Beall's Pleasure, Federal house in Landover, United States
Beall's Pleasure is a two-story brick residence with five bays on the front facade and three on the rear, enhanced by a one-and-a-half-story wing added in 1936. The house sits approximately 100 feet inside a gate off Bealle Pleasure Road and displays the layered architectural development of a property built over more than a century.
Benjamin Stoddert, who later became the first Secretary of the Navy, built this house in 1795 as his summer home in Prince George's County. The property evolved over generations, with major additions like the 1936 wing reflecting its continued importance as a residence for prominent families.
The gardens were designed in 1936 by Boris V. Timchenko, a landscape designer who also worked on properties for President Kennedy and Mrs. Eisenhower. The grounds reflect the refined landscaping tastes that were fashionable among prominent households during that era.
The house is accessible by car along Old Landover Road and sits conveniently near Bealle Pleasure Road for easy location. Visitors should note that the property sits behind a gate, making it visible only from the road, so a walk up the entry drive is needed to see the full structure.
The structure incorporates common bond brickwork, a construction technique that became widespread in late 18th-century American residential building. This traditional method remains visible today as a detail that reveals the hands-on craftsmanship of the era.
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