In 1881, Alexander Graham Bell—the inventor of the telephone and phonograph—purchased what is now 3414 Volta Place NW, as well as the adjacent home, for $8,000. The main house was a gift for his parents, who were moving to DC to be close to their accomplished son. Derry Haws and Thomas Bryant, who are offering the property via Long & Foster Real Estate, explain that the carriage house served as Bell’s private library and laboratory, which he called the “Volta Lab.” Now, the two-story stuccoed building is up for sale for a cool $2.395 million. Real estate may be all about location, location, location, but owning a piece of American history is pretty priceless.
Graham is said to have worked at the carriage home conducting extensive research into the field of deafness, even perfecting the phonograph here. The issue was so important to him that in 1907 he donated the property to the American Association to Promote the Teaching of Speech to the Deaf. It’s since been converted several times, most recently into this three-bedroom charmer in the heart of Georgetown.
Here are the details:
Address: 3414 Volta Place NW
List Price: $2.395 Million
Square Footage: 2,224
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 2 full, 1 half
Amenities: parking for three cars, Viking stovetop, working fireplace, built-in bookshelves, a little bit of American history
For more photos and listing information visit Long & Foster.
Hayley is an Associate Editor at Washingtonian Weddings. Previously she was the the Style Editor at The Local Palate, a Southern food culture magazine based out of Charleston, South Carolina. You can follow her on instagram @wandertaste.
