Arriving at the front door of the 1915 Georgian Revival townhouse at 2340 S Street, a visitor may not notice, tucked in the shrubs to the right of the elaborate entrance, a limestone-colored door leading into the lower level of this grand residence. The door is meant to blend into the foundation, and it was most likely never used by the Wilsons. Historically, it was the entrance for the plumber, electrician, butcher, grocer and servants; it was for accepting deliveries of coal, wood and ice, and whatever other service activities meant to be unseen by guests or home-owners. This special entrance now serves as a starting point for the museum’s innovative new tour of the service areas of the Wilson House.

President and Mrs. Wilson had two live-in servants, Isaac and Mary Scott. The Scotts had come with the Wilsons from the White House in 1921 and were irreplaceable. There were several other individuals hired to perform tasks on a weekly basis, such as a laundress, gardener, cook and housekeeper.

The new tour, organized by Richard Goodwin, examines the role and lifestyle of the people who kept the large Embassy Row house in working order by letting visitors tour spaces not normally on view, such as the service entrance, fourth floor laundry, servant apartments, and silver safe.

As the tour proceeds through these “behind-the-scenes” areas, the various buttons, bells, dumbwaiters, speaking tubes and other conveniences and complexities of the service areas are discussed.

Currently the tour is available to groups by special appointment. Please contact Marie Danch at 202-387-4062 ext. 18.