Morrison-Clark Historic Inn
History
In 1864, businessmen David Morrison and Reuben Clark each owned an elegant new townhouse in a posh Massachusetts Avenue neighborhood. A later owner of Clark’s property added a Chinese Chippendale porch and Shanghai roof following a trip to the Orient. The twin townhouses eventually merged to form a mansion and became the Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmens Club. When it opened in1923, the club offered lodging for up to 120 servicemen at a fee of seventy-five cents per night. Each First Lady from Grace Coolidge to Nancy Reagan served as the club’s honorary chairperson. After the club closed, it was restored as a Victorian inn, retaining a number of original features including marble floors and fireplaces, wrought iron ceiling medallions, 12-foot mahogany pier mirrors and a collection of 19th century art.
