Clara Barton National Historic Site

The Clara Barton National Historic Site preserves the home and surrounding grounds of Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross. Barton lived at the site in Glen Echo, Maryland, from 1897 until her death in 1912.

The site presents a restored late 19th-century house with period rooms and exhibits focused on Barton’s life, humanitarian work, and the early American Red Cross. Visitors can tour the primary rooms, see original and reproduction furnishings, and view interpretive panels about disaster relief and Barton’s career.

Clara Barton purchased the property in 1897 and used the house as both her residence and the operational base for the American Red Cross for part of that period. The National Park Service later established the site to preserve her home and the organization’s early history.

The property sits in Glen Echo in Montgomery County, Maryland, on the western edge of the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, approximately 7 miles northwest of downtown Washington.

• Clara Barton residence dates: Lived in the house from 1897 until her death in 1912; the site preserves her home and material relating to the early American Red Cross.
• Proximity to Washington: Located roughly 7 miles northwest of downtown Washington, D.C., making it accessible as a half-day visit from the capital.

What to See #

• Clara Barton House: Late 19th-century house museum that served as Clara Barton's residence and the American Red Cross headquarters while she lived there; visitors can see period rooms and interpretive exhibits about her life and work.
• Visitor center and grounds: Small visitor contact station with introductory exhibits and access to the house grounds and short walking trails around the property.