Although the building has not moved, the Petersen House's address has changed multiple times since the 1850s. From 1844 to 1853, it was listed as Tenth west between E and F north; it then switched to 453 10th west; and finally, when Washington adopted its current street address system in 1870, it became 516 10th Street, NW. The house that stands now appears much the same as the one that stood in 1865.