John Lutz House (Aged Woman's Home)

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The John Lutz House was built around the year 1756 and is significant for its well maintained exterior and interior, as well as its connections to multiple historical figures. The house was bought in 1804 by Colonel John Lutz and was used for his leather goods business. Colonel Lutz served in the Revolutionary War as General George Washington's bodyguard. There is even a framed letter in the hallway of the house from Washington thanking him for his service. The leather goods shop moved to a different location in Georgetown, but the house stayed in the family for a few more decades.

John Lutz’s grandson, John, inherited the house and was a well known producer in the theatrical world during the mid 19th century. He was the stage manager for Ford’s Theatre and his wife, an actress, was performing at Ford’s Theatre the night of President Lincoln’s assassination. The house was eventually sold to an organization called “The Female Union Benevolent Society,” which turned the house into a refuge for women who were living alone in DC. In 1914, the house changed its name to the Aged Woman’s Home of Georgetown. The house is still in use today as the Aged Woman’s Home of Georgetown.

This house also has architectural significance because it was one of the first structures built in Georgetown that still exists today. It is also well known because its exterior and interior are relatively unchanged, although additions have been added during its many years of use. The house also has a rare “flounder” half-gabled form and a sloping roof. The foundation is stone with brick masonry layered on top and it has four brick chimneys.

DC Inventory: November 8, 1964 (Joint Committee on Landmarks)
Within Georgetown Historic District