The Octagon House?

Went out to eat on our way to pick up pumpkins in Virgina.  While we were waiting on our food Mark and I were talking with the kids.  Thomas says, "Mom I really want to go to Washington, DC."  I asked him why he really wanted to go.  He replied, "I want to go see the Octagon House."   Jack pipes up and makes a comment thinking Thomas is really referring to the Pentagon.   Jack says, "it's the Pentagon not the Octagon."  Jack began laughing.  Thomas goes on to tell why he wants to see the Octagon house and explains what it is.  He said it was the most haunted place in Washington, DC.  Mark then takes out the trusty Blackberry and googles the Octagon house.  Mark begins, "the Octagon House located in Washington, DC is the most haunted place in Washington."  We all laugh of course because Thomas is correct.  He gives a big "SEE" to Jack and we laugh again. 
The Octagon House was built for the Tayloe family back in the 1800's.  The house was first used as a French Embassy and later in 1814 was used by President and Mrs. Dolley Madison as their Executive home after the British burned the White House.
Two of Tayloes' daughters are said to haunt the house as well as Dolley Madison.  They say at times you can smell lilacs.  That was Dolley Madisons' favorite flower.  The daughters both died in the house quarreling with their father over boys.  They both fell over the balcony of the spiral staircase.  One of the ghosts appears  a crumpled figure on the floor at the bottom of the staircase the other a light that goes up and down the staircase.
We found all of this information by Wikipedia.  Thomas had all of this information because he had  been reading about different things in history.  I am so glad my kids like to read.  If they didn't I might not learn anything cool.