Lyles-Magruder House
Finished in 1801, this Federal Style home was built for Mrs. Sarah Love, the first cousin of George Washington.
Text
Formerly called “The Rest,” the Lyles-Magruder House was once a part of Mrs. Magruder’s great estate, contemporary with other important estates such as Mount Vernon and Clean Drinking Manor. The building has incredible historical significance over three centuries. The building was the holder of many of Washington family heirlooms, saw later use as a stop for the Underground Railroad, and was a prime location for gambling and drinking during Prohibition.
The building still holds much of its original integrity, showcasing original windows, heavy hand-hewn timbers in its floors and basement, old iron locks and bolts still in good working condition, a few old marble mantle-pieces, and a narrow, winding staircase, all typical of estates built in the early 1800s.
The location that the estate was built upon was originally a log hut whose constructed dated to 1700, but it was later converted into a family mansion upon coming into the possession of the Lyles family. The estate is the oldest remaining construction in Tenleytown. The last family member to own the house was Eleanor Magruder, who still held many of Washington’s and other neighboring family heirlooms when she died in 1905.
The home remains a family residence, last sold in 2021.
DC Inventory: November 8, 1964 (Joint Committee on Landmarks)
