Edgar & Beronica Morris Residence

Looming near Rock Creek in the Forest Hills neighborhood of Washington, D.C., the abandoned mansion that was once home to appliance company owner and civic leader Edgar Morris and his wife Beronica stands as a rare example of “Jacobethan” architecture, drawing on medieval elements and ornate English influences.

The sturdy yet ornate house of brick and stone was built for Edgar Morris in 1939 by Porter & Lockie - a prominent architectural firm in the Nation’s Capital. Mr. Morris, aka “Mr. Washington,” earned the appellation by hosting lavish parties on behalf of the State Department in his well-appointed home for visiting foreign dignitaries.

Edgar Morris was born in Pickens, South Carolina in 1888. He was commissioned as a lieutenant and served with the Army Motor Transport Corps until his discharge in 1919.

He started the Edgar Morris Sales Company on 13th St. in northwest D.C. shortly after his military service ended and became a leading distributor for several major appliance manufacturers. 

He made countless contacts through his business, and took on numerous roles in various civic, business, educational, and financial organizations, including serving on numerous boards and in leadership roles.

Edgar’s first wife, Beronica, died in 1954 in their home. Three years later, he married Mary Slater, who survived him upon his passing in 1967, and subsequently sold the house.

The house was sold to the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1973, and has been sitting empty since 2014.