Alice Roosevelt’s House

The other Washington Monument

The first child of Theodore and Alice Roosevelt, little Alice lost her mother and her paternal grandmother during the first 48 hours of her life. Her father, wracked with grief, left her to be cared for by her aunt and called her Baby Lee.

At the age of 17, Alice became an instant celebrity, dubbed Princess Alice by the press when her father became president in 1901. Her unconventional behavior, like carrying a green garter snake named Emily Spinach in her purse, gained attention from the press. She often clashed with her father, as they both loved to be the center of attention. Of her rambunctious nature, such as sliding down the White House stairways and smoking cigarettes on the roof, President Roosevelt quipped, “I can do one of two things, I can be President of the United States or I can control Alice Roosevelt. I cannot possibly do both.”

Alice married a politician, Nicholas Longworth III, in 1906, despite the fact that he was a noted playboy and 14 years her senior. They purchased their home at 2009 Massachusetts Avenue NW, now the Washington Legal Foundation headquarters, and made it the center of DC political and social life. Alice’s wicked sense of humor often led to scandal, and surprises were often on the menu.

Alice and Nicholas were both rumored to have carried on numerous affairs. DC society openly acknowledged Alice’s dalliance with Senator William Borah. She had one child at age 41, and she joked that she wanted to name her Deborah (as in “de Borah”) instead of Paulina. Alice’s friends referred to Paulina as “Aurora Borah Alice.”

Remaining in her Dupont Circle home, Alice continued to stay connected to politics, earning herself the moniker, “The Other Washington Monument.” She outlived her husband and daughter and became the custodian of her granddaughter, Joanna, with whom she remained close until her death in 1980 at the age of 96.

Address 2009 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036, www.dcwritershomes. wdchumanities.org/alice-roosevelt-longworth | Getting there Metro to Dupont Circle (Red Line); bus N6 to Massachusetts Avenue NW & 20th Street NW | Hours Viewable from the outside only | Tip Head over to Shop Made in DC for products made by local artisans. Founded by Stacey Price, the store showcases the creative side of DC, from art and apparel to hot sauce and beauty products (1710 Connecticut Avenue NW, www.shopmadeindc.com).