Tour of the Marine Commandant's Home

September 24, 2011: The Home of the Commandants (1806) at 8th and G Streets SE forms the north side of the quadrangle of the historic Marine Barracks. Thomas Jefferson and the second Commandant of the Marine Corps selected the site to be near the Navy Yard and "within an easy marching distance of the Capitol." The house is one of the oldest continuously occupied homes in Washington and has been home to all but the first 2 Marine Corps Commandants. It is rarely opened to the public.

The house is like one that has been owned by generations of a well-to-do American family that fought on the right side of the Civil War, never fell on hard times and is quite proud of the family industry. The main rooms are sumptuously furnished with antiques, fine furniture, and expensive objet d'art and with Marine Corps memorabilia front and center. If the President called and said he was dropping in an hour with the Queen of England, all they would need do is to freshen the flowers and straighten up the tschotschkes.

From the front door on G Street, one enters into a short hall walking toward an immense, gilded pier mirror where the short hall intersects with a center hall on an east to west axis. A t-shaped, custom carpet leads from the door to the center hall. In the carpet at the intersection (l) is the Marine Corps Symbol and the initials U S M C repeat in the border (r).






















On the left of the short hall is the formal dining room (below) and to the right a small sitting room.



























Beyond the center hallway are two salons connected by pocket doors. This is the east salon:























In the west salon, John Philip Sousa memorabilia sits atop the piano which is lit by a Tiffany lamp:























Both salons open onto a porch added on to the south side of the house overlooking the parade grounds. It is easily the best room in the house:

The house displays oil portraits of every Commandant of the Marine Corps except for Anthony Gale, who was cashiered for disorderly conduct but actually fell prey to internal politics. The portraits give a historical record of the changing uniforms.










Henderson (above), Neville (1st left); Greene, Cushman and Hagee (below):















On the second floor on top of the two salons is the master bedroom on the left and a family sitting room on the right. The sitting room opens onto a terrace above the porch. One would require a step stool, if not a small ladder, to climb into bed.

Here are the obligatory photos with the Presidents: