Ar_home_b_search
 

Georgetown's Old Stone House: 3051 M Street NW

There are plenty of wonderful houses for sale in Georgetown, but this is not one of them!

In 1765, Christopher Layman, moved down to Georgetown from Pennsylvania and started construction on this house.  But he died a year later with only the first floor complete.  The second owner, a stylish widow named Cassandra Chew, added the second and third floors.  It's built out of locally quarried granite

Legend has it that George Washington stayed there while laying plans for the new federal city that would bear his name.  And that legend probably saved the place from the wrecking ball.

In 1807, Mrs. Chew bequeathed the building to her daughter, and it remained in the family until 1875, with the owners living above the shop.  Throughout its history, it served as a tavern, watchmaker's shop, milliner's, and, by the mid 1900's, it was a used car lot!

How unchic!

In the 1950's the National Park Service came to the rescue.  They restored the house and transformed the car lot to an English garden. 

It's now a museum, open free to the public between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm between Wednesday and Sunday.

While the Old Stone House is not currently on the market, there are 62 other Georgetown homes for sale!  They range from a low of $470,000 for a tiny one-bedroom to $19,500,000 for Halcyon House, an amazing historic estate.  But there is a whole lot in between.  If you'd like to explore the possibility of living in this historic neighborhood, give me a call, email or text.  I can help.

 

 

 

23 Comments on Georgetown's Old Stone House

AUG
11
2010
463,971 Points 22 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

I love historical posts, very interesting thanks for sharing with us!  Someday I am returning to DC to visit all the great places I have not been since I was 10 years old!  Its gotta be the Spring to see those magnificent cherry blossoms!

12:05am • #1
662,721 Points 113 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Pat, what a beautiful house! I want THAT house, LOL. OK, I am so waiting for when I can take a few days off and get to DC. Promise me a tour? And we have to go here....

12:06am • #2
291,061 Points 1 Featured Post

Hi Patricia.  I've been to Georgetown a few times but don't remember that home.  It looks well-kept, at least from the outside.

12:06am • #3
662,721 Points 113 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Called Shot Master

OK, I had to do some research. I saw a few photos of the inside, and I read that it is haunted by at least 4 spirits. Very cool!

12:10am • #4
1,481,920 Points 276 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Marilyn, when you come up, we have to have lunch or dinner or something.  I'll save up my extra Weight Watcher points!

Andrea, same to you, and we can all go look at the Old Stone House together!

Richard, it's in much better shape than when the used car guys had the place.  The Park Service is doing a good job.

12:19am • #5
106,288 Points 1 Featured Post Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

What a great story, historic houses are amazing.  Here in Atlanta we have some history, but as you know they burned the place down after the civil war, so we don't have the blessings you do.  Great Post.  I am suggesting this!!!

12:30am • #6
316,169 Points 16 Featured Posts Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Pat, I love old houses, and I see the history of it right in front of my eyes through your story.  You are such a good story teller!

12:56am • #7
566,349 Points 79 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Pat~

Nice history lesson and segue into real estate.  =)

1:08am • #8
1,306,423 Points 314 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Pat - cool house with a neat history. I recall seeing ot once many years ago but had no idea of the histpory behind it.

Jeff

1:12am • #9
506,487 Points 1 Featured Post Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Not "Washington slept her"... but George saved this building".  Who says he wasn't superhuman.

2:54am • #10
614,252 Points 139 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Pat, Interesting history, but then that area is just packed with history!  Thanks!

6:15am • #11
976,223 Points 17 Featured Posts Hit Router Called Shot Master

Interesting history Patricia.  I wonder, if it was up for sale, what the inspection report would look like?

6:17am • #12
875,202 Points 35 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog

Hey Pat, great photo of capturing GeorgeTown history and thank you for the lesson as well :)

7:17am • #13
395,129 Points 6 Featured Posts Hit Router

A fairy tale ending! I simply adore old/historic houses. Thank you National Park Services for being the fairy godmother!

7:52am • #14
571,409 Points 39 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Hit Router Called Shot Master

What an incredible for the old stone house, Pat!  We have a home here that is similar being that it was originally built on a log cabin foundation, second floor added years later, etc.  It has been for sale for a VERY long time and I always say it would be a PERFECT museum!  It would be difficult to "live" in the home given there isn't one straight wall and you feel like you've had "quite a few" when you walk through it BUT it is smack dab in the residential historic district across the street from the Wake Forest College Birthplace - PERFECT for a museum!

Wake Forest NC House Chick

8:17am • #15
791,184 Points 47 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Pat, a very fine looking house of stone, that is probably anything but cold for it's history. Thanks for sharing

8:42am • #16
282,325 Points 2 Featured Posts Called Shot Master

Great post.  And, the fact that it is haunted also adds to its panache.  Now, everyone will want one that "looks" like the stone house. 

9:02am • #17

Hello Pat,

This one is cute but the Halcyon House can leave you speechless! Now that is a house-what a view.

I know that one doesn't need any staging. It really displays what wealth and history is dripping everywhere in this town.

9:08am • #18
469,491 Points 3 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Pat..What a wonderful history lesson..How fortunate that this home has a historic background and how lucky the new owner will be to live in this magnificent home full of charm and grace..Good Luck

HelpfulHannah

10:36am • #19
396,446 Points 48 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Great great great post!  I love history.  I was in DC last year, and looked at Georgetown across the river...

11:40am • #20
883,020 Points 34 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

What a great old house and thanks for the history lesson!

11:42am • #21
1,141,468 Points 76 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Hard to picture a used car lot there.  Looks so much better as an historic sight.  It's a very quaint looking home.

12:10pm • #22
Called Shot Master

It's been ages since I've been to Georgetown.  My husband wouldn't worry if I masked a shopping trip as a trip to see a historical site.

1:41pm • #23

This blog does not allow anonymous comments

 
P1010838 Ambassador_large

Patricia Kennedy

Washington, DC

More about me…

Evers & Company Realtors

Address: 4400 Jenifer Street NW, Washington, DC , 20015

Office Phone: (202) 364-1700

Cell Phone: (202) 549-5167

Email Me

Pat Kennedy -- author of The Irreverent Guide to Real Estate -- gives you a look at life on the streets as a real estate broker in our nation's capital. And her blog is peppered with great advice combined with humor!


Listings

Links

Archives

RSS 2.0 Feed for this blog