The First Home of Chevy Chase Sells for $10 Million

• March 25th 2020

by UrbanTurf Staff

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The home known as Ishpiming hit the market for the lofty price of $26.9 million almost two years ago. It sold at a hefty discount last week. 

Built by the Chevy Chase Land Company (CCLC) in 1894, the seven-bedroom home on Chevy Chase Circle sold for $10 million to DC philanthropist Adrienne Arsht. TTR Sotheby's International Real Estate represented the seller and Washington Fine Properties represented the buyer. The Wall Street Journal was the first to report the news. 

Located at 9 Chevy Chase Circle (map) just past Western Avenue, the house was built as a part of the Chevy Chase neighborhood, a neighborhood planned in response to construction of a trolley line parallel to Connecticut Avenue NW.

Then-senator and owner of CCLC Francis Newlands had the house built for himself by Leo Dessez in Queen Anne style, announcing itself with a coach gate at the front door sheltering the circular driveway.

The house was later purchased by businessman William S. Corby in 1909, who oversaw a 25-year renovation of the property helmed by National Cathedral architect Arthur Heaton. The renovation lent the house a more Tudor revival aesthetic, featuring grand leaded and stained glass windows and ornate plaster wall and ceiling details. Corby named the home "Ishpiming", which is a Chippewa word meaning "high ground". 

A loft-like spiral stair leads to a sitting area that looks down into the ballroom. The second level also has three master suites, each with fireplaces and dressing rooms. The third level has additional bedrooms and sitting rooms, as well as rehearsal and artists' studios. The house also has an outdoor terrace with a bar and retractable walls, as well as a pool, pool terrace and a carriage house.

Photo by HomeVisit.

This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/the-first-home-of-chevy-chase-sells-for-10-million/16639.