History Lessons
You don’t always have to learn about history from a text book. Immerse yourself into early-American history, centuries-old gardens, and historic preservation by digging deeper into what we’re learning at Dumbarton House.
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- From the Garden
- History of the Home
Dumbarton House Featured Flora: Japanese Snowbell
Styrax japonicus Japanese Snowbell is native to China and Japan. It is a graceful, compact, deciduous flowering tree that grows to 20-30 feet tall with …
Dumbarton House Featured Flora: Chaste Tree
Vitex agnus castus The Chaste Tree is a native of China and India but has become naturalized throughout the South. Peter Henderson, an early American …
Dumbarton House Featured Flora: Scholar Tree, Pagoda Tree
Sophora japonica Sophora japonica is native to China and Korea, but not Japan. The common name, Pagoda Tree, recognizes the early use of the tree in …
Interpretation
Visitors to Dumbarton House return in time to when Joseph Nourse, first Register of the U.S. Treasury, and his wife Maria, made their home here, between 1804 and 1813. …
Preservation
Historic Preservation Story Preservation projects aimed at returning Dumbarton House to the simplicity of its original Federal design were begun in 1931, three years after …
Federal Style (1790 -1830)
Dumbarton House is fine example of Federal period architecture. Our nation’s early years, from 1790 to 1830, generally define the Federal period. During this time, …