Best House for George Washington Impersonators

• December 20th 2011

by Shilpi Paul

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In early October, we found an Alexandria home that was straight out of colonial times.

With a log cabin facade and copper pots hanging everywhere, we could almost imagine George Washington and his fellow founding fathers hanging out by one of the property’s seven fireplaces. In fact, the home’s original owner, Patrick Murray, allegedly hosted the big guy during the city’s early years.

Built in 1772 (four years before the Declaration of Independence was signed), the massive Old Town farmhouse feels more like a museum than the private residence that it is, which makes us think it would be perfect for historical reenactors and U.S. history buffs looking for a place to hang their triangular hats.

John Douglas Brown and his descendants lived there from 1816 until the late 20th century. Even after a recent renovation by McCrery Architects, who restored the walls and built a kitchen annex, the current owner maintains an 18th-century style, and the house, which is featured on several Old Town walking tours is sometimes touted as the “least touched home” from the revolutionary era.

The current owner put the home up for sale back in 2010 for $2.5 million, and it has been sitting on the market for the past few months at $1.849 million, looking for the right buyer.

More details and photos below.

• Full Listing: 517 Prince Street (map)
• Price: $1.849 million
• Bedrooms: Four
• Bathrooms: Three
• Listing Agent: Paul Anderson, McEnearney Associates

Previous Best Of 2011 entries:

• Best Green Effort of Year: The Electric Car Charging Station
• The Deal of the Year: The Beautiful Foreclosure
• Best Real Estate Idea (If It Works): Popularise
• Best Real Estate Amenity of 2011: Bathroom Pencil Sharpener
• The Best Listing of the Year For Mere Mortals
• Best (or Worst) New Neighborhood Moniker: Silicon Hill
• Best (And Most Ridiculous) Real Estate Rumor of 2011: R. Kelly Apartment Hunting on Capitol Hill
• The Best Listing of the Year For Well-Paid Lobbyists

This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/best_house_for_george_washington_impersonators/4806.