Flanking Structures (1797-1801)

When Madison, Jr. built on the duplex addition to the mansion he also threw off the Georgian symmetry of the house and landscape that his father had conceptualized.  To pay respect to that landscape, Madison, Jr. directed that the southern Flanking Structure be rebuilt 30 feet closer into the mansion, thereby maintaining the symmetry.

Archaeological investigations of the southern Flanking Structure have revealed a brick wall similar to that in the North West Yard, but they have not yet been extended sufficiently to definitively prove the presence of the building itself.  No evidence of the original position of the structure has been identified.

As with the northern Flanking Structure, it is not currently known what function they might have served.
 

The 1765 layout of flanking buildings showing 100' symmetry with front of mansion.

The 1797 changes to the dependencies showing how the southern structure was potentially moved north to keep symmetrical layout.