A late-18th-century Georgetown mansion that was built by a Revolutionary War hero and later served as the guest house for White House visitors while Blair House was under renovation is on the market for $15,995,000. Kim Gibson and Eileen McGrath of Washington Fine Properties are the listing agents.
One of the few freestanding, late-18th-century houses left in the western part of Georgetown, Prospect House (or Lingan-Templeman House) is believed to be the fourth-oldest home in the neighborhood. It is set on a hill overlooking the Potomac River, and its views—or, prospect—give the house its name.
Gen. James McCubbin Lingan, an officer in the Continental Army who was taken prisoner early in the war, bought the land where the house is built in 1788. William Thornton, architect of the U.S. Capitol, designed the house, which was completed circa 1793. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Prospect House has had several notable visitors over the years, including Presidents Washington and Adams, the Marquis de Lafayette, the Shah of Iran, the president of France, and the poet Robert Frost. It also served as an official federal government guest house from 1949 to 1951.
Past owners include John Templeman, who oversaw construction of the Georgetown Bridge; first U.S. Secretary of Defense James Forrestal; and North Carolina Representative Richard Thurmond Chatham.
The house was rented by the production team working on the 1998 movie Deep Impact.
The eight-bedroom, eight-bathroom, 9,086-square-foot red brick Georgian-Federal house has 12-foot ceilings, a formal entrance hall, a double parlor living room with twin Adams fireplaces, a Jefferson window, and a bay window overlooking the gardens. The banquet-sized dining room has a fireplace and river views. Also on the first floor are a gallery hall, an eat-in kitchen, a powder room and a veranda. Seven bedrooms, several with river views, are on the top two floors. A sitting room and five bathrooms are also on the upper levels. The lower level has a library, home office, and another bedroom and bathroom.
The 0.43-acre property has a 41-foot swimming pool and octagonal tower where one of the early owners watched boats entering Georgetown Harbor. In addition to the three-car garage, there is parking for another three cars.
Listing: 3508 Prospect St., NW
