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The Old Stone House is the oldest unchanged building in Washington, D.C., United States. The house is also Washington's last Pre-Revolutionary Colonial building on its original foundation. Built in 1765, Old Stone House is located at 3051 M Street, Northwest in the Georgetown neighborhood. Unlike many Colonial homes in the area, sentimental local folklore preserved the Old Stone House from being demolished. The Old Stone House was constructed in three phases during the 18th century and is an example of vernacular architecture. During its history, the house was started as a one-story building and gradually became a used car dealership later. After a renovation by the National Park Service (NPS) in the 1950s, the Old Stone House was turned into a house museum. The Old Stone House stands among the neighborhood's stores and restaurants as an example of local history for tourists, shoppers, and students. The building, valued at over $7 million, is part of the Rock Creek Parkway urban natural area and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. The Old Stone House is also a contributing property to the Georgetown Historic District, a National Historic Landmark. Today, the home is 85% original to its 18th century construction. ==History== In 1764, Christopher and Rachel Layman bought Lot Three, a piece of land in Georgetown's commercial district. They paid £1 10s. and financed the construction of a simple one-room house the following year. The lot faced Bridge Street, now known as M Street, NW. The Laymans' only possessions were Christopher's tools, a stove, Bibles, and some furniture. When Christopher died unexpectedly in 1765, Rachel remarried two years later and sold the house to another widow, Cassandra Chew. Chew was a member of the upper-middle class and owned several properties in and around Georgetown. Because of her wealth, Chew was able to finance the construction of a rear kitchen in 1767 and a second floor between 1767 and 1775. The third floor originated in a property line dispute during the 1790s: the original west wall had been constructed six feet beyond the property line and had to be dismantled. Chew used the opportunity to add the upper floor and was completed by 1790.〔 Following the American Revolutionary War, government officials had carved out land from Virginia and Maryland to use as the new nation's capital. Pierre Charles L'Enfant, appointed by President George Washington to design the city layout, arrived in Georgetown on March 9, 1791 and began his work. Washington and L'Enfant held their meetings at Suter's Tavern, a former building owned by John Suter near 31st and K Streets, NW. At the time, John Suter Jr. was renting a room at the Old Stone House and for many years, locals believed that Washington and L'Enfant had actually met at the Old Stone House instead. This folklore is the reason the house was never demolished, and for many years a sign hung over the front door which said, "George Washington's Headquarters." After some research done by the National Park Service, they found out that the folklore was not true. By that time they had they found that out, they already owned the House and the property.〔 When Chew died in 1807, she bequeathed Old Stone House to one of her daughters, Mary Smith Brumley, who became the first of many owners who operated businesses out of the house. Like her mother, Brumley was a businesswoman and ran a successful merchant's shop inside the home. The house, then known as the Layman home, remained in the family until 1875.〔 Over the years, the house had been used as a shop for hats, tailors, locksmiths, clockmakers, house roofing, house painting, and a used car dealership named Parkway Motor Company. The dealership used the back yard as a parking lot. The Old Stone House was privately owned until 1953, when the Federal government purchased the property for $90,000 and turned it over to the National Park Service. Between 1953 and 1960 the NPS removed the majority of 19th and 20th century intrusions to the home and the parking lot was turned into an English garden.〔 After the renovation, the Old Stone House was opened to the public in 1960. It became a part of the George Washington Memorial Parkway, but stewardship of the house was later transferred to the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park. In the late 1980s stewardship of the Old Stone House was once again transferred, this time to the Rock Creek Park.〔 The current value of the land and building is $7,571,290. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Old Stone House (Washington, D.C.)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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