About the Blair Mansion Inn

Blair Mansion Restaurant is currently in the third century of welcoming people through its doors. It has been a location of fine dining and warm hospitality since it was constructed in 1889.

The building that currently stands as Blair Mansion Restaurant was built on a portion of the Pierce-Shoemaker Estate, originally granted by King Charles II of England to George Pierce in 1685. The Pierce family settled in the Colonies and built their first home around 1700.

In the 1890’s Abner Shoemaker, a descendent of the Pierce family, gave 20 acres of his land known as the “Girls’ Portion” to his niece, Abigail, and her husband, Charles Rider Newman, as a wedding gift. The mansion was built for the young couple on the northern-most corner of this tract which extended just over the District of Columbia boundary line, thus enabling the newlyweds to have the privilege of voting in all Maryland and National elections. The stone was mined (hewed) in the quarries located on what is now Broad Branch Road and the timber came from Rock Creek Park. The only portion of the house which did not come directly from the District of Columbia area were the furnishings which were imported from France at a cost of over $100,000 (quite a sum back then). These all combined to make this home an ideal setting for the gracious social festivities of the time.

The exterior of the home was typical of the distinguished plantations of the Old South, surrounded by spacious woodlands. The famed New York socialite and architect, Stanford White, designed the mansion who also designed Madison Square Garden in New York sixteen years later

In 1959, the Mansion was extensively renovated and opened as the Blair Mansion Restaurant. The only structural changes made to the old Mansion other than the addition of an efficient and modern kitchen was enclosing the outside terrace to become the semi-circular dinning room on the first floor, known now as the Terrace Room. While none of the decorations of the original mansion are still around, the current owners took great care in furnishing the restaurant with time pieces and décor from other historic mansions in the area to retain the warm feeling of the 1890’s home. 

We welcome you to come and experience for yourself history from a bygone era.
For Reservations or Information
Please call (301) 588-1688