A History of Dupont Circle: Center of High Society in the Capital

by Stephen A. Hansen

Overview

During the Gilded Age, Dupont Circle was Washington's undisputed center of wealth, power and status. Over twenty years, it evolved from small farms and an overrun city cemetery to a community of grand homes for society's elite. Residents included future president William Taft, inventor Alexander Graham Bell, newspaper publisher Cissy Patterson and many more. From the intimate dinners and receptions of the Cave Dwellers to the lavish balls of Mary Townsend and others in the smart set, Dupont Circle marked each social season in the capital. Satirized in Mark Twain's novel The Gilded Age, the nouveau riche lifestyle of Dupont Circle was fodder for newspaper celebrity gossip. Author Stephen Hansen brings to life the intriguing history of Washington's famed Dupont Circle.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781626195646
Publisher:	Arcadia Publishing SC
Publication date:	08/26/2014
Series:	Landmarks
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Stephen A. Hansen is a longtime resident of Washington, D.C. He is an architectural historian and historic preservation specialist, and author. He is principal at DC Historic Designs, LLC, in Washington, D.C. Previously, he worked for the National Park Service and as an archaeologist in and around the Washington area. He serves as a trustee of the Committee of 100 on the Federal City and sits on its historic preservation committee. John DeFerrari, a native Washingtonian with a lifelong passion for local history, pens the Streets of Washington blog and is the author of Lost Washington, D.C. (The History Press, 2011) and Historic Restaurants of Washington, D.C. (The History Press, 2013). He has a master's degree in English literature from Harvard University and works for the federal government.