The Octagon House - Temporary Presidential Residence After 1814 Fire

The Octagon House, completed in 1801 for Colonel John Tayloe III, served as the temporary executive mansion for President James Madison after the White House was burned in 1814. The house is noted for its Federal-style architecture and for hosting government functions during the War of 1812 period. Today it operates as a museum (the Octagon Museum) interpreting early 19th-century Washington and the building's role in U.S. history.