The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America promotes appreciation for the people, places and events that led to the formation and development of our country. We are an unincorporated association of 44 Corporate Societies with more than 15,000 members. The NSCDA has been a leader in the field of historic preservation, restoration and the interpretation of historic sites since its New York Society first undertook the preservation of the Van Cortlandt House in 1897. The National Society headquarters is located at Dumbarton House, a Federal period house museum in Washington, D.C.