Magruder Blacksmith Shop

Introduction

Text-to-speech Audio

One of the oldest buildings in the county, built around 1751, the Magruder Blacksmith Shop was an important part of trade in the colonial area. Barrels of tobacco heading to the port of Georgetown normally traversed River Road, and the Blacksmith shop was built to serve merchants and travelers. The house most likely built by Ninian Magruder before his death in 1751, based on the fact that the initials "N.M" are carved onto the chimney and no other subsequent owner possessed the same initials. When Magruder died, the land of 300 acres was given to his son Samuel Magruder III, who built the Stoneyhurst Manor. The manor and Blacksmith shop remained in the Magruder family until 1850. The building was bought by Gus Stefanou in 2019, and Stefanou has conducted extensive renovations on the structure.

Images

The Blacksmith shop was most likely constructed prior to 1751

Work conducted by new owner Gus Stefanou

Stop work order issued by the Historic Preservation Committee

Plaque commemorating the structures history

Plant, Property, Plant community, Building

Backstory and Context

Text-to-speech Audio

The land on which the Blacksmith shop is located was a part of a land patent granted to Ninian Magruder named "Honesty." The 656 square foot Blacksmith shop itself is two bays across, one bay deep, and is one and a half stories with a gabled roof, and is constructed of stone. The Fegan family bought the home in 1950 for 1500 dollars, and at the time, the home still had dirt floors. The house was upgraded with a kitchen and a bathroom, and was mostly used as a rental. It was sold for 535,000 dollars to Stefanou, who originally intended to redo the roof with a copper roof. However, the Montgomery County Historic Preservation Committee ordered a stop-work order, and the Committee has worked with Stefanou to make sure the structure is not significantly altered and adheres to its history. Stefanou has agreed to replace new vinyl windows he installed with wood frame windows, and replace the copper roof with a wood shake roof.

Sources

Memorandum, "Maryland Historical Trust State Historic Trusts Form, M: 29-40," n.d., accessed April 16, 2021, https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/stagsere/se1/se5/017000/017800/017871/pdf/msa_se5_17871.pdf.

Uliano, Dick. Restoration work could resume this fall on historic Maryland cottage, WTOP News. August 26th 2020. Accessed April 16th 2021. https://wtop.com/montgomery-county/2020/08/fate-of-one-of-the-oldest-buildings-in-rhe-region/.

Park, Janice. Nearly 300-year-old home for sale in Bethesda, WUSA9 News. January 28th 2019. Accessed April 16th 2021. https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/nearly-300-year-old-home-for-sale-in-bethesda/65-ed597f50-287d-419e-a643-d37fd331fa9d.