Wilson House Newsletter

Thanksgiving Edition

Welcome to the Thanksgiving Edition of the Wilson House Newsletter covering recent grants and projects, scholars and their projects, and the new experiences YOU can explore, learn about, and discover at the museum.

Learn about new initiatives in the garden, museum anniversaries, see details about our conservation efforts, book a new specialty tour, register for the Speaker Series, and buy tickets for upcoming events.

Native Plant Garden Installation

Supported by the Marge and Joe Grills Fund for Historic Gardens and Landscapes at the National Trust Historic Sites

On November 18-19, twenty-five volunteers gathered in the back garden of Woodrow Wilson House to help us complete Phase 1 of a "native plant garden" that will beautify a historic D.C. property and sustainably support urban gardening. The Woodrow Wilson House was designed by renowned architect Waddy Butler Wood. The property also includes one of a very few gardens Wood ever designed.

The newly envisioned garden now features more than 200 native perennials, shrubs, and trees that will transform this formal “garden room” into a more sustainable, resilient, and verdant setting that supports biodiversity, pollinators, and will require little maintenance. This updated native garden design was created by Edwina von Gal of the Perfect Earth Project. 

Thank you to the D.C. Master Gardeners and other volunteers who helped to make this massive effort possible! A special thank you goes to Leslie Getzinger, a member of the Wilson House Advisory Council, who helped facilitate this project, gathered volunteers, and put in countless weekend hours prepping the garden for installation.

Commemorating 100 Years of Veterans Day at Wilson House

November 10 marked the centennial of Woodrow Wilson's "Armistice Day Speech"

On the eve of Armistice Day – now known as Veterans Day – in 1923, former President Woodrow Wilson made a pioneering live radio broadcast. Speaking from his post-presidential home, where he had resided since the conclusion of his second term in 1921, Wilson addressed the nation. In this poignant four-minute Armistice Day speech, the 28th president thanked his fellow Americans for their noble sacrifices during World War I. He also shared his deep regret over his inability to persuade the country to embrace his vision for global peace through the formation of the League of Nations. This occasion marked two historic firsts: this was the first presidential speech given over the radio and the first live radio broadcast in the United States.

The Woodrow Wilson House salutes and thanks all of our brave service members. To show our appreciation, we are committed to providing free tours for active military members and veterans all year long.

Refreshing Edith's Dining Room

In October, the Wilson House Dining Room walls and ceiling received a fresh coat of paint. The lovely Benjamin Moore Historic Collection "Hancock Green" (HC-117) is beautifully accented by white trim throughout the room. The new color also reflects the natural light streaming in from the back garden. Stop by soon to see the 1920 Edith Wilson portrait by Seymour Stone set against a completely new background!

Our Volunteer Scholars Program gives students valuable, real-world experience to gain knowledge in the fields of museum management, collections curation, media outreach, and much more! Over the last few semesters, the Wilson House's Scholars Program has grown!

Meet some of the scholars:

Summer Semester 2023 Scholars

Catch up on the exciting projects of our scholars from this summer. We welcomed Savannah Brooks (left) an undergraduate student at Trinity College, Michael Faeges (middle), an undergraduate student at Boston University, and Ben Solomon (right), an undergraduate student at American University. You can read their bio's and the details of their projects on our website.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Check out VGN's TikTok promo by our friend, Tara, from @daysinthedistrict!

Wednesday, December 6

5:00-8:00 PM

Prohibition Tour & Vintage Game Night

Tickets selling fast! Join us for a festive evening of history, scandal, games, & fun!

$20- Vintage Game Night

$40- Prohibition Tour & VGN

"Prohibition & Wine Cellar"

New Specialty Tour

Do you have the moxie to learn about abstinence and teetotalers, juice joints and flappers? What a time in America’s History! Come see a Vintage Wine cellar, and learn about the origins of the cocktail party, the speakeasy, and the definition of a blind pig! You will visit the ground floor, the main floor, and a special visit to the basement to see the wine cellar.

This tour is offered at 5 pm on Thursdays or by special appointment.

Girl Scouts Programs

The President Woodrow Wilson House, a proud Girl Scouts Program Partner, invites Brownies, Juniors, and Cadettes to play fair, relive history, design fine crafts, and explore our shared democracy that unite us as Americans. Not to mention have fun in a perfectly preserved time capsule from the 1920s!

Sign up your Girl Scout or your Girl Scout Troop for one of four programs running each Saturday morning beginning at 10am, or schedule your Troop's private event!

Please email [email protected] for inquiries.

Host Your Event

We are accepting bookings for 2024 and 2025! The timeless home of our 28th President serves as an unforgettable backdrop for your event. Multiple event spaces and packages make The Wilson House the perfect venue for any wedding, meeting, dinner reception, or party. Our experienced team is available to answer questions and provide recommendations to ensure a successful event for our clients.

Book a 2024 date before December 31 and receive a discount!

Please email [email protected] for inquiries.



Thank you!