When trying to write my last Looking Back post, I couldn’t find an interesting, great building to write about — so I decided to do a Looking Back post on the last 8 months or some of Looking Back posts.

The oldest structure owned by the Smithsonian, the Holt House, sits on the grounds of the National Zoo – yet you’ve likely never visited it, nor possibly known of its existence. The house, which can be seen from Adams Mill Road, was built in 1810. The estate was one of many large country estates built on Rock Creek Park during the early years of our Federal city. The house is within the boundaries of an…