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    Pamela Churchill Harriman’s Onetime Georgetown Home Hits the Market for $10 Million

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    While participating in an interview in the living room of her private apartment at the Embassy residence in Paris back in 1996—shortly before she passed away the following year at age 76—Pamela Churchill Harriman was asked if there was anything she wished she had done differently when it came to her “free-flowing” existence. According to her obituary in The New York Times, her response was, “No … I consider I have had a very fortunate life … I drank deep of the well.”

    And drink deep of the well she did, indeed. At just 19 years old, the British-born socialite wed Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s only son Randolph, then went on to become a confidante and hostess for her new father-in-law after her husband went off to war. She later wound up serving as a top figure in the Democratic Party and U.S. Ambassador to France under President Bill Clinton’s administration; and, in-between, the woman who was named one of People magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful People in the World” in ’93 managed to marry a trio of the world’s richest and most influential men, including W. Averell Harriman, a former governor of New York, ambassador to the Soviet Union and heir to the Union Pacific Railroad fortune.

    An ornate fireplace serves as the centerpiece of a formal living room.

    Michael Rankin/TTR Sotheby’s International Realty

    It was at the Harriman’s abode tucked away in the historic Georgetown enclave of Washington, D.C., that the political hostess held a wealth of fund-raising receptions and dinners for the Democratic Party, attracting the likes of House Speaker Thomas P. “Tip” O’Neill and Sen. Gary Hart, just to name a couple. Now, almost three decades after her death, the 19th-century residence has popped up for sale, asking a speck under $10 million. The listing is held by Michael Rankin of TTR Sotheby’s International Realty.

    Designed by architect Thomas Franklin Schneider in the early 1890s for local shoe merchant Wolf Nordlinger, the stately red brick structure also was occupied through the years by Nellie Keating, who established an upscale boarding house on the premises, and Carolyne Hudson, who sold the property to Harriman and his former wife Marie in 1970. Pamela Harriman subsequently transferred the home in 1995 for $990,000 to its current owner, who enlisted Solís Betancourt & Sherrill to undertake an extensive renovation and restoration of the place in collaboration with Ivy Construction.

    An updated kitchen boasts a central island and top-tier stainless appliances.

    Michael Rankin/TTR Sotheby’s International Realty

    Today, the historic dwelling features eight bedrooms and a matching number of bathrooms in a little more than 9,300 square feet of multi-story living space adorned throughout with wide-plank hardwood floors, high ceilings, intricate moldings, detailed casement openings, elegant wallpaper and an elevator to all levels. Entry is granted via a grand foyer, which flows to a formal living room warmed by an ornate fireplace and an adjacent fireside music room. A banquet-sized dining room with yet another fireplace leads to a sleekly designed kitchen outfitted with a central island, high-end stainless appliances and a breakfast nook sporting glass-paneled doors spilling out to a deck.

    The roof deck provides sweeping views of the city.

    Michael Rankin/TTR Sotheby’s International Realty

    Three bedrooms can be found on the second floor, including an inviting primary suite hosting dual fireplaces and walk-in closets, a balcony, and spa-like bath equipped with a large soaking tub and shower. The floor above has two more bedrooms—one with its own bath, and another with access to an oversized turreted playroom—and elsewhere is an office space, a sitting room and roof deck overlooking the skyline, plus a basement housing a staff suite, laundry facilities and storage.

    Rounding it all out are the landscaped grounds, which span less than a quarter-acre, and come complete with mature trees, manicured gardens and numerous terraces. Per the listing, there’s also parking for multiple vehicles.

    Click here for more photos of Pamela Churchill Harriman’s Georgetown house.

    Michael Rankin/TTR Sotheby’s International Realty More

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      Madeleine Albright’s Longtime Georgetown Home Packs in More Than 50 Years of Political History

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      Ever wish walls could talk? Well, if the ones within this Washington, D.C., property long owned by the late former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright could indeed speak, they most assuredly would have their share of fascinating tales to spin.

      Think stories of all the distinguished guests who visited the storied premises at some point during her 50-plus-year tenure—from Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, to Henry Kissinger, Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice and George Shultz, just for starters.

      Madeleine Albright chats with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat during a 2000 luncheon held at her Georgetown home.

      George Bridges/AFP via Getty Images

      Now, almost two years after the trailblazing politician died from cancer at age 84, the 19th-century residence is up for grabs, as first reported by The Wall Street Journal.

      Tucked away in the historic Georgetown enclave of Washington, D.C.—and reportedly purchased by Albright and her husband Joe in 1968 for around $100,000—the Federal-style row house is being offered for $4 million by Michael Rankin and Logan MacKethan of TTR Sotheby’s International Realty.

      Built in the early 1850s, the traditional red brick structure features four bedrooms and five baths in just over 4,700 square feet of multi-level living space rife with wide-plank hardwood floors, elegant crown molding and decorative millwork. Access is granted via a teal-hued front door, which opens into a lengthy entrance hallway providing views of an expansive terrace and a stone fountain holding court in the garden-laced backyard.

      A double living room has two fireplaces and French doors flowing to the rear terrace.

      Townsend Visuals for TTR Sotheby’s International Realty

      From there, a double living room painted in a pale shade of yellow and warmed by dual wood-burning fireplaces has two sets of French doors spilling outside. A formal dining room with built-in shelving leads to a kitchen that’s been sleekly updated by local architect Anne Decker, complete with marble countertops, an island, Viking and Sub-Zero appliances, a breakfast nook, and butler’s pantry boasting a Miele washer and dryer.

      The second floor holds a bookshelf-clad library and primary bedroom suite hosting a spacious closet, plus a newly renovated marble bath equipped with heated floors; and elsewhere is a garden room, along with an office and a basement. There’s also a detached two-car garage with a full bath and storage space.

      Click here for more photos of Madeleine Albright’s Georgetown house.

      Townsend Visuals for TTR Sotheby’s International Realty More

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      in Luxury

      Jackie Kennedy’s Onetime Georgetown Home Is Slated for Auction

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      Almost three decades after she died at age 64, the 18th-century residence where former First Lady Jackie Kennedy and her children Caroline and John Jr. briefly lived shortly after JFK was shot and killed while traveling through Dallas in a presidential motorcade is up for grabs.

      Tucked away in the historic Georgetown enclave of Washington, D.C.—and reportedly purchased by the widow in 1963 for $195,000—the Federal-style estate was listed earlier this year for $26.5 million. Currently priced at $19.5 million with Jonathan Taylor of TTR Sotheby’s International Realty, the place is now set to go to the highest bidder Oct. 24 via a no-reserve auction held by Concierge Auctions.

      Built in the early 1790s by Thomas Beall, Georgetown’s second mayor, the stately red brick and black-shuttered structure also has been occupied during its history by Secretary of War Newton D. Baker and former Miss America Yolande Betbeze Fox. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the “Newtown Baker House” in 1976, and also designated as a National Historic Landmark.

      According to The Wall Street Journal, which previously reported on the sale, the late construction entrepreneur David W. Hudgens began assembling the compound in 1997, when he doled out $1.2 million for a traditional brick home next door to the former Kennedy House. He subsequently added a circa-1880s house on the block for $1.6 million, and then paid the Fox estate $5.2 million for the former Kennedy house in 2017.

      Hudgens went on to enlist architect Dale Overmyer to remodel and combine the trio of buildings, which have a total of 13 bedrooms and 18 baths sprawled across 16,300 square feet of living space. There also are “secret” passageways connecting the homes, plus a three-car garage.

      As for the central house where Kennedy resided, it’s fronted by a portico-topped door opening into a entry foyer displaying a traditional staircase and portrait of the late First Lady. From there, a living room where Kennedy gave her Warren Commission testimony about the murder of her husband is warmed by a fireplace, and an eggshell blue living room boasting a gold-leaf ceiling and elegant moldings leads to a gourmet kitchen outfitted with an eat-in island and top-tier stainless appliances.

      The entire second floor holds a master retreat, which comes complete with parquet floors, a private balcony overlooking the rear gardens, walk-in closet, and marble-clad bath spotlighted by dual vanities, a soaking tub and two separate showers; and elsewhere is an office, a gym, wood-paneled library and family room with bi-folding doors spilling out to an expansive terrace. Topping it all off: an observation deck providing picturesque views of the Washington Monument.

      Click here for more photos of Jackie Kennedy’s former Georgetown house.

      Sean Shanahan/Elle Pouchet More