Explore the Mary McLeod Bethune Council House

Visitors can take a ranger-led tour of the first and second floors of the Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site, which was the first national headquarters of the National Council of Negro Women, Inc. from 1943-1966. The home was also the last Washington, D.C. residence of the organization's founder, Mary McLeod Bethune from 1943-1949. Guided tours are only offered when the site is open to the public on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Details

Duration

30-90 Minutes

Activity

Guided Tours

Attend a ranger-guided tour to learn about Mary McLeod Bethune, the National Council of Negro Women, and the role of African American women during the Civil Rights Movement in America.

Age(s)

5-99

Pets Allowed

No

Service animals are allowed in national parks. For a definition of a service animal, please see the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) definition.

Activity Fee

No

Free and open to the public.

Location

Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site

Public Transportation:

The closest Metrorail Stations are Shaw/Howard University and U Street/Cardozo/African American Civil War Memorial on the Green Line, and McPherson Square on the Orange and Blue lines.

Walk from Shaw/Howard University Station: Take the 8th and R Street exit and walk south on 8th Street NW towards Rhode Island Avenue NW. Turn Right on Rhode Island Avenue NW to Logan Circle. At the circle, turn left onto Vermont Avenue NW.

Walk from U Street Station: Take the 13th Street exit from the station and turn left to walk south on 13th Street NW until you reach Logan Circle. Cross or go around the circle and continue southwest on Vermont Avenue NW and 1318 is one half block ahead on the right.

Walk from McPherson Square Station: Take the 14th Street exit from the station, walk north on 14th Street NW until you reach Thomas Circle. Cross or go around the circle and walk northeast onto Vermont Avenue NW. Cross over N Street NW, and 1318 is one half block ahead on the left.

The Circulator bus line runs from Union Station with a stop at 14th and K Street NW. From the stop, walk north on 14th Street NW until you reach Thomas Circle. Cross or go around the circle and walk northeast onto Vermont Avenue NW. Cross over N Street NW, and 1318 is one half block ahead on the left.

By Metro bus, the closest are the 68 and 66 routes. Both can be boarded outside the 11th Street exit from the Metro Center station on the Metrorail Red Line. Each bus stops at N Street NW (the 68 on 13th Street, and the 66 on 11th Street). Walk west (left) down N Street NW to Vermont Avenue NW, turn right, and 1318 is one half block ahead on the left. You may also take the G2 from Howard University or from Georgetown to Logan Circle and P Street NW stop.

By Car or Bus:

From Baltimore and Points North:

Take the Baltimore-Washington Parkway south to US Route 50 west (which becomes New York Avenue). Take New York Avenue to Massachusetts Avenue and continue west. Turn right onto 13th Street. Go one block and turn left onto 'N' Street. Go another block and turn right onto Vermont Avenue. 1318 is one half block up the street on the left.

From Virginia and Points South:

Take 14th Street NW north to Thomas Circle. Make a right off Thomas Circle onto Vermont Avenue NW. Cross over N Street NW and 1318 is half a block ahead on the left.

Note: Street parking is limited and restricted. Please read the street signs carefully. The closest parking garage is beneath the Washington Plaza Hotel on the northeast quadrant of Thomas Circle at Vermont Avenue and M Street NW. Please be aware that street sweeping occurs on Vermont Avenue Wednesday and Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. March through October.

Reservations

Yes

The Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site is free and open to the public on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Tours are offered every hour with the exception of 12 noon. Drop-ins are allowed.

Groups of 10 or more are strongy encouraged to make reservations by calling [phone] or [phone], or emailing [e-mail].

Season

Year Round

Time of Day

Day

Ranger-led tours are only offered when the site is open to the public on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Tours are offered every hour with the exception of 12 noon. Drop-ins are allowed.

Accessibility Information

There is no handicap parking located on-site. Parking is limited to on-street parking.

Physical / Mobility

The Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site is not wheelchair accessible.

For visitors with limited mobility, a photo guided tour for the second floor of the home can be provided.

Service Animals

Service animals are allowed in national parks. For a definition of a service animal, please see the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) definition.

View of the front of the Mary McLeod Bethune Council House NHS

NPS

Mary McLeod Bethune achieved her greatest national and international recognition at 1318 Vermont Avenue, N.W., a Second Empire row house in the historic Logan Circle neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Purchased in 1943, the home served as the first national headquarters of the National Council of Negro Women, Inc. (NCNW) from 1943 to 1966, as well as Bethune's final residence in the nation's capital from 1943-1949.

The Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site tells the story of Bethune's life and legacy, as well as the work of the National Council of Negro Women, and the contributions of countless African American women during the Civil Rights Movement in America.