Though it is difficult to find examples of very old architecture in Washington DC, one building stands out as a testimony to the developing history of Georgetown and the locals who populated the area. This building today is known as The Old Stone House, built in 1765, and it is classified as the oldest building in the nation's capital. Unlike many other monuments in Washington DC, which commemorate grand events and internationally famous individuals, the Old Stone House is a simple home that was the stage for nothing more complicated than common people trying to make a living.
It survived being demolished because of a local legend stating that George Washington used the home as a temporary headquarters. There is no concrete evidence of this, and there are very few records of the actual owners themselves. It is known that it was purchased by Christopher and Rachel Layman, who had very few possessions and lived an extremely simple life. It was then purchased by Cassandra Chew, a wealthy widow who added a second and third floor to the house, along with a rear kitchen. The transformation of the home into an upper middle class residence is evident in the furnishings of the rooms that date to Chew's stay.
The home was privately owned until the 1950s and has been used as a tailor shop, a hat shop, a clockmaker's shop, a house painting business and even a used car dealership, which turned the backyard of the house into a parking lot. Thankfully, the property was purchased by the Federal government, renovated and turned into a house museum. You can wander about the house and admire the period furnishings belonging to the previous owners of the home. The backyard was turned into a beautiful English garden, a perfect spot for a relaxing afternoon.
