Robert S. McCormick House (Brazilian Embassy)

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Originally owned by Robert S. McCormick and his wife, Katherine, the McCormick House’s distinct architecture and location tuned in to the future of major development along Massachusetts Avenue NW, often referred to as Embassy Row. Robert McCormick had previously served as the ambassador to France and Russia; Katherine McCormick’s father founded the Chicago Tribune, giving both spouses the financial and social resources to build such an impressive home in the area. John Russell Pope, a noted DC architect who also designed the National Gallery of Art, the Jefferson Memorial, and many other well-known buildings, designed the private home in the Italian Renaissance style. The home’s construction lasted from 1908 to 1910.

The home’s limestone exterior and minimal ornamentation, along with the house’s orientation, made it exemplary of similar homes in the area. Pope had situated the house’s front exterior to maximize sun exposure from the southeast direction. The McCormick family owned the home until Katherine’s death in 1932 (Robert had passed in 1919). Its ownership transferred to the Brazilian government in 1935, and has since served as the Brazilian ambassador’s residence.

DC Inventory: July 24, 1968 (Joint Committee on Landmarks)
Within Massachusetts Avenue Historic District