Thomas T. Gaff House

The Thomas T. Gaff House is the diplomatic residence of the Colombian ambassador to the United States, a post currently held by Juan Carlos Pinzon. The house, a contributing property to the Dupont Circle Historic District, is located at 1520 20th Street NW, 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 commissioner 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.