The latest by author and architectural historian, Stephen A. Hansen, ‘A History of Dupont Circle: Center of High Society in the Capital,’ just published by History Press, is the first book to tell the true story of Washington DC’s most fascinating community. Transformed from a brickyard and farm plots into a neighborhood that defined wealth and power, everyone from U.S. Presidents to members of society’s elite turned Dupont Circle into a showcase of their status. The area remains one of the country’s most unique urban architectural wonders, and Hansen’s new book shares the untold tales of the people and buildings that shaped its history.
Washington, DC -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/11/2014 -- Dupont Circle isn’t just a park, traffic circle and community; but a living microcosm of America’s ‘Gilded Age’ and a showcase of the lavish lifestyles of society’s elite. Many locals know that William Howard Taft, Alexander Graham Bell and Cissy Patterson called its grand mansions home, but the neighborhood still has a bold enigmatic side and story that has never before been made public. In his new book, Stephen A. Hansen chronicles the life of Dupont Circle and its famous, not-so-famous, infamous and sometimes flamboyant residents, as well as many previously-unknown tidbits that tie its story together.
‘A History of Dupont Circle: Center of High Society in the Capital’ was conceived from research the author was undertaking for his frequent column in the InTowner newspaper. What started as a brief look into local history has grown to make Stephen A. Hansen a leading authority on Dupont Circle, and the only person to have dug up information about its past that has been hidden for decades.
Synopsis:
During the Gilded Age, Dupont Circle was Washington’s undisputed center of wealth, power and status. Over twenty years, it evolved from small farms and an overrun city cemetery to a community of grand homes for society’s elite. Residents included future presidents Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft, inventor Alexander Graham Bell, newspaper publisher Cissy Patterson, the ill-fated owner of the Hope Diamond Evelyn Walsh McLean, and many more. From the intimate dinners and receptions of the Cave Dwellers to the lavish balls of Mary Townsend and others in the “smart set,” Dupont Circle marked each social season in the capital. Satirized in Mark Twain’s novel The Gilded Age, the nouveau riche lifestyle of Dupont Circle was fodder for newspaper celebrity gossip.
“My research led me to conclude that no other place in the country during the Gilded Age saw such an intimate concentration of wealth, power and status as did Dupont Circle,” explains Hansen. “Those who lived there did not simply co-exist as isolated neighbors lured to Washington’s latest vogue residential area, but they were also friends, colleagues, lovers, and sometimes even enemies. It was an area built for entertaining and mingling, and the stories of its residents intertwine to tell a gripping story. I, of course, cover the notable residents of Dupont Circle, but such an expansive history naturally throws up a myriad of little-known people and events that also shaped this unique neighborhood.”
Hansen continues, “Few know that Dupont Circle was also home to “Copper King” William A. Clark (whom Mark Twain hated!), noted writer and historian Thomas Nelson Page and the eccentric Patten sisters. Each individual was unique, yet drawn to the area often for the same reason— social status. They have now left only their houses behind and, if their walls could speak, we’d be both shocked and enthralled by the stories they would tell. My book tells these stories as they pertain to a select cast of past residents.”
Hansen’s knowledge has also allowed him to draw up something never seen before – a map plotting the locations of high-profile residents’ properties.
“I’ve managed to put just over fifty locations onto the map, which contains full addresses for those looking to visit the area. Both residents’ houses and other notable buildings and sites are listed, which adds a new dimension to the book and its associated history. If you’re looking for a fun weekend reveling in our nation’s past – Dupont Circle is the place to go!” he adds.
‘A History of Dupont Circle: Center of High Society in the Capital’ is available now: http://amzn.to/WDmKb4
For more information, visit the author’s official blog: http://dupontcirclebook.blogspot.com
About Stephen A. Hansen
Stephen A. Hansen is a longtime resident of Washington, D.C. He is an architectural historian, a historic preservation specialist and an author. He is principal at DC Historic Designs, LLC, in Washington, D.C. He serves as a trustee of the Committee of 100 on the Federal City, as well as authors the monthly column ‘What Once Was in Washington, D.C.’ for the InTowner newspaper. He is a graduate of Oberlin College, George Washington University and Goucher College. He is also the author of Kalorama Triangle: The History of a Capital Neighborhood, published by The History Press in 2011.