Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded to a structure fire at approximately 7:15 p.m. Wednesday at the historic Harewood Farmhouse, located near the 17600 block of Meeting House Road, off Route 108 in Sandy Spring.
According to Chief Spokesperson for MCFRS Pete Piringer, approximately 75 firefighters responded to the scene. The fire was contained, but the home sustained significant damage. The property is located in a non-hydrant area roughly 4,000 to 5,000 feet from Olney-Sandy Spring Road. Upon arrival, firefighters encountered heavy fire conditions throughout the two-story farmhouse. Initial reports suggested a possible missing occupant or caretaker, prompting a full search of the structure. It was later confirmed that the house was unoccupied at the time of the fire.
Fire investigators determined the cause of the fire to be accidental, with the specific origin undetermined. Neighbors reported power surges in the area a few hours earlier during a powerful thunderstorm that passed through Sandy Spring. Estimated damage exceeds $300,000. No injuries were reported.
Per the Library of Congress: “Significance: Erected in 1793-1794, Harewood is the historic homestead of the influential Stabler family and is among a handful of extant dwellings built by the early founding families of the Friends community of Sandy Spring. Harewood is located in the very heart of the community; it is adjacent to the meeting house that formed the center of both spiritual and social life, and the spring, an important source of water that was also the derivation for the town’s name. The original section of the house was erected in the vernacular hall-and-parlor plan that was prevalent at the time. Harewood’s design reflects other local building traditions including log/timber frame construction and the plain-style detailing indicative of the Quaker tenets. The house received dining room and kitchen additions in 1821, expanding it to meet the rising social expectations of the era and those of subsequent generations of Stablers. Changes and additions were also made in the early twentieth century, and yet it is a remarkable survivor of early period dwellings in this region, retaining its basic configuration and much of its original fabric including doors, hardware, mantels, and molding profiles. In 1925, Harewood was sold to Washington, D.C. lawyer Dean Acheson and his wife Alice who used it as their summer and weekend retreat. While in residence at Harewood, Acheson served between 1949 and 1953 as Secretary of State under President Truman, whom he occasionally entertained at Harewood. Acheson played a key role in defining foreign policy during the Cold War era, including involvement in the development of the post-World War II Marshall Plan and in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).”