Together, the 1824 Blair House and adjoining 1858 Lee House have functioned as part of the official presidential guesthouse complex since 1943, when Eleanor Roosevelt got tired of tripping over dignitaries in the White House. Plaques note that this is where Robert E Lee declined command of the Union Army when the Civil War erupted, and also where a bodyguard was killed while protecting President Truman from a 1950 assassination attempt by pro-independence militants from Puerto Rico.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
13.42 MILES
One of America's most visited historic sites, Mount Vernon was the beloved home of George and Martha Washington.
1.26 MILES
The legendary exhibits at the National Air and Space Museum include the Wright brothers' flyer, Chuck Yeager's Bell X-1, Charles Lindbergh's Spirit of St…
1.14 MILES
Two buildings. Hundreds of masterpieces. Infinite enjoyment. It's easy to spend a full day at the National Gallery of Art, which showcases a whole range…
0.91 MILES
Anchoring the National Mall's west end is the hallowed shrine to Abraham Lincoln, who gazes across the Reflecting Pool beneath his neoclassical, Doric…
National Museum of African American History & Culture
0.63 MILES
Located in Washington, DC, the sensational National Museum of African American History & Culture is devoted exclusively to the documentation of African…
1.71 MILES
Since 1800, this is where the legislative branch of American government (ie Congress) has met to write the country's laws.
0.14 MILES
Play image association with the words “Washington, DC,” and chances are the first thing that comes to mind is the White House. The president’s pad is…
1.73 MILES
Sprawling across hills above the Potomac River in Arlington, Virginia, Arlington National Cemetery is the final resting place for America’s most revered…
Nearby attractions
0.01 MILES
Attached to Blair House as part of the official accommodations for the President's overnight guests, this building was built for Robert E Lee’s cousin in…
0.03 MILES
Part of the Smithsonian group, the Renwick Gallery is set in a stately 1859 mansion on the same block of Pennsylvania as the White House. It's emerged as…
0.08 MILES
Designed in 1818 by Benjamin Latrobe for naval hero Stephen Decatur and his wife Susan, this brick building holds the honor of being the first and last…
0.12 MILES
The land north of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave was originally deeded as part of the White House grounds. However, in 1804 President Thomas Jefferson decided to…
0.14 MILES
Play image association with the words “Washington, DC,” and chances are the first thing that comes to mind is the White House. The president’s pad is…
0.17 MILES
St John’s isn’t DC’s most imposing church, but it is arguably its most important. That’s because it’s the ‘Church of the Presidents’ – every president…
7. George Washington University's Corcoran School of the Arts & Design
0.23 MILES
Opened in 1890, the Corcoran was DC's first art museum. It closed in 2014, but the George Washington University has taken it over, and the historic beaux…
0.24 MILES
Designed by William Thornton (the Capitol’s first architect) in 1800 for one of the largest slave-owners in the state of Virginia, this minimally…