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The Thomas T. Gaff House is the diplomatic residence of the Colombian ambassador to the United States, a post currently held by Luis Carlos Villegas. The house, a contributing property to the Dupont Circle Historic District, is located at 1520 20th Street, Northwest, Washington, D.C., across from the north entrance to the metro station in Dupont Circle and one block from Massachusetts Avenue's Embassy Row. Its architecture was inspired by the Château Balleroy in Normandy, France and features a hidden ballroom and a mix of 18th- and 19th-century interior designs. The house has been home to a wealthy industrialist from Ohio, a United States Senator, a member of the United States President's Cabinet, a Greek ambassador, and a former President of Colombia.〔 ==History== Thomas T. Gaff was a wealthy businessman who made his fortune in the distillery and heavy machinery business in Cincinnati, Ohio.〔 His childhood home, Hillforest, in Aurora, Indiana is a National Historic Landmark. After Gaff was appointed as a commissoner to the Panama Canal's construction by then-United States Secretary of War William Howard Taft, he and his wife Zaidee moved to Washington, D.C. The Gaffs chose New York City architect Bruce Price, working with the local architect and builder Jules Henri de Sibour to design their home at the corner of 20th and Q Streets NW. Jules Henri de Sibour was a prominent architect of large homes in Washington, D.C., including the Clarence Moore House, Andrew Mellon Building, and the ambassador residences of Portugal, France, and Luxembourg.〔 Construction of the house lasted from 1904 to 1905. The Gaff House was well known in Washington, D.C.'s high society; tea parties and other events were mentioned in ''The New York Times''. From 1924 to 1925, the house was leased to Peter Goelet Gerry, a Senator from Rhode Island.〔 After Gerry moved to a new home, the Gaff house was leased to Dwight F. Davis, President Calvin Coolidge's Secretary of War and founder of the Davis Cup.〔 The government of Greece leased the house in 1929 for use as an embassy. In 1944, the Gaff house was sold to Colombia by Carey D. Langhorne, Thomas T. Gaff's daughter. The house has since been used as the official residence (the embassy) of the Colombian ambassador to the United States.〔 The offices (the chancery) of the Embassy of Colombia to the United States are located a few blocks north of the Gaff House, in the Kalorama neighborhood. Notable ambassadors who have resided in the Gaff house include former President of Colombia, Andrés Pastrana.〔 The 2009 property value of the Gaff House is $8,061,440.〔(【引用サイトリンク】 publisher = Government of the District of Columbia )〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Thomas T. Gaff House」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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