The Beall-Dawson House was built circa 1815 for Upton Beall, the Clerk of the Court for Montgomery County, Maryland, and his family. Beall, who came from a prominent Georgetown family, wanted a house that reflected his position and wealth. The large brick Federal-style home, situated on West Mongomery Avenue (originally Commerce Lane), is impressive both inside and out. The house remained in private hands for over a century until it was purchased by the city and made headquarters of the Montgomery County Historical Society. While all but one of the outbuildings are gone, the interior of the house has survived in detail to tell the story of both the family that owned it and the enslaved African Americans who worked there.