1734 N Street, NW

The General Federation of Women's Clubs Headquarters is located in fashionable Dupont Circle, a historic neighborhood in Washington, D.C., where many affluent Washingtonians developed homes and businesses in the post-Civil War era. One gentleman, Rear Admiral William Radford, constructed a five-story, stone and brick, Victorian house at 1734 N Street NW, in 1875, upon his retirement from the U. S. Navy after service in Asia, Europe, and during the Civil War. At that time, the mansion had extensive grounds, but as Washington, D.C. grew, the blocks were divided into smaller lots and each new home was built closer to the next.  Rear Admiral Radford and his family lived at 1734 N Street NW for approximately twenty years.

By 1895, the Dupont Circle neighborhood was well developed and ready to welcome the colorful character that was the next owner of 1734 N Street NW, General Nelson A. Miles, Commanding General in the Spanish American War. Gen. Miles rose to fame in the Indian Wars and was cited for gallantry in the Civil War. He was so highly admired by the citizens of his home state of Massachusetts that they launched a popular subscription campaign to raise the funds necessary to purchase 1734 N Street NW as a gift for Gen. Miles.

Gen. Miles resided at the mansion until 1903, and as owner of 1734 N Street, NW, he built the horse stables in the rear of the lot and added a solarium to the back of the house. Currently, the horse stables are leased to the Iron Gate Inn, a popular restaurant in Washington, D.C.

The third owners of the N Street house were Mr. and Mrs. John Jay White. The Whites are attributed with remodeling the Victorian house into a modern residence without compromising the integrity of the original structure. Mr. White was a great traveler and hunter, who frequently accompanied former President Theodore Roosevelt on big game expeditions. After a time, the Whites leased the house to various tenants, including the Czechoslovakian delegation for eighteen months after World War I, and well-known Shakespearean actors Julia Marlow and Edward Hugh Sothern.

In 1901, the 56th Congress of the United States chartered the General Federation of Women's Clubs and stipulated that the Federation be headquartered in Washington, D.C. GFWC clubwomen searched the nation's capital for space that would satisfy both the terms of the Charter and their organizational needs. In 1922, Mr. and Mrs. White sold 1734 N Street NW to GFWC. Under the encouragement of GFWC International President Alice Ames Winter (1920-1924), GFWC members attending the 1922 GFWC Annual International Convention pledged enough money to fully pay for the house, as well as purchase some furnishings. Hence, 1734 N Street, NW, became the official Headquarters of the General Federation of Women's Clubs.

In 1984, the Women's History and Resource Center was established at GFWC Headquarters to collect and preserve materials and information on GFWC and women volunteers. The WHRC assists in the acquisition and maintenance of GFWC's decorative arts collection and memorabilia.

In 1991, GFWC Headquarters was designated a National Historic Landmark by both the National Park Service and the Secretary of the Interior in recognition of its "national significance in commemorating the history of the United States of America." National Historic landmark status is the highest honor that the National Park Service bestows upon historic sites. As of 2005, less than five percent of all National Historic Landmarks were connected with women's history.

1734 N Street NW presently houses office space, meeting rooms, and formal reception areas. Both the interior and exterior of GFWC Headquarters are maintained and furnished by generous contributions to the 1734 Society and by state and local clubs, members, and guests. Most of the rooms in the house, such as the Julia Ward Howe Drawing Room, the Solarium, and the Mrs. Thomas G. Winter Dining Room, remain in or have been restored to original condition.

GFWC is proud to offer tours of 1734 N Street, NW, to friends and members.