The elite Tayloe family lived in this house, which was built in 1801 by John Tayloe III. Tayloe and George Washington were close friends, and it was Washington who persuaded Tayloe to build this home.
Several apparitions have been seen by visitors, curators and employees of the now-museum. One such lore deals with Tayloe’s daughters, who both died in the house after fighting with their father over disapproved love interests. They were both found dead after falling down the stairs or over the stair railings. One apparition of what is thought to be a daughter is a candle light that moves up and down the stairs. Some people believe that ghosts of slaves also haunt the house and that you can hear them ringing bells which used to be used to summon them.