Maine Historical Society, 1882

The early great houses in the Washington DC area had large staffs that supported the families living in them, families who often entertained on a lavish scale and who demonstrated their social status through their houses. While these staffs initially were composed primarily of enslaved individuals, in time the families increasingly employed white servants – often Irish – while also hiring Black maids and nurses. “How a Great House Functioned in the 19th Century” highlights four of these houses – The White House, Decatur House, Tudor Place, and DACOR Bacon House  – and how the staffs ensured the smooth functioning of these houses for their inhabitants.

Dr. Matthew Costello is the Chief Education Officer and Director of the David M. Rubenstein National Center for White House History. He joined the Association in 2016 after completing his Ph.D. and M.A. in American history at Marquette University. His first book, The Property of the Nation: George Washington’s Tomb, Mount Vernon, and the Memory of the First President was published by University Press of Kansas and was a finalist for the 2020 George Washington Book Prize. He also co-edited and contributed a chapter to the volume Mourning the Presidents: Loss and Legacy in American Culture published by University of Virginia Press.

Rob DeHart is the curator at Tudor Place Historic House & Garden in Washington, DC. He creates museum content and collaborates with descendants of people who were enslaved to ensure their stories are told accurately. He received his MA in Public History from Middle Tennessee State University and is a peer reviewer for the American Alliance of Museums.

Dr. Terrence Walz has been Historian of the DACOR Bacon House since 2019. He is the author of two books on the history of Egypt, but since joining DACOR in 2017 he has focused on the history of the house and its inhabitants during the first one hundred years of its existence.

DACOR Members: $45 | Non-Members: $55 |  Virtual: $10

This program is offered virtually and in-person.  It will be held at DACOR Beacon House on 1801 F Street, NW.