Harmony Hall

Hidden amongst 65 acres along the Potomac River tributary, Broad Creek, sits Harmony Hall. This grand Georgian mansion, built of striking red brick, whispers tales of centuries past. Harmony Hall wasn’t always its name. Originally called Battersea, the estate was built around 1769 by Enoch Magruder. Upon his death, it passed to his daughter Sarah and her husband, Colonel William Lyles. The name changed sometime after 1792. Two couples, the brothers John and Walter Dulaney Addison and their wives, rented the house and lived together in harmony. The name stuck, a testament to their peaceful coexistence. Harmony Hall has seen its share of residents. The Lyles family sold the property in 1850. Years later, around 1892, three Silesian immigrants—Robert and Richard Stein, and their brother-in-law Joseph Adler—purchased the estate. They farmed the land and even ran a general store in the area. Unfortunately, they lost Harmony Hall in 1929, selling it to Charles Collins. Charles Wallace Collins, a lawyer, writer, and librarian, bought Harmony Hall in 1929. He embarked on an extensive restoration project. He even dredged a canal on the property, the Want Water Canal, originally cut in 1749. It’s one of the earliest canals dug in the American colonies. Collins bequeathed Harmony Hall to the National Park Service upon his death in 1964. Harmony Hall became part of the National Capital Parks-East system in 1966, a testament to its historical significance. Though it’s currently closed to the public, the grand old house still stands, waiting to share its stories with future generations.