Baptist Alley

[Linda Anderson]

Hi Paige. I agree that it is a shame that the Seward House was torn down. Seward never actually owned it but leased it for eight years from patent attorney Augustus Stoughton.

The mansion did gain such an evil reputation that the newspapers called it the "House of Doom" and the "House of Calamities" among other gloomy names. When former Secretary of State James Blaine who had purchased the house in 1891 lay dying in the front bedroom where Seward was stabbed, the newspapers made sure to mention the uncanny history of the house. After Blaine died in January 1893 it was reported that Mrs. Grant wanted to buy it but later reports said she was dissuaded by her friends because of its reputation.

In May 1894 the Evening Star reported that the newly formed Memorial Association of the District of Columbia was interested in buying historical properties, the Seward House and the Petersen House among them. Unfortunately, that did not come to pass for the Seward House. Mrs Blaine signed a lease with Chicago investors in December 1894.

It was reported in January 1895 that next door neighbor Senator Donald Cameron who owned the old Tayloe house (still standing) had convinced Mrs. Blaine to sign the lease. However, Cameron had an ulterior motive. The house was demolished in January 1895 and Cameron promptly arranged to have an amendment to a bill introduced in the Senate to have the government purchase the property. The government had no plans for the property so Cameron would have a lovely view of the White House and the Potomac from his windows. The bill did not pass the House however and the Belasco Theater was built later in the year.