Sewall-Belmont House (National Woman's Party Headquarters)
Designated in March 2016, this house is the site of the Belmont–Paul Women's Equality National Monument.
Text
The Sewall–Belmont House, now the site of the Belmont–Paul Women's Equality National Monument, is famous for serving as the headquarters for the National Woman's Party from 1929 for nearly 90 years. Originally founded by Alice Paul and Lucy Burns to rally women to support the passive of the Nineteenth Amendment, the National Woman's Party has remained a major force in organizing women for political action, including for the passage of an Equal Rights Amendment. This house served as the NWP's headquarters during a critical period for the organization, following its purchase by NWP benefactress and cofounder Alva Vanderbilt Belmont. The organization named their headquarters the Alva Belmont House in her honor.
The house was originally built in 1800, incorporating a two-story house from 1750. It burned in 1814 and was rebuilt in 1820. "Sewall" refers to Robert Sewall, the man for whom the house was originally built between 1799 and 1800.
DC Inventory: November 8, 1964 (Joint Committee on Landmarks)
National Register: June 16, 1972
National Historic Site: May 30, 1974
National Historic Landmark: May 30, 1974
National Monument: April 12, 2016
