Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1950-04-20

Begged down last Wednesday
and unable tc attend q tea given in
honor of the County Y.W.C.A. at
THE Davis home in Rockville, we
sent Betty Schroeder, who assists
tor a story of the tea. On Thurs
in the Sentinel office Wednesdays,
day on the the editors desk was a
short paragraph about the tea and
folder telling of "Y" activities
and three pages describing the
Davis home.
Betty really brought back the
answer to the $64 question of
what are the Davises doing to the
old Dawson house?" Here is her
story latter eliminating a few
raves and her footnote which said
81 could go on and on = thanks for
sending me-" Betty.
The gorgeous home was begun
in 1872 and completed in 1916. The
reception hall is a lovely room with
arch and staircase to three floors
A grandfather clock, in running
order, stands on the first landing,
complete all but face. The large
20-paned windows on the first floor
let in plenty of light and are beau,
tifully made. 1D
The old dining room has been
turned into a living room and a
dining room made of the old kitch-
en- with it's huge fireplace. This
room 1.-THE old kitchen) has had the
woodwork and walls painted a very
pale blue, with palm leaves just
showing through the paint, in the
fashion of 1775. A new kitchen
1.-THE only room on the 2 first floors
without a fireplace), modern in all
details, has been built or the back
of the house. Between the kitchen
and the old dining room was a
brick entry which the owners used
to drive into To alight from carri-
ages. so that the women would not
be subjected to the weather. A
beautiful arch of brick on the out
side is worth seeing. Here in the
entry was TIE old staircase to the
slave quarters on the second floor,
from which there was no entrance
from the second floor proper. This
has now been opened and includes,
modern bath, closets, and three
bedrooms, made for the daughter
of the Dav;ses, and her family.
The old flooring of wide boards,
in some cases eaten Or worn, is
evident throughout the home.
In the slave quarters on the
second floor, which the family is
now repairing, there was no mold
ing around the firepleces or win
dows.,
On the third floor are two bed
rooms without fireplaces, but With
perfectly gorgeous half-round VIII
dows. A spinning wheel is also
on the third floor landing. The
furniture is in Keeping with the
age Of the home.
On the cecond floor level the bed
rooms have been furnished, too
with old furniture or, that in keep
ing with the period. One old chest
in tie Davis bedroom started t,
America on the "Speedwell", but
when it turned back vas taken tC
England and then brought over or
another vessel.
In the converted powder room Of
the carriage entrance, is ward
robe, known as Kas, which woulC
hold the voluminous clothes of yes
teryear. A weatherslass at The
front door Reeps one informed oil
weather conditions. The entire fur
aishing are in keeping with the agt
Of the home, and while much worl
has YET to be done in the house, III
interior and exterior have ALREADY
been greatly improved. A few 81
the floors are polished and shin
as though the old slaves on theil
knees, pushed heavy rons Owe
the bCsswax. A feature of tn
house is the heavy brick walls be
tween each room. When cutting
for bath, double layer of bricl
was removed from under tn
plaster. Much of the old plaster j
still in excellent condition, al
though some rooms, particularly il
the slave quarters, had to be re
done.
The place is still to unfurnishe'
and cold to be homelike, except TO
the reconverted kitchen (dinini
room now which is lovely with u
warmth and color. But the Davise