In addition to Blaine, the mansion has served as the residence of other prominent individuals, including wealthy businessmen Levi Leiter and George Westinghouse, and French ambassador Jules Patenôtre des Noyers.

Following the war, diplomatic occupants including the Japanese embassy and Colombian Ambassador Enrique Olaya Herrera leased the building.

The United Nations leased part of the building as office space for the Food and Agriculture Organization in the late 1940s and Information Center in the 1950s.

In the late 2000s and early 2010s, the building was completely renovated after it was purchased by diplomat and attorney John R. Phillips and his wife, journalist and Obama administration official Linda Douglass.

Designed by noted architect John Fraser, the mansion is a combination of the Châteauesque, Queen Anne, and Second Empire architectural styles.

The other remaining large homes on the circle are the Patterson Mansion and Wadsworth House, more commonly known as the Sulgrave Club.

[4][6][7] As a fervent supporter of President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War, Blaine was involved with organizing assistance to local soldiers from the Union Army.

Following the deaths of his wife and three of his children, and due to his own failing health, Blaine retired in 1892; he died the following year.

Blaine's wife, Harriet, wrote to their son Emmons in May 1881 describing the ordeal: "your Father...has conceived a sort of disgust with the Sixteenth Street place, on account of the vicinage of stables, and although he has that immense tract graded, is not going to build on it, and fastening his affections on a lot on Massachusetts Avenue, P and Twentieth Streets, he comes upon the surprising fact that Mr. Phelps is the owner thereof."

The land where the mansion was built, the site of the former Hopkins Brickyard, was purchased from a family friend, William Walter Phelps.

[1][11][12] With the help of money earned from his book, Twenty Years of Congress, Blaine chose John Fraser (1825–1906) to design his home.

The Blaines only held one large social event in the house, the wedding of James and Harriet's daughter, Alice, to Colonel John Joseph Coppinger in February 1883.

[11][16] Later that same year Blaine leased the furnished mansion to wealthy businessman and cofounder of Marshall Field & Company, Levi Leiter.

[18] In 1889, Harriet sold two lots on the property to Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company manager Samuel T. Bryan for $50,000.

Valuables were removed from the third floor before they could be destroyed and the fire was completely extinguished by around noon, but there was smoke and water damage to much of the building.

"[25] The following month it was announced newly appointed French Ambassador Jules Patenôtre des Noyers would be leasing the house.

Their former home on Madison Place was demolished and replaced with the Lafayette Square Opera House, later known as the Belasco Theatre.

[27][28][29] In late 1895, Harriet leased the furnished house to wealthy businessman and engineer George Westinghouse, whose wife was known for hosting popular social gatherings.

[37] In 1923, Colombian Ambassador Enrique Olaya Herrera and counselor for the Danish Legation, Kai Helmer-Petersen each leased an apartment in the building.

[38][39] One of the non-diplomatic residents who rented an apartment in the mansion at this time was Henry Cabot Lodge Jr., who would later become a senator and ambassador.

[11] Following the war, the United Nations leased part of the building as office space for the Food and Agriculture Organization and Information Center.

[46][47] There was a major renovation done to the building during these years when the remaining interior space was converted to offices and the west side of the property was graded to street level to provide parking spots.

[49][50] The renovation and expansion, designed by Van Dusen Architects, was expected to cost around $20 million and include the construction of 6,000 square feet (560 m2) of retail space, a three-story underground parking garage, and a narrow six-story condominium building adjoining the mansion.

The Secret Service was often stationed at the house in preparation for these visits and a hardline phone was installed in the garage so that Obama could make or receive calls if needed.

The others are the Patterson Mansion at 15 Dupont Circle and the Wadsworth House, home to the Sulgrave Club, at 1801 Massachusetts Avenue NW.