All posts by Vanesa Zelaya

Octagon Intern Research Blog: Anniversary of the Signing of the Treaty of Ghent

Written by AF Staff, Research by Kayla Laws

Saturday, February 17 marks the 209th anniversary of the day that the Treaty of Peace and Amity reached President James Madison at The Octagon and was signed in what is known today as the “Treaty Room”.  

This treaty ended the War of 1812, fought between Great Britain and the fledgling United States. The war had caused great destruction in the young nation’s newly established capital. In 1814, British troops burned federal buildings, including the White House and the United States Capitol. After the burning of the White House, President James Madison and First Lady Dolley Madison moved into The Octagon House, the nearby Washington home of their acquaintances John and Ann Tayloe, for a period of six months, from September 1814 to March 1815.

The purpose of the treaty was to achieve “universal Peace between His Britannic Majesty and the United States.” Prisoners of war were to be returned; both sides agreed to seek peaceful relations with the Indians; and efforts would be made to end the slave trade,” according to Hugh Howard’s Mr. and Mrs. Madison’s War: America’s First Couple and the Second War of Independence.   

Three different copies of the treaty were sent from Ghent, Belgium, where negotiations took place, to Washington, D.C., in case one shipment was delayed or lost. After reaching the United States Congress, the treaty was delivered to The Octagon by Henry Caroll, secretary to Congressman Henry Clay. “Madison walked into his study, an exquisite wood-paneled circular room over the entrance hall.  He crossed the pine floor and sat down before a delicate mahogany desk; its round top covered by dark green leather stamped with gold.  With characteristic precision and formality, Madison put his signature to the “Treaty of Peace and Amity,” Howard said. 

  

 

 The ceremony took place in the “President’s office in the circular room on the second floor over the entrance of the Octogen,” according to historian, Audrey Cutler. 

Servants yelled down the stairs to bring the champagne, and Paul Jennings played “The President’s March” on his fiddle.  

In his Reminiscences, Jennings writes that “we were crazy with joy.” The butler liberally dispensed wine to all, including the servants and slaves… [Sioussat] and some others were drunk for two days, and such another joyful time was never seen in Washington.”’ 

According to Joseph Gale, an eyewitness, “Soon after nightfall, Members of Congress and others deeply interested in the event, presented themselves at the president’s house, the doors of which stood open. When the writer of this entered the drawing room at about eight o’clock, it was crowded to its full capacity, Mrs. Madison (the president being with Cabinet) doing the honors of the honors of the occasion. And what a happy scene it was.” 

Candles were later burned in The Octagon’s windows celebrating the end of the War of 1812 and Madison’s exemplary leadership.  

 

REFERENCES  

 Cutler, Audrey.  “A Synopsis of Events of the War of 1812 and its Relationship to the History of the Octagon” 

 From the Octagon Files. “Interpreter’s Insights: Presidential History and Legends at the Octagon” 

 Green, Contance McLaughlin. “Washington Village and Capital, 1800-1878. 

 Howard, Hugh. Mr. and Mrs. Madison’s War: America’s First Couple and the Second War of Independence. Bloomsbury Press, 2012 

 Hunt-Jones, Conover. “Doly and the ‘Great little Madison.’” AIA Foundation, 1977 

 Jennings, Paul.  A Colored Man’s Reminiscences of James Madison. Cornell University Library, 1865.  

Lord, Walker. The Dawn’s Early light, New York, 1972. 

 Miller, Hope Riding. “Great Houses of Washington.” 

 Taylor, Contributor: Elizabeth Dowling. “Paul Jennings (1799–1874).” Encyclopedia Virginia, 2 Dec. 2021, encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/jennings-paul-1799-1874/.  

Sherwin-Williams makes additional investment to support diversity in architecture

WASHINGTON– The Sherwin-Williams Company has increased its funding of the Architects Foundation Diversity Advancement Scholarship by an additional $150,000. The additional investment will ensure long-term support of future architecture students.

Through their gift, Sherwin-Williams will increase their sponsorship for a minority architecture student’s career path by funding their college experience with $20,000, to be distributed evenly over the course of up to five years.

At Sherwin-Williams, inclusion, diversity, and equity is embedded in who we are and how we impact our people, customers, and communities we serve.,” said Yentil Rawlinson, Vice President of Inclusion, Diversity & Equity. “This scholarship reflects our commitment to supporting diversity in architecture and increasing access to career opportunities for underrepresented students.”

“The Architects Foundation’s staff, board members, and community of Diversity Advancement Scholars and alumni are so grateful for this continued endorsement of our work to create a more just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive profession and society,” said Marci Reed, Executive Director. “We look forward to deepening the connection between our community and the inspiring team at Sherwin-Williams.”

The Architects Foundation annually runs an application process for Diversity Advancement scholars. Applications for the 2023-2024 academic year have been reviewed and will be announced shortly.

Learn more about donation and scholarship opportunities on the Architects Foundation website.

ABOUT SHERWIN-WILLIAMS

Founded in 1866, The Sherwin-Williams Company is a global leader in the manufacture, development, distribution, and sale of paints, coatings and related products to professional, industrial, commercial, and retail customers. Sherwin-Williams manufactures products under well-known brands such as Sherwin-Williams®, Valspar®, HGTV HOME® by Sherwin-Williams, Dutch Boy®, Krylon®, Minwax®, Thompson’s® Water Seal®, Cabot® and many more. With global headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio, Sherwin- Williams® branded products are sold exclusively through a chain of more than 4,900 company-operated stores and facilities, while the company’s other brands are sold through leading mass merchandisers, home centers, independent paint dealers, hardware stores, automotive retailers, and industrial distributors. The Sherwin-Williams Performance Coatings Group supplies a broad range of highly-engineered solutions for the construction, industrial, packaging and transportation markets in more than 120 countries around the world. For more information, visit www.sherwin.com.

Watch now: Tangible Remnants at The Octagon

Originally aired in February 2023, this Tangible Remnants episode at The Octagon Museum features a conversation with Sarah Shoenfeld and Derek Musgrove. The focus of the discussion was Sarah and Derek’s work to elevate 20th century Civil Rights sites and Black Power sites within Washington, DC. This is part of The Octagon’s programming series “Revealing Parallel Histories hidden in Plain Sight.”

Communities by Design program now a part of the Architects Foundation

WASHINGTON – The Architects Foundation today announced that the Communities by Design program at The American Institute of Architects will now be housed at the Architects Foundation. 

The Communities by Design program brings together architects and other professional disciplines to work alongside the residents, professionals and institutions of host communities on key local issues. Every project is community-driven and includes meaningful public participation in an intensive process to match professional expertise with public values and aspirations to create an action plan with phased, implementable recommendations for the future. 

Since the program’s start in 1967, the Communities by Design (CxD) program has completed over 230 projects and won more than a dozen awards globally. Past CxD projects have helped tackle critical issues including downtown and economic revitalization, disaster recovery and preparedness, affordable housing, zero carbon policy, and historic preservation. 

“The Communities by Design program aligns spectacularly with the values and programming of the Architects Foundation,” said Bill Roschen, FAIA, Architects Foundation President.  

“We are thrilled for the opportunity this program brings to expand our efforts as AIA’s philanthropic partner to attract, inspire and invest in the next-generation design community, and support the communities where we live, work, play, learn and thrive.” 

Learn more about the Communities by Design program , upcoming events and donation opportunities on the Architects Foundation website.