Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site

OPERATING HOURS

• Open year-round on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 9 AM to 5 PM
• Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day

Hours can always change, so before making travel plans be sure to get the latest schedule on the National Park Service’s official Operating Hours and Seasons web page for Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site.

COUNCIL HOUSE HISTORY

The National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) was founded by Mary McLeod Bethune in 1935 while she was living in New York. A year later she moved to Washington, D. C., after joining the National Youth Administration (NYA) at the urging of Eleanor Roosevelt. Soon thereafter, President Franklin Roosevelt appointed her to lead the Negro Affairs division of the NYA, making her the first black person to head a department of a federal agency. In the meantime, she continued to run the NCNW out of the living room of her home on 9th Street. It wan’t until 1943 that the organization raised the funds to purchase a townhouse at 1318 Vermont Avenue to be used as its first official headquarters building. In addition to a headquarters, it served as Bethune’s home for six years and had guest rooms for members who were traveling from out-of-town. Living quarters and Bethune’s office were on the second and third floors, while the ground floor was used for business.

The townhome continued as the NCNW’s headquarters until it caught fire in 1966, long after Bethune’s death in 1955. While the fire was contained to the basement, smoke and water damage were severe enough that the NCNW had to move to a new location at 1346 Connecticut Avenue. The house sat empty until it was placed on the Washington D. C. Register of Historic Places in 1975, which prompted the NCNW to raise funds to repair and renovate the home. In 1979, it opened as a museum and archive for the organization’s collection of documents. The National Park Service acquired the house in 1991 and renamed it the Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site. It opened to the public in 1995.

For more information on Mary Bethune and the Council House, watch one of the videos on the Bethune Documentaries web page here on National Park Planner.

GENERAL VISITATION INFORMATION

The Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site is one of the least visited units of the National Park system, being #369 out of 378 parks for which visitation statistics are kept. As a result, there is not a large staff on duty, often just one Ranger and perhaps a volunteer. Because of this, when school groups show up—which is quite often—standard visitors may have to wait for a tour. Thus, be sure to call the Council House at (202) 673-2402 if you plan on visiting during a school week to make sure the coast is clear. .

The Council House is located in downtown Washington, D. C. Avoid driving to the site if possible because there is no parking other than on the street (which is hard to find) or in expensive parking garages. Use the Metro. The closest stop is the McPherson Square station. It is a half-mile walk to the Council House, which should take you anywhere from ten to fifteen minutes. The U Street and Shaw / Howard stations are .7 mile away.

The house is not accessible to those who cannot walk up stairs, and there are no handicap parking spaces near the house.

COUNCIL HOUSE TOURS

Visitors to the Mary McLeod Bethune Council House can visit the house on a Ranger-guided tour. You will learn about Bethune’s life and the NCNW as you walk through the four rooms that are open to the public. Tours are scheduled for the top of each hour starting at 9 AM, with the last tour at 4 PM (no tour at noon). The tour lasts about 45 minutes and is limited to 25 people. Since the average number of visitors to the Council House each day is only about 25 people, it’s pretty safe to say that tours are not going to fill up unless a school group is present.

The house is not accessible for those in wheelchairs or who cannot climb stairs.

If you can’t visit the Council House on Thursday, Friday, or Saturday, you can call and make an appointment to visit on another day, pending staff availability. Call (202) 673-2402 to make an appointment.

FIRST FLOOR

The first floor of the Council House is where guests were greeted and meetings were held. It is decorated with period furnishings, some being the original chairs of the Council House. Most of the furniture in the house is not original due to the fact that the organization moved out in 1966 and the place sat empty for nine years. Nobody was thinking that one day the house or furniture would be of any importance. The kitchen is also open to visitors, and here you will find the original dining / conference table and chairs.