Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/433760
Thomas Jefferson was president, famous for his daring raid on the captured U.S.S. Philadelphia in the harbor of Tripoli. He was captain of the USS United States in the War of 1812 and was noted for his defeat and capture of the H.M.S. Macedonian. As commodore in the Second War with the Barbary Pirates in 1815, he caused the bey of Algiers to sue for peace. In 1816, Decatur moved to Washington where he became a member of the Board of Naval Commissioners. Wealthy from his prize money, Decatur planned to enjoy his social acceptance with a large mansion designed by the era's leading architect in this most fashionable area of the city. However, he was killed in a duel in 1820 by James Barron, a fel - low naval officer, over a slur related to the latter's command of the U.S.S. Chesapeake in his losing battle with the H.M.S. Leop- ard in 1806. Mrs. Decatur moved to Georgetown but rented the house to a long list of famous tenants as Lafayette Park became the social center of Washington for the next fifty years. By 1822, Pennsylvania Avenue finally entered the President's Park and passed in front of the White House, now bound - ing the President's Square to the south. Portions of the "Ferry Road" that went to Georgetown became H Street, thus fram- ing the President's Square on the north. e area was na med La fayette Square in honor of the 1824 visit of the Marquis de Lafayette (later altered to Lafayette Park). Decatur House had its resurgence after the Civil War when it was bought by Edward (Ned) Beale and remained in his family until the 1950s while Lafayette Park was the social center of Washington. e third aspect contributed by Latrobe to Lafayette Park was the iconic North Portico of the White House (fig. 7). Designed by him, it was not completed until the 1820s by James Hoban. e Ionic columns with pediment expressed the Grecian revival style that Latrobe contributed to American architecture that would prevail for the next generation. Its beauty and simplicity of unadorned expanses of wall con - nected with individual freedom from oppression made it the THE CAPITOL DOME 46 Fig. 7. View of the President's House, Washington, D.C., by D.W. Kellogg and Co., (between 1830 and 1840). L IBR ARY OF CONGRE S S PRIN T S AND PHOTO GR APHS DIVISION Fig. 6. Decatur House photographed by Carol Highsmith. PHOTO GR APHS IN T HE C AROL M. HIGHSMI T H ARCHIVE, L IBR ARY OF CONGRE S S