The Georgetown House Tour boasts another Spring Saturday full of beautiful landscapes, plush gardens and unique architecture… all in one of DC’s most historic neighborhoods.
Taking place on Saturday, April 27th, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., this 88th tour, one of the oldest in the country, is co-Chaired by Hannah Isles and Kelly Stavish, and sponsored by St. John’s Episcopal Church on O Street.
Started in 1931, the Georgetown House Tour has raised millions of dollars to support charities that serve those in need in Georgetown and beyond. Tickets include admission to a tea at St. John’s, a panel discussion regarding urban landscapes, and entertainment at St. John’s Church in addition to the tour.
The self-guided afternoon showcases new and lavishly remodeled residences in a variety of styles. 2019’s tour is comprised of 8 homes — no two are alike — yet each has history and gardens galore!
Each must be seen to be fully appreciated, though to whet your appetite for the abodes, here are some fun facts about each of the eight homes on the 2019 tour:
3007 Q Street: This large post Civil War semi-detached residence is one of eight “villas” built beginning in 1868 by Henry J. Cooke, the first Governor of D.C., for his 12 children. It later served as Mrs. L.P. Shippen’s Dance Academy, where dance and etiquette classes were offered in the front parlor. The current renovation retains many original architectural details, including a seemingly free-floating spiral staircase.
3030 Q Street: This large white painted brick end unit mansion was built in 2nd – or French – Empire style in 1868. The residence has four amazing fireplaces which are a must see.
1320 30th Street: This pre Civil War “flat front” Victorian was built as a tenant house in 1850. Owned by original family members for 143 years before it sold in the 1990s, it still has original pine floors and a white marble mantel in one of the wood-burning fireplaces.
3327 Dent Place: This is an 1890s Federal style home — that was once two! The property is balanced with front-end rear patios and railings. There is also a stunning carriage house.
3338 Dent Place: Originally built in 1941, with restorations in 2005 and 2010, this home
has a deep south facing garden with a pond that invites tranquility.
3310 R Street: This row house, that sits on a hilltop overlooking the Potomac River, is one-third of what was once a 20 room mansion! Its most famous owner was renowned hostess Evelyn Walsh McLea, once owner of the Hope Diamond.
3052 P Street: This 4 story Federal-style boasts a 3 story Victorian bay added in the mid
1860’s. Light from floor to ceiling windows and the bay flood the double parlors. The kitchen and a dining room — that can accommodate 30 people — are, as was often done, on the lower level. In the 1980’s the house belonged to best-selling author, Livingston Ludlow Biddle and his wife Catharina Baart, a painter, whose studio was on the top floor.
3013 Dumbarton Street: Located on one of the oldest and shortest streets in Georgetown, this house, set on a 705 acre land tract, was known as Rock of Dumbarton. This detached white clapboard home’s most famous owner was artist, Robert Sivard.
See all of these homes, their gardens, and more of Georgetown on the tour. This annual April Saturday is always an exceptional event for enjoying, serving, and learning more about the Georgetown community.
