WASHINGTON — If Lee and Bob Jones’ walls could talk, they would have a lot to share — more than 150 years of history, to be exact.
The couple’s Georgetown house has been home to noted geophysicist Pembroke Hart and journalist John Wallach. Its kitchen has fed working-class families and has hosted dinner parties for diplomats.
And on Saturday, April 29, its doors will be open to the public.
The Jones’ O Street home is one of eight houses participating in this year’s Georgetown House Tour. The event, now in its 86th year, highlights the neighborhood’s historical abodes, as well as its more modern residences.
“We’ve got a variety of architecture here in Georgetown, as you see from walking around, and we’re hitting that variety with this tour,” said Scott Altman, who co-chairs the Georgetown House Tour with his wife, Jill.
The Jones’ home is a blend of both. Over the years, the three-level dwelling has retained its original brick fireplaces and wood floors, which date back to the 1860s.
“You can’t get this wood anymore,” Bob Jones said. “It’s been deforested out of America.”
The home also features a new state-of-the-art kitchen — complete with a roomy island and quartz countertops — and a brand-new living area that overlooks the landscaped garden.
The Georgetown House Tour, which is organized by St. John’s Episcopal Church and attracts thousands each year, is a self-guided tour. Participants are invited to walk through the first floor of each home and docents provide details on each space, ranging from historical facts to design details.
Some houses are grand and others are less spacious. (The smallest house on the tour is 10.5 feet-wide and 28 feet-long.)
“It’s an opportunity to see behind the doors that people don’t normally get to see when they’re walking up and down the street,” Altman said.
The Georgetown House Tour runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets are $50 and proceeds benefit community outreach projects in the Georgetown area, sponsored by St. John’s Episcopal Church. Tickets are available for purchase online and the day of the event.
