Oscar S. Straus Residence

"Built in 1905, the “Pink Palace” joins many nearby mansions in their connection to Mary Foote Henderson and her desire to beautify Sixteenth Street as an entryway to the capital from the north. This residence is associated with Secretary of Commerce and Labor, Oscar Straus, the first Jewish Cabinet member. Additionally, it was the longtime residence of Mrs. Marshall Field, a patron of the arts in Washington and widow of the Chicago magnate. The Inter-American Defense Board was associated with this property for many years as well. At some point in its history, according to a 1940 newspaper article, the mansion was painted pink, which earned it the moniker “Pink Palace."