In Washington DC, amongst a city of grand memorials to national leaders and significant events, sits an unassuming building that passersby might walk right on by, if it were not for the sign indicating its significance.

The Old Stone House in Georgetown has withstood the tests of time, partly due to a myth, and is one of the oldest known structures remaining in the nation’s capital, built in 1765. It is true, that in 1791 none other than George Washington himself stayed at the house when it was then a tavern. Later, it became a clock maker’s shop with a home upstairs for the clock maker’s family. Around 1850, it was also owned by a couple of wealthy widows who owned slaves there, commonplace in a time when nearly one third of the port town of Georgetown’s total population was slave laborers.

In the early 1900s, legend had it that the house had actually served as George Washington’s Headquarters, a myth that was later disproved, but that had actually helped to preserve the house for some time.

In 1953 the federal government purchased the house, which at the time was serving as a used car dealership called Parkway Motor Company. Their paved lot sat in what is now a beautiful English style garden.

An ad for Parkway from 1938 shows used cars at what appear to be very reasonable prices. A 1935 Ford Tudor for $239 equates to about $3,800 in today’s dollars. What’s more with only $9 down (about $145 in today’s dollars) you could drive a car off the lot, and probably gas it up for another two bucks (adjusted for inflation that is about what gas costs now), take your “best gal” out for a nice steak dinner and dancing afterwards and still have change for a Twenty!

The building as it appeared in the late 1930s and today. Those with sharp eyes may have also noticed the building to the left of the Old Stone House is missing in the latter photos. That was painstakingly torn down while still preserving the Old Stone House.

By Car Chat Guy

Car Chat Guy is the Publisher and Editor in Chief of Car Chat Club Magazine. He has been a lifelong fan of cars, particulary Mustangs and Shelbys.