Invitation to the Twin Oaks Estate: May 7
Dear Friends,
We have a special invitation from Mr. Lyushun Shen, Representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States, and Mrs. Christine Shen, to an Afternoon Tea Mother’s Day celebration in one of the most beautiful landmarks in Washington, DC: the Twin Oaks Estate. Built in 1888, Twin Oaks is located at 3225 Woodley Road, NW Washington, DC 20008.
There is limited space available. If you would like to attend this unique opportunity and enjoy a delightful Afternoon Tea, and tour this historical and beautiful mansion and its gardens, RSVP no later than April 30 to office@aafsw.org or call 703-820-5420. There is no charge for this program.
Parking is available within the premises. Provide us with your license plate number when you RSVP (this is for the Twin Oaks security station). We look forward to seeing you.
“The Twin Oaks Estate,” a 26-room English Georgian Renaissance-style mansion situated on 18.24 acres of land in northwestern Washington, D.C., was constructed in 1888. It originally served as the summer residence for Gardiner Greene Hubbard, the founder of the National Geographic Society. He named the estate Twin Oaks after the two beautiful oak trees located in front of the house. The mansion also has a historic connection to Mr. Hubbard’s son-in-law Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone. After renting the property as the official residence of the Republic of China (ROC)’s ambassadors to the United States for ten years, the Government purchased the Twin Oaks Estate from the Hubbard family in 1947. The mansion hosted several U.S. presidential figures, among many other celebrities, such as Dwight Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford and George W. Bush, before each became president. Madame Chiang Kai-shek also stayed at this historic mansion during her visits to Washington, D.C. in the 1950s and 60s. It also possesses a number of priceless antiques, such as a painting done by Empress Dowager Tzu Hsi (1835-1908, the real ruler of China during the late Ch’ing period) as well as a set of dragon motif-carved imperial furniture sent reportedly by the order of the Empress Dowager to the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair.
Due to the forthcoming change in diplomatic relations between the ROC and the United States in late 1978, Twin Oaks was sold to an American non-profit organization, the Friends of Free China Association. With the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act in April 1979, which also provides legal protection to the original ownership, the Taiwan Government purchased Twin Oaks back from the Association in 1982. In official recognition of its historic and cultural significance, Twin Oaks was placed on the National Register for Historic Sites by the United States Department of the Interior in February 1986.
For over seven decades, 22 ambassadors or representatives have served as the estate’s official hosts, witnessing a number of critical moments in the ROC’s diplomatic history. Twin Oaks is famed for its exquisite beauty, special history, and the gracious hospitality of its hosts and hostesses. These special features have earned the mansion a sterling reputation among its numerous guests who depart with fond memories of the estate.
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