14 The social role of landscape Owners built these mansions mainly to receive important guests and give balls and dinners in winter, when Congress was in session For example, a hostess’ afternoon “at home” could mean receiving 100 guests who arrived at the main door in carriages and motorcars The approach and entrance were designed to signal the ornate grandeur within The goal of the entrance and landscape was visibility and impressiveness from the public thoroughfare Foreign nobility had always been part of the society of the capital This was more true after 1898, when the Spanish-American War established the United States as a global power More nations opened legations in the capital; their ambassadors—real aristocrats—gave important parties, reciprocating the hospitality of the local elite 27 One of the owners’ purposes was to present their daughters to society in home-thrown balls for 200 to 300 guests In due course, the daughters’ weddings would be held in these rooms and suitably magnificent A desirable groom was often a titled nobleman (whose own palaces may have needed funds, or not) Levi Leiter, who built the first—maybe the largest—of these “palaces” (1500 New Hampshire Ave) married off all three of his daughters to British noblemen; the eldest married Lord Curzon, Viceroy of India 28 The main entrances were exclusively for family members and their guests A guest would alight, helped by a footman; inside a butler would send word upstairs; the guest, if allowed further, would ascend the grand staircase to be “presented,” or received, in the grand rooms of the piano nobile or main floor The coachman would then take the carriage or auto to the stable or garage Servants came and went only offstage through side or rear entrances Fig. 23 (above) President and Mrs. Wilson. Fig. 24 (right) Harris Charles Fahenstock (father of Gibson Fahenstock, owner of 2311 Mass) drives a fashionable “coach.” Fig. 25 Stairs from the foyer up to the main floor ”presentation” rooms at 2349 Mass Ave.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTk3Mzc5Mg==