Old Stone House

At 3051 M St NW in Georgetown, the Old Stone House dates to 1765 and is the oldest building in Washington, DC, still on its original foundation. Its rooms and displays offer a close look at pre-Revolutionary architecture and everyday colonial life. Inside, you can see the historic fireplace and browse the gift shop; outside, a small garden has benches and flowers. Admission is free, so it’s an easy stop while exploring Georgetown, especially if you want a quieter pause from M Street.

A Georgetown house from 1765

The Old Stone House was built in 1765, when Georgetown was part of the British colony of Maryland and Washington, DC, did not yet exist. It is the oldest building in the city that remains on its original foundation, and a rare surviving example of pre-Revolutionary architecture.

The house was built as both a home and a shop for cabinetmaker Christopher Layman. Its construction used locally quarried blue granite. The rooms are furnished to show aspects of everyday colonial life, rather than the grand interiors found in later Washington landmarks.

Inside the house and garden

The first floor includes the historic fireplace and displays about the house and the city’s past. The visitor center also has a gift shop. The second floor is not always accessible; ranger-led visits upstairs may take place at specified times.

Behind the house, a small garden has flowers, vegetation and benches. It gives you somewhere to sit after looking around the rooms, or to take a short break from Georgetown’s M Street. The house is managed by the National Park Service and reopened as a museum in 1960.