Beall–Dawson House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Beall–Dawson House
|
|
Beall–Dawson house, January 2005
|
|
 Location in Maryland
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 103 W. Montgomery Ave., Rockville, Maryland |
|---|---|
| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1815 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 73000933 |
| Added to NRHP | March 30, 1973 |
The Beall–Dawson House is a historic home located in Rockville, Montgomery County, Maryland. It is a two-and-a-half-story house built in the Federal style. The front of the house is made of special brickwork called Flemish bond. Other parts use common bond brick.
The property also has other old buildings. There is an original brick dairy house. There is also a one-room doctor's office from the mid-1800s. This office was moved to the site to become a museum. The main house was built in 1815.
Today, the Beall–Dawson House is the main office for the Montgomery County Historical Society. They keep the house as a museum. It shows what a home looked like in the early 1800s. The house also has rooms that were used by enslaved people. Plus, it has two rooms with changing exhibits about local history.
The Beall–Dawson House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. This means it is a very important historical site.
The property also includes the Stonestreet Museum of 19th Century Medicine. This is the one-room doctor's office mentioned earlier. It displays medical tools, furniture, and books from the 1800s and early 1900s.
A Look Back in Time
The Beall–Dawson House was built around 1815. It was made for Upton Beall, his wife, and their daughters. Mr. Beall came from an important family in Georgetown. He was the Clerk of the Court for the county. He wanted a home that would show his wealth and importance.
In 1815, Rockville was a small farming town. But it was also the county seat and an important crossroads. Mr. Beall's large brick house was built to impress everyone. It stood overlooking Commerce Lane, which is now West Montgomery Avenue.
The Beall Family's Home
Upton Beall passed away in 1827. His wife, Jane, and their three daughters, Mathilda, Jane Elizabeth, and Margaret, took ownership of the house. Jane Beall never remarried. Her three daughters also never married. They lived in the house their whole lives.
After Mathilda and Jane Elizabeth died, Margaret Beall invited her cousin, Amelia Somervell, to live with her. Amelia married John L. Dawson, a local farmer. They lived in the house with their nine children. Eight of their children grew up there. When the last Beall daughter died in the late 1800s, she left the house to three of Amelia Somervell-Dawson's daughters. This kept the tradition of three sisters owning the house.
Changes Over Time
As money became difficult, the Dawson family tried to earn income from the house. They opened a restaurant in the front yard. They also taught dancing lessons to children in the neighborhood. They even took in people who needed a place to stay.
Despite their efforts, the house started to show signs of neglect. It needed a lot of care.
Restoring the House
After the last Dawson sister passed away, the house was sold in 1946. The Davis family bought it. They were looking for a house to fix up. They worked hard to bring the house back to its original grand look.
The Davis family restored much of the house to how it looked when the Beall family lived there. They also added a modern kitchen to the side of what used to be the servants' quarters. The original kitchen became the family's dining room.
After Edwin Davis died, Mrs. Davis decided to sell the house. The City of Rockville bought it. It then became the main office for the Montgomery County Historical Society.
See also
In Spanish: Casa Beall-Dawson para niños
