photographs...
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The House on the Cove Robert Lyles Comments: Located on Wide Water Cove, a tributary of Broad Creek, and to the northwest of Harmony Hall are the ruins of a house called Want Water. The 35 acres on which Want Water stands were patented by Colonel Thomas Addison on October 17, 1708. It is said that the name, "Want Water," was derived from Thomas Addison's "wanting the water" which the house faces as access to transportation routes. The house appears to date from the first half of the 18th century. In the July 1, 1976, issue of the Prince George's Post, James C. Wilfong states "...it is well over 250 years in age." Who first had the house built seems to be unrecorded, but between 1760 and 1764, it was purchased by Enoch Magruder, who also owned Harmony Hall. It is conjectured that Enoch Magruder's daughter, Sarah Magruder Lyles, lived in Want Water, giving it the additional name of Lyles House. The house was still standing in the 1930's when it was recorded by the Historic American Building Survey. About 20 years later, Charles Collins, the owner of Harmony Hall, started restoration of the structure, but his death in 1964 halted the work. Want Water, a one and one-half story rectangular building with frame sides, was noted for the odd spacing of the three dormers on each side of the gambrel roof, the heavy cornices of these dormers and the principle roof. At one time there was rich interior paneling. Today the only remains of the original house are two end brick walls with chimneys and the fieldstone foundations. A part of the Harmony Hall property, it is now under the authority of the National park Service. Lack of maintenance has resulted in significant deterioration since 1983. Stabilization plans are being considered by the Park Service and encouraged with monetary contributions by Tanta-Cove, but no proposal has emerged. |
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