Rue du Helder, 9th Arrondissement

1784 October 17-1785 October 17: On October 17, 1784, Jefferson moved to an unfurnished three-story house, the Hôtel Landron, in the Cul-de-sac Taitbout (present-day Rue du Helder, Ninth Arrondissement). Jefferson referred to it as the “Hôtel Tetebout.”3 It was located on the Right Bank and was owned by M. Guireaud de Talairac. The annual rent was 4,000 livres, to be paid in quarterly installments. The house, according to the lease, had “three main parts …, a courtyard, and two gardens.”4 The cost to equip the house with furniture, carpets, linens, blankets, clocks, silver, and works of art purchased at auction exceeded Jefferson’s salary for the year.5 He had bookshelves built, rented a pianoforte, and bought music and a music stand.6 Before long Jefferson decided the house was inconvenient and wasn’t worthy of the U.S. legation. In October 1785, he moved to the Hôtel de Langeac.