Ashburton House, National Historic Landmark in Lafayette Square, Washington, D.C., United States.
Ashburton House is a three-and-a-half-story building near Lafayette Square featuring a mansard roof and French Second Empire design elements. The structure displays the architectural language of wealthy American homes from the mid-1800s with detailed stonework and period features.
The house was built in 1836 and gained prominence when a British diplomat resided there while conducting critical talks between American and Canadian leaders. These conversations resulted in a 1842 agreement that settled boundary disputes and defined borders between the two nations.
The building reflects how private residences served as venues for important negotiations between nations during the 19th century. Today, visitors can observe how diplomatic matters shaped the physical space of an ordinary American home.
The building serves as meeting and office space for the church next door and is not always open to the public. A major renovation in 2018 updated the interior, but visiting requires advance arrangements.
The parlor of this house hosted negotiations that ended a small conflict and prevented larger war between the United States and Canadian forces. Border agreements that still define the two nations were worked out in this single private room.
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