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Tudor Place
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TUDOR PLACE | OPEN. Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.; Sunday Noon – 4 p.m. Click for info.

History of the Garden

A garden with a story to tell

Tudor Place and its garden reflect the growth of the Federal City, Georgetown, and the nation — along with changes in the lives of the Peter family and the enslaved workers and servants who lived and worked here.  Stewarded through four owners of the Peter family, the gardens evolved from urban agricultural uses to recreational and ornamental purposes, changing along with the wider economy and culture.  The estate reflects a story of family continuity over 178 years, from 1805 to 1983.

Vistas on an urban hub

The founders’ Georgetown was a center of the tobacco and slave trades as well as other forms of commerce in the thriving port town. The Peters were one of several wealthy families leaving the bustling, densely populated port area (a townhouse on K Street) – for newly built mansions on the Heights. From here, they enjoyed open views (now obscured by foliage) toward the harbor, the Potomac River, and across it, Virginia.

The Tudor Place landscape began with a combination of ornamental and agrarian uses, worked by an enslaved labor force, including the family’s enslaved gardener Will Twine, in the early years and later by a paid staff of gardeners. Some agricultural uses lasted into the 20th century. By 1960, when Armistead Peter 3rd inherited the site and became its last private owner, the garden was focused on purely recreational purposes.

With careful fidelity to their forebears, each Peter generation preserved original design elements as well as many of the earliest plantings, while adapting the landscape to their own needs. Consequently, unusual heirloom species dating back a century or more still thrive here, such as the Florentine tulips, grape varieties climbing the North Garden Arbor, and the Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow forget-me-nots.

  • History
  • Explore
    • Bowling Green
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    • Smokehouse
    • South Lawn
    • Wildlife at Tudor Place
  • What’s Blooming
    • April
    • August
    • December
    • February
    • January
    • July
    • June
    • March
    • May
    • November
    • October
    • September

WHAT'S NEW

In The News

Tudor Place one of top 13 unique Washington DC Wedding Venues

January 25, 2023/by Janet Wall
Read more
https://tudorplace.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/2020-01-23-300x155.png 0 0 Janet Wall https://tudorplace.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/2020-01-23-300x155.png Janet Wall2023-01-25 15:28:122023-01-26 15:38:59Tudor Place one of top 13 unique Washington DC Wedding Venues

From The Blog

Connecting with descendants of John Luckett: A Conversation with Karl Haynes

November 10, 2022/by Janet Wall
Read more
https://tudorplace.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/2020-01-23-300x155.png 0 0 Janet Wall https://tudorplace.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/2020-01-23-300x155.png Janet Wall2022-11-10 16:10:512022-11-10 16:40:08Connecting with descendants of John Luckett: A Conversation with Karl Haynes

Education at Home

Craft: Bee Finger Puppet

August 2, 2022/by Janet Wall
Read more
https://tudorplace.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/2020-01-23-300x155.png 0 0 Janet Wall https://tudorplace.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/2020-01-23-300x155.png Janet Wall2022-08-02 12:35:042022-08-15 16:34:46Craft: Bee Finger Puppet
Bleeding Hearts, bright pink heart shaped flower

From the Archives with Love

December 22, 2022
February 11, 2023
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https://tudorplace.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/WIth-Love-from-the-Archives_02.11.22.jpg 2560 1280 Janet Wall https://tudorplace.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/2020-01-23-300x155.png Janet Wall2022-12-22 14:03:402023-01-10 12:42:33From the Archives with Love

Landmark Lecture: Museum J.E.D.I. The Intersection of Museums & Social Justice

January 26, 2023
March 7, 2023
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https://tudorplace.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/OmarEatonMartinez.png 498 500 Janet Wall https://tudorplace.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/2020-01-23-300x155.png Janet Wall2023-01-26 13:10:462023-02-02 13:50:39Landmark Lecture: Museum J.E.D.I. The Intersection of Museums & Social Justice

Tudor Tots: Who’s Feeling Lucky?

December 21, 2022
March 8, 2023
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https://tudorplace.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/IMG_0318-1-scaled.jpg 1707 2560 Comms2018 https://tudorplace.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/2020-01-23-300x155.png Comms20182022-12-21 09:15:352022-12-21 09:26:34Tudor Tots: Who’s Feeling Lucky?

Tudor Nights: The Feminine Touch: Celebrating Works of Art Created by Women

November 18, 2022
March 9, 2023
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https://tudorplace.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/March9TudorNightsPhotoRecropped-1.jpg 518 891 Comms2018 https://tudorplace.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/2020-01-23-300x155.png Comms20182022-11-18 15:19:542023-02-06 14:39:28Tudor Nights: The Feminine Touch: Celebrating Works of Art Created by Women
Follow a manual added link

SLAVERY AT TUDOR PLACE

As an historic site that bears the scars of slavery, Tudor Place seeks to look this injustice in the eye.  Click here to learn more.

  • About

    • Our Story
    • Staff & Leadership
    • Jobs, Internships & Volunteering
    • For Neighbors
    • Annual Reports
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  • Visit

    • Plan Your Visit
    • Parking & Directions
    • FAQ & Accessibility
    • Group Tours
    • Shop
    • Virtual Tour
  • Calendar

  • Museum & Collection

    • History
    • Collection
    • Slavery at Tudor Place
    • Domestic Servants
    • Archive
    • Learn
  • Garden

    • History
    • Explore
    • What’s Blooming
  • Other

    • Rentals
    • Education
    • Join & Give
    • Contact
    • Tickets
    • Donate
    • Membership

Advance registration encouraged; suggested donation. Click for info.

1644 31st Street, NW | Washington, DC 20007
202-965-0400 | info@tudorplace.org

  • About

    • Our Story
    • Staff & Leadership
    • Jobs, Internships & Volunteering
    • For Neighbors
    • Annual Reports
    • Preservation
  • Visit

    • Plan Your Visit
    • Parking & Directions
    • FAQ & Accessibility
    • Group Tours
    • Shop
    • Virtual Tour
  • Calendar

  • Museum & Collection

    • History
    • Collection
    • Slavery at Tudor Place
    • Domestic Servants
    • Archive
    • Learn
  • Garden

    • History
    • Explore
    • What’s Blooming
  • Other

    • Rentals
    • Education
    • Join & Give
    • Contact
    • Tickets
    • Donate
    • Membership

Advance registration encouraged; suggested donation. Click for info.

1644 31st Street, NW | Washington, DC 20007
202-965-0400 | info@tudorplace.org

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