Farquhar House, 1601 Sandy Spring Road (Route 108), Sandy Spring, Montgomery County, MD

Significance: The Farquhar House is significant as one of the early, more elaborate examples of Colonial Revival architecture found in Montgomery County. It is an architect designed residence and displays many of the fine Colonial detailing for which the style is best known. It predates most of the Colonial Revival residences that were later built in the Chevy Chase area of lower Montgomery County, just north of the Washington, D.C. line, during the early twentieth century. The house was built of only the best materials including Redwood siding, Georgia Pine flooring and Cypress interior woodworking. Its superior design and high quality construction make it one of the finer homes to be found in this rural community. As stated by Arthur Briggs Farquhar in a letter to his nephew, Allan Farquhar, upon seeing the plans for his nephew's new residence in 1901, "It will be exceedingly durable, very pleasing to the eye and comfortable and unquestionably the best residence in the neighborhood, and probably in the county, all things considered" (letter, May 14, 1901). The Cedars was built with a separate, interior, two story apartment (which can be entered through the main house or through an entry at the southern facade elevation of the northwestern wing, under the porch) known as the "West Cedars." Allan Farquhar had the house built in this manner to as to provide a home for his maiden sister, Ellen (a teacher at one of the local private schools, Stanmore) that would be close to family yet allow her to be independent. This has been the site of the Farquhar family homestead for almost one hundred and fifty years. ...
Survey number: HABS MD-964
Building/structure dates: 1901 Initial Construction