The Octagon's hauntings and 19th-century history

The Octagon, a Federal-period house built in 1799 and now a museum, is associated with Washington's early republic history and with local reports of unexplained phenomena by staff and visitors. The house is often mentioned in ghost tours and local histories for these reported hauntings; such reports are presented as folklore and not verified by historical evidence. The Octagon also features documented ties to events surrounding the War of 1812 era and early city elites, making its combination of documented history and ghost stories well-known in the city.