Old Stone House Endures Test of Time

While strolling along the streets of Georgetown, it’s easy to miss this hidden gem amid the designer boutiques and classy restaurants. But it is not just any landmark; it’s the oldest in the capital.

Built around 1765, the Old Stone House is the oldest standing building in the District.

This small white house has a brown conical roof and a white staircase leading to the front door, a style typical of its era.

In 1764, the Layman family came from Pennsylvania and bought the property known as “Three Lot” for a mere one pound, 10 shillings -- or about $25 in present-day dollars, Ranger Deanna Ochs said.

They began constructing the house, including low ceilings to help conserve heat from the hearth fire and thick stone walls to protect the family from bad weather. After Christopher Layman died in 1765 during the construction, his wife Rachel sold it to Cassandra Chew, a wealthy widow who owned black slaves, Ochs said.

Chew then passed the property to her daughter, Mary, who started doing business out of the house. After Mary Chew sold the house in 1802, it changed hands several times until 1953, when the National Park Service bought it from a used-car company that owned the property at the time.

“The people who lived in this area primarily were shop owners," Ochs said. "The wives would look after the house and children and would help out in the business as well."

The house has a kitchen where families would sometimes eat.  The second floor features bedrooms with low ceilings and a dining room with musical instruments.

“The women at this time were taught to sing and dance or play instruments," Ochs said. "It made them more marriageable. For dinner parties, usually the ladies would perform."

Also, spinning one’s own cotton was common, which is why most of the rooms have spinning wheels in them.

“The ladies were fashion conscious, especially keeping up with European fashion trends of the times,” Ochs said.