The long Presidents Day weekend is here. Do you have plans for visiting national parks or presidential homes to celebrate Presidents Day?
Presidents Day is a federal holiday celebrated on the third Monday of February. Presidents Day became a holiday in the late 1800s to honor George Washington. But after the United States Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act many federal holidays moved over to Monday. And so we came to understand the day to honor all the presidents who have served in the United States.
The Presidents Day weekend is the perfect opportunity to plan a vacation. Sadly, this is the first federal holiday to fall squarely in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic restricting outdoor activities. With so many other options to celebrate Presidents Day with your family, let’s start with some real estate facts on presidential homes’ estimated value.
Have you ever wondered how much would presidents’ homes cost today?
Mount Vernon
This American landmark was a former plantation of George Washington, the first President of the United States. It was built by the president’s father, Augustine Washington, around 1730s as a one and one-half story house. Washington sold the mansion and a portion of the estate’s land to the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association in 1858. Two year later, the estate was first opened to the public. Over the next 45 years, the present day mansion is 11,028 sq. ft. of living space, with 21 rooms, blacksmith shop, smokehouse, stable, spinning house, whiskey distillery, and more for today’s visitors to explore. Let’s see how much is this presidential home‘s estimated value.
- President: Thomas Jefferson (1801–1809)
- Location: Charlottesville, Virginia
- Built: 1735 – 1774
- Square Feet: 11,028
- Rooms: 21
- Price then: $200,000 (1853)
- Price now: $6.3 M (2020)
Monticello
This National Historic Landmark, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, was the primary plantation of Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States. The Neoclassical home was first built in 1768 and completed by 1809 and Jefferson continued remodeling until his death in 1826. According to Monticello.org, no one has calculated the cost of the estate, but Jefferson estimated the value of the house and outbuildings at $6,300 in 1800.
- President: Thomas Jefferson (1775–1783)
- Location: Fairfax County, Virginia
- Built: 1768 – 1808
- Square Feet: 11,000
- Rooms: 43 (33 in the house itself -cellar, twelve; first floor, eleven; second floor, six; third floor, four; four in the pavilions; and six under the South Terrace)
- Price then: $6,300 (insured 1800)
- Price now: $6 M (2015)
Montpelier
This 2,650-acre was the plantation house of James Madison, the fourth President of the United States. In 1966, Montpelier was declared a National Historic Landmark. The National Trust for Historic Preservation has continued restoration since it took ownership in 1984. Since then, the historic estate has been transformed into a dynamic cultural institution by the Montpelier Foundation, which is open to the public to learn more about 18th century life. What do you think is the estimated value of this property now?
- President: James Madison (1809–1817)
- Location: Orange, Virginia
- Built: 1760
- Square Feet: 14,174
- Rooms: 22
- Price then: $15,000 (insured 1813)
- Price now: $5 M (2015)
Sagamore Hill
Sagamore Hill became known as the “Summer White House” during the seven summers from 1902 to 1908 and was the home of Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th President of the United States from 1885 until his death in 1919. When Roosevelt was 22 years old, he purchased 155 acres (63 ha) of land for $30,000 on Cove Neck. In 1884, 4 years after his purchase, Roosevelt hired the New York architectural firm of Lamb & Rich to design a shingle-style home for the property. He moved in to the Queen Anne home 3 years after. Today, the property is open to the public for guided tours. Can you guess the value of this property now?
- President: Theodore Roosevelt (1901–1909)
- Location: Oyster Bay, New York
- Built: 1884 – 1904
- Square Feet: 12,261
- Rooms: 23
- Price then: $16,975 (1884)
- Price now: $3 M (2015)
Truman House
The Harry S. Truman National Historic Site, earlier known as the Gates–Wallace home, was a longtime home of Harry S. Truman, the thirty-third president of the United States. It was actually Bess Truman’s maternal grandfather, George Porterfield Gates, built the house between the years 1867 and 1885. The Trumans Home operates a visitor center for guided tours so visitors can have a glimpse of the particularly simple life before and after the presidency of Harry.
- President: Harry S. Truman (1945-1953)
- Location: Key West, Florida
- Built: 1867 – 1885
- Square Feet: 8,800
- Rooms: 14
- Price then: $25,000 (1884)
- Price now: $269,000 (2015)
It’s not like these homes, now turned into national historic landmarks, are on the market. Surely, these historic presidential homes’ estimated value would cost millions and if not, priceless. As we celebrate Presidents Day this year, let’s take some time to learn something about the historic homes that honor our great American leaders’ life and legacy.
As always, ApexPro can help you find your dream home in one of Houston’s historic districts. Contact us today for more home buying information.
Keep safe and Happy Presidents Day!