Table Of Content
This was already true in the early 1800s when the nations first power brokers built magnificent homes in the shadow of the newly constructed White House. They chose this location to signal their own prestige but also to provide a degree of convenience proximity made it easier for decision makers to gather informally to hash out the critical matters of the day. The house located at 1801 F Street, today known as the DACOR Bacon House, was one such home. Completed in 1825, it is one of the few remaining early private homes in the Presidents Neighborhood. Jacobs is a former assistant secretary of state for consular affairs and ambassador to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau. During her 34-year Foreign Service career, she also served in the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Mexico, Nigeria and Thailand.
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History of the House & Famous Residents
Among the discreet talks hosted at the elegant mansion in recent years was one between the ambassadors of Armenia and Azerbaijan, which have been fighting over the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh for decades. The house’s history is rich with meetings between diplomats and other officials from different countries. They started soon after construction was completed under its original owner, Tench Ringgold, a businessman and U.S. Marshal for Washington, D.C. According to scholar Terry Walz, the Ringgolds lavishly entertained the capital’s elite, including former President James Monroe. In 1875, then-owner Sallie Carroll rented the house to the Russian Imperial Legation, whose head, Baron Nikolai Shishkine, hosted various events. Two years later, Grand Duke Alexei, Tsar Alexander II’s son, paid a visit.
Move to 1801 F Street
It has been adapted from a historic home into a private club and office space by DACOR (Diplomatic and Consular Officers, Retired) and the DACOR-Bacon House Foundation. DACOR encourages vigorous expression and questioning of points of view, while striving for balance. Views or of their charitable, professional, or commercial bona fides should be inferred. Members are expected to respect any restrictions the program committee and/or speaker place(s) on the use of information discussed during DACOR programs. To facilitate candid discussion, DACOR does not invite media to its programs.
One-Year Certificate in International Diplomacy
Within this stunning historic mansion, DACOR provides networking opportunities to advance the professional and social needs of its members. Through a range of programs, DACOR sustains and supports community amongst those who have dedicated their lives to foreign affairs through governmental and non-governmental work, research and academia, trade and development, and communications and media. In 1986, Bacon’s organization joined forces with Diplomats and Consular Officers Retired (DACOR), to become the DACOR Bacon Foundation. At the inaugural event, then-Secretary of State George Shultz said, “We want to protect and advance the interests and ideals of America. Five years before her death, she established the Bacon House Foundation to preserve the building as a place for both official and informal diplomacy, and a center for events and meetings on international affairs. While throughout her life she was best known as a hostess of dignitaries, she played diplomatic roles herself, including as a U.S. representative to the coronation of one of Nepal’s kings and the Silver Jubilee of the coronation of an Ethiopian emperor.
Early Meetings
GalleryA bright and airy space which runs the full length of the house, the Gallery‘s large windows overlook the inner courtyard and old Carriage House. On the south wall hangs a 19th century French garden scape, embraced by a pair of Venetian shield-shaped pier mirrors. This sunny, flexible space is perfect for daytime lunches or evening buffets. As DACOR’s membership expanded, it eventually outgrew the small H Street townhouse.
His 30 years in the Foreign Service were preceded by 20 years in the U.S. GardenOur garden patio, hidden by eight foot brick walls, is a veritable oasis in the center of the city. Graced by fine statues depicting the four seasons and a built-in pergola, this is a wondrous place for weddings, receptions, BBQs, live music, or just relaxing over cocktails after a tough day at the office. Green RoomThe Green Room, hidden in plain sight, is famous for the off-the-record negotiations that have occurred within its walls over the centuries.
Two-Century-Old Mansion Thrives As Center for Diplomacy
Meeting RoomFrom 1825 until the early 20th century, the Meeting Room housed the kitchen and served as a central work area for servants. Today, it is a gathering place for members, their guests, and other visitors and is often used as a reception area prior to events. It is currently decorated with Americana and Foreign Service memorabilia donated by DACOR members.
For the next two years, DACOR held its luncheons, meetings and social gatherings in private homes and at other private clubs. On occasion they also used the townhouse at 1718 H Street, NW owned by “The Family,” a small group of retired military and diplomatic officers. A prominent member of that group, Ambassador Grew, advised DACOR early in 1954 that The Family’s townhouse would be sold and suggested that DACOR purchase it. Following successful negotiations, DACOR took title to the property and all of its contents in 1954. Members may bring guests to programs or social events that are open to all members and for which they pay a fee unless otherwise indicated. Members must accompany their guests, make reservations for them, and pay for them, including no-shows who do not cancel on time.
DACOR: Tradition & Service
It was built in 1825 for Tench Ringgold, who was one of a three-member presidential commission charged with supervising the restoration of public buildings in the capital following the War of 1812 and the burning of Washington by the British. He was also still serving as US marshal in the District of Columbia, having first been appointed under the President James Monroe administration. DACOR does not accept responsibility for personal or other property in the cloak rooms, coat racks, guest rooms, or any other part of its premises. DACOR may dispose of, as abandoned property, articles left for more than 90 days. Minors are permitted on DACOR premises only when accompanied by a member or other adult family member. However, members are encouraged to make contributions to the Employee Holiday Gratuity Fund at any time.
Rumors abound about which foreign dignitaries have secreted away here but we‘re not talking. The room is graced with the original 1825 fireplace mantel and unique Asian glass paintings. Employees are not permitted to leave the House on errands for members or guests. The closest Metro stop is Farragut West Station which services the Orange, Blue and Silver lines. The K Street exit of Farragut North Station, which services the Red line, is two bocks further. Alice Copley Thaw, a wealthy American debutante and former Countess of Yarmouth, never resided at 1801 F Street.
Approached by the Bacon House Foundation in 1985 with an offer of rental space in their headquarters, DACOR instead proposed a merger with its own Education and Welfare Foundation. The stage was set for DACOR to move to the 24-room Federal mansion at 1801 F Street. Ever since, DACOR Bacon House has been maintained as the organization’s headquarters and as the elegant setting renown for intellectual rapport, cultural enlightenment and grand entertainment. DACOR welcomes into membership professionals in the field of foreign affairs and accepts donations from those wishing to support the preservation and educational work of the Foundation. Yes, since June 2021 we require reservations for Members' Lunch on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
DACOR and the DACOR Bacon House Foundation are headquartered in the elegant, 200 year-old DACOR Bacon House, an iconic Federal style four story brick mansion that is located two blocks from the White House. Eight Presidents have visited or stayed at the House, including James Monroe and Abraham Lincoln. Two Chief Justices have lived here - John Marshall and Melville Fuller.Virginia Murray Bacon, the last private owner of the House bequeathed 1801 F Street to the Bacon House Foundation to protect the house in perpetuity.
Reservations may be made through the Calendar of Events or by emailing Please be sure to include each members preference of meal of the week or vegetarian meal of the week and any food restrictions. Members are responsible to ensure that their guests comply with all House Rules. The House features a ramp from the F Street sidewalk to a business door. The interior of the House is serviced by a handicap accessible elevator. We have limited handicapped parking, which must be arranged ahead of time. To request assistance with accessing the House or parking please contact Meg Sharley at
To request handicap parking access or assistance entering the House, contact Meg Sharley at The house was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. “She liked to entertain and would do so for my program,” the late Lucius Battle, a Foreign Service officer, recalled in a 1991 oral history interview with the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training. Since we didn’t have much entertainment money, she was very helpful.” He said that Bacon tried to fire him when he ended a State Department contract with a theater academy, on whose board she sat.
The space is anchored by a mid-nineteenth century Victorian walnut sideboard, upon which a pair of Anglo-Irish crystal candelabrum sit. Portraits of Virginia Murray Bacon‘s ancestors grace the walls, recalling the bygone era of family portraiture. The DACOR Bacon House features various indoor rooms and a beautiful patio. Events can be held in an individual room, groups of rooms, or the entire House as needed. Meg Sharley, Director of Events, and her team will work with clients to make sure they have the perfect space, set-up and necessary items for their event.
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