Elegant Howard Hall north of Olney superimposes 1930s Classical Revival architecture on one of Sandy Spring's oldest Anglican homes. The original brick manor house was built by William Waters in 1747 and called Belmont. Waters owned much of the land between Olney and Brookeville. In 1842 his son Ignatius donated land for St. John's Episcopal Church and cemetery; another son built the fine home Oak Grove across Georgia Avenue. Sold in 1938 and substantially renovated then and afterwards, Howard Hall today contains 24 rooms inside the Classical Revival double-story portico. It is owned by Richard and Mary Kolb.

This elaborate bank barn stood at Belmont (Howard Hall) near today's Greenwood School. The ground level held stables. The cavernous upper level, approached on an earthen ramp (the "bank"), contained a large hay mow at each end. Louvered windows admitted air to men toiling in the sweltering mows. So enormous was the Belmont barn that a six-horse team pulling a loaded hay wagon could turn around between the mows. One after another most Sandy Spring barns have burned-- victims of lightning, spontaneous combustion, and arson.