The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution was founded on October 11, 1890, during a time that was marked by a revival in patriotism and intense interest in the beginnings of the United States of America. Women felt the desire to express their patriotic feelings and were frustrated by their exclusion from men's organizations formed to perpetuate the memory of ancestors who fought to make this country free and independent. As a result, a group of pioneering women in the nation's capital formed their own organization and the Daughters of the American Revolution has carried the torch of patriotism ever since.
Those objectives are: Historical - to perpetuate the memory and spirit of the men and women who achieved American Independence; Educational - to carry out the injunction of Washington in his farewell address to the American people, "to promote, as an object of primary importance, institutions for the general diffusion of knowledge, thus developing an enlightened public opinion…"; and Patriotic - to cherish, maintain, and extend the institutions of American freedom, to foster true patriotism and love of country, and to aid in securing for mankind all the blessings of liberty.
Since its founding in 1890, DAR has admitted more than 1,000,000 members.
Located in the heart of Washington's most popular tourist attractions, the exquisite buildings of the DAR National Headquarters were prominent structures in downtown D.C. even before some of its better-known neighbors, such as the Jefferson, Vietnam, and World War II memorials.
Memorial Continental Hall, the oldest building of the DAR complex, was designed in 1905 by prominent Washington architect Edward Pearce Casey, designer of the interior of the Library of Congress. Upon its completion, Memorial Continental Hall was quickly recognized as one of Washington, D.C.’s most elegant buildings.