Beall-Dawson Museum. BOOM! The 1950s in Montgomery County – new museum virtual tour

The Beall-Dawson Museum virtual tour includes labels and detailed information about each exhibition item.

Beall-Dawson Museum

Beall-Dawson Museum

The Beall-Dawson House was built circa 1815 for Upton Beall and his wife and daughters.Beall, from a prominent Georgetown family, was Clerk of the Court for the county, and he wanted a home that would reflect his wealth and status. In 1815 Rockville was a small rural community, despite being the county seat and an important cross-roads town. Beall’s large brick Federal-style home, built overlooking Commerce Lane (now West Montgomery Avenue),  was designed to impress both inside and out.

Beall’s daughters lived in the house their entire lives, and were later joined by a cousin, AmeliaSomervell Dawson, and her family. The house remained in private hands until the 1960s, when it was purchased by the City of Rockville and became the Montgomery History’s headquarters.

Today, although all but one of the outbuildings are gone, the house itself still contains most of its original architectural features, including the indoor slave quarters located above the kitchen. The house collection includes several antiques dating from the early 19th century, and docents are knowledgable about the lives of both the upper-class white families and the enslaved African Americans who lived here, as well as typical life in 19th century Rockville.

The first two floors of the museum are dedicated to changing exhibits, showcasing Montgomery History’s collections. The old kitchen is used as a textile conservation lab for demonstrations on care and preservation of museum-quality clothing.