Truman Capote's House

The pale yellow Greek Revival townhouse at number seventy Willow Street served as the home of Truman Capote from nineteen fifty-five to nineteen sixty-five. While this building is now colloquially known as the Truman Capote house, the author actually lived in a basement apartment. He secured the space by drinking martinis with the building's owner, the famous Broadway stage designer Oliver Smith, and convincing him that twenty-eight rooms were far too many for one person. Capote famously invited guests like Jacqueline Kennedy to visit, often allowing them to believe he owned the entire grand estate rather than just the basement quarters.