The Haunted History of DC’s Octagon House

The Octagon House, sometime around 1933. Photo courtesy of The Historic American Buildings Survey via the Library of Congress.

Colonel John Tayloe III, the first owner of the Octagon House. Print circa 1806 courtesy of Charles Balthazar Julien Fevret de Saint-Mémin, via the Library of Congress.

The Octagon House, located on the corner of 18th Street and New York Avenue in Northwest DC, might earn the title of being the most haunted house in The District. It was initially built in 1799 as a residence for Colonel John Tayloe III, an extremely wealthy friend of George Washington’s. Tayloe and his wife Anne took a gamble moving to DC, as it was such a new city. They enlisted William Thornton, designer of the Capitol building, to oversee the construction of their new house - which, contrary to common sense, is only six-sided. It was quite a marvel for its time, with several then-innovative features, such as closets on every floor. While a model cosmopolitan home in its time, evidence suggests the large backyard was once used as a slave market.

“The Octagon House, contrary to common sense, is only six-sided”

Floorplan outlining the hexagonal chape of the Octagon House. Sketch Courtesy the National Park Service and Historic American Buildings Survey, via Wikimedia Commons.

Both Tayloe and his son, John IV, participated in the War of 1812, though neither supported President Madison. In a desperate (albeit unnecessary) move to avoid the invading British army burning down their house, the Tayloes offered it to the French consul and decorated it with a French flag. Knowing this, First Lady Dolley Madison sent Polly, her pet parrot, to the Octagon House to keep it safe. Soon after, the rest of the Madisons would follow suit and move in after the British set fire to the White House in 1814. It was here that President Madison eventually signed the Treaty of Ghent, the peace treaty that ended the war.

The Treaty Room, in which the 1814 Treaty of Ghent was signed by President James Madison, officially ending the War of 1812. Photo courtesy of The Historic American Buildings Survey via the Library of Congress.

John and Anne both passed away in the house, after which their children rented it out to various tenants- including a girls’ school, the government, many families, and eventually, the American Institute of Architects, which still owns it today. Despite the ever-changing occupants of the house, some appear to have never left, as the building is supposedly subject to regular paranormal visitors.

The stairwell where both Tayloe daughters met their end. Photo courtesy of the Historic American Buildings Survey via the Library of Congress.

Two of the Tayloe daughters died in the house. About five years apart, both daughters got into arguments with their father over relationships. The girls, in a fit of rage, each tripped and fell down the same set of stairs to their untimely deaths. It is said that, at times, a candle can be seen lighting the stairs and the landings, haunting the staircases forever.

Additionally, the spirits of the enslaved people who lived or were bought and sold at the Octagon House are also rumored to still haunt the grounds, making their presence known by ringing the bells previously used to summon them. General George Ramsey was enjoying a dinner at the Octagon House in 1874 when he suddenly heard every bell in the house begin to ring. When he grabbed the ropes to stop the noises, nothing happened. Shortly thereafter, the bells were permanently removed from the house. In 1814, an enslaved woman was thrown from the third-floor staircase by a British soldier, and to this day, it is not uncommon to overhear her faint scream. 

The Octagon in Winter, Photo courtesy of The Historic American Buildings Survey via the Library of Congress.

Dolley Madison, known for hosting lively parties during her stay at the Octagon House, has reportedly been seen either celebrating or gardening. A British soldier from 1814 was spotted in the 1950s, and a superintendent of the Octagon House blamed spirits for turning on lights and opening doors. Claimed sightings include a man with a gunshot wound in a third-floor bedroom, a ghastly doorman greeting guests, and many visitors who note random, inexplicable sounds and footsteps as they explore the historic house. 

The Octagon House and Museum today. Photo courtesy Billy Wilson on Flickr.

The Octagon House is open to the public on Fridays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and a 45-minute guided tour is included in the price of admission. Tickets can be booked in advance online or at the door.