The Home of The Commandants

One of the bonuses of being married to a Marine who is going through TBS and stationed so close to D.C.? The Marine Corps decides you're worth something and invites you to tour the Home of the Commandants and meet the First Lady! A couple weeks back, the spouses of Charlie and Delta Companies got to hop on a bus and have a lovely day in D.C. As you will soon discover, I think this place is super awesome...it's almost an obsession...



 For those of you who are not affiliated with the Marine Corps, I hope to share a bit about this awesome landmark and piece of history in D.C. For those of you who are affiliated with the Marine Corps, learn about this place and the people who have lived there! It's fascinating. The Home of the Commandants is the oldest continuously occupied building in Washington, D.C. The site for the original barracks and the home was chosen by President Thomas Jefferson and the 2nd Commandant of the Marine Corps, Lieutenant Colonel William W. Burrows on March 31, 1801. The home itself, was built in 1806, by the Marines of course (the budget was so small that they were payed in liquor). Remember learning about the British raid in D.C.? Yep, in 1814 they burned the Capitol, the White House, and most of the public buildings. The Barracks and the Home of the Commandants were spared...and as the Marines like to believe, it was because the British thought they were stunningly awesome. ;)

This home has since housed every Commandant of the Marine Corps. Portraits of all of the previous Commandants (except for the 4th Commandant, who did something despicable...) hang throughout the house. What's really neat about the portraits, is that they are painted to show the change in uniform as well as to include a unique item or symbol that each Commandant chooses to be displayed in their portrait. For example, one Commandant chose a Bible and one chose a picture of him and his wife (after being told she couldn't pose with him). The current Commandant gets to decide where they want each portrait to hang, so if a former Commandant is unlucky, he might end up in the basement.

See that couch with it's back toward you? Yep, I sat on that as we were being introduced to the First Lady, only to be told that it is nicknamed "The Dead Couch." Brigadier General Archibald Henderson apparently took a little nap on the sofa in this room and passed away quietly in his sleep. Ever since, it is rumored that Henderson's ghost has occasionally caused mischief throughout the home. From causing odd noises until his portrait was moved to the 1st floor, to throwing his portrait to the floor at the mention of women serving in the Corps, to causing leaky faucets and visitors to faint, Henderson (who resided in the home for 39 years) still believes the home is his to do whatever he wants with.

 Throughout the home, many unique pieces of furniture and decorations catch the eye. There are so many stories in this home, as well as an incredible amount of history and character. In the photo below, the Music Room is shown. The room features a tribute to John Philip Sousa- former conductor of the Marine Band, in case you didn't know. One of the features is that lamp...which you should never go near, because it is worth $2.5 million dollars (or something like that). We also learned all about fireplace shields and how the phrase, "Mind your own beeswax!" came about. For real...look it up.

 The home was beyond beautiful. I loved how nearly every item had a story to tell.

I will totally sit out here every morning when Keagan is Commandant. ;)

 For you other military families out there who have heard endless horror stories about TMO...guess what? The Commandant's House has it's own story. A plate that is displayed in the dining room was apparently damaged by TMO and glued back together. Whether that was just a joke the docent threw out there, or actual truth, I don't know. (I can be gullible, sometimes).

 In case Keagan and I need some space someday when he's Commandant and I'm stressed out, we can just sit at opposite ends of this ridiculously long table. ;) Okay, I'll stop talking about Keagan being Commandant now and instead tell you something I found kind of funny. Apparently, four enlisted Marines are assigned to the home to cook for the Commandant and guests.

 Just look at this ridiculously gorgeous home...

 And Keagan's the Commandant's Study.

 We were even able to peek into the bedroom. It was roped off, because apparently in the past someone thought it'd be funny to climb up on the bed and take a picture. Not cool, dude. How weird would it be to have guests look into your bedroom like it was on display?

This sunroom? Perfect. And what's extra cool, is that the doors open up towards the parade deck of the barracks. So much history. So much ceremony.

 And Bonnie Amos? She was stunning. Really. What a charismatic, genuine, and humorous lady. She was so open and inviting, and definitely helped increase our pride in our role as supporter to our husbands, the Marines. I felt so spoiled and inspired. Bonnie encouraged us to "enjoy life, enjoy it!" She is a true example of what a wife should be- even in the midst of a crazy lifestyle.

As I'm sure you can tell, I really enjoyed this opportunity. (I may have gotten a little carried away on this post). But for real. It was so awesome. I love history and hearing stories that come alive, and this was a wonderful place to experience that. Thank you, to the Marine Corps, for having an interesting history, as well as traditions and pride that continue today.