The house was built around 1840 by Col.
Jehiel Brooks, a veteran of the
War of 1812 who married Ann Margaret Queen, daughter of One of the largest landowners in the District of Columbia. After returning from the
Red River Indian Agency, they lived on a 246-acre plantation that they dubbed Bellair. In 1887, the house and land were sold to an Ida U. Marshall, who sold to Benjamin F. Leighton and Richard E. Pairo. They subdivided Bellair, and developed the suburb of Brookland. The mansion house and 2 acres were sold to Elizabeth Varney, who operated a boarding house. In 1891, the
Marist Brothers bought the Brooks mansion. In 1905, the Benedictine Sisters of Elizabeth, New Jersey moved to the Brooks Mansion. In 1906, they founded St. Anthony's Academy for young children, and operated a shelter for women. In 1911, the
Catholic University of America began educating the sisters at the mansion. In 1928, women were admitted to Catholic University of America, and the mansion became
St. Anthony's High School.
Public ownership In 1970,
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority bought the mansion. It was listed in the
National Register of Historic Places on July 17, 1975. It was bought by the DC government in 1979, and is used by the Public Access Corporation for the District of Columbia (DCTV). It was named as an endangered place by the D.C. Preservation League in 1999. ==See also==