were these individuals? What were their lives like? As many historical researchers know, with a project like this, the first place to start
This article contains the work of several interns who have been involved in the ongoing process of digitizing the many records in the archives of the NSCDA. By Cheyenne Laux, Archives Intern October-December 2020 A small historic house museum, Dumbarton House has been the headquarters of the National Society of The Colonial Dames of America
Digitizing the NSCDA Archives Read More
