Magruder House (18MO324)

Magruder House, 18MO324, is a late 18th century two-story brick house in Rockville, Maryland. Named “Locust Grove” by Samuel Wade Magruder, the house stands on a hilltop which commanded an excellent view of the surrounding countryside. The 12-room brick house has one interior chimney on the east wall, while the west wall has two symmetrical exterior chimneys. A two-story frame kitchen addition extends from the west wall, which has a concrete slab hearth at the level of a raised wooden floor. The main portion of the house has a full cellar, divided into two rooms. There is evidence for a stairway descending into the cellar from the house. A porch runs along the full length of the south wall. Today the house lies in the midst of modern development.

Archaeological work at the site was prompted by the desire of Chevy Chase Savings and Loan, Inc. to convert the house into a branch office, museum, and community center. The property was divided into 8 different study areas; 1) the entire east wall, 2) the south wall, 3) the area between the west wall chimneys (where a builder’s trench was likely preserved), 4) the area beneath the kitchen floor, 5) the two rooms of the basement/cellar, and three separate trenches scattered in the farm yards (6, 7, & 8).

Detailed descriptions and quantities of artifacts are not provided in the full site report, however, major features are described and diagnostic ceramics are quantified. In Area 1, excavations revealed fieldstone footings for two exterior chimneys. The excavations of the south wall (Area 2) uncovered two porch footings of fieldstone bonded with mortar. The square excavation unit located between the west wall chimneys (Area 3) located a narrow builder’s trench and excavated it to the base of the west wall foundation. Prior to the excavation of Study Area 4, the kitchen, contractors removed the wooden floor leaving the joists in place to maintain structural integrity. The excavation of the kitchen revealed a fieldstone floor below the ground surface. A truncated stone wall was incorporated into the floor, revealing that the kitchen addition was larger than the original kitchen.

Three features were identified in the basement (Area 5). The first of these was a deep sump pit along the east wall of the cellar. The second consisted of a slight depression filled with distinctly colored soil running along the north wall of the cellar. The third feature consisted of two rows of brick, without mortar, placed to form a landing for a set of stairs from the first floor.

Study areas 6, 7, and 8, were located in the yard areas surrounding the main house. The locations of these trenches were established to maximize the chances of intersecting architectural features, such as outbuilding foundations, wells, walkways, animal pens, and toilets. Study Area 6 contained the largest number of artifacts, but the soil coloration exhibited irregularities which suggest the area had been filled. Aside from a 20th century clay drain pipe running from the house through the trench, no features were encountered. Study Areas 7 & 8 contained fewer artifacts, but a fieldstone walkway was delineated in each area.

No assessment has been made of the site’s overall vertical integrity. Most of the archaeological deposits were quite shallow and could well be disturbed. However, the identification of intact features suggests that intact soils may be present within features and a valuable resource for further study. The site could probably benefit from widespread horizontal exposure (stripping) of the subsoil to locate features such a privies and outbuildings which are likely to contain artifacts useful for further interpretation.

(Edited from the Maryland Historical Trust Synthesis Project)