CARROLL COUNTY

This is a past tour--for information only

Carroll County
Saturday, April 25, 2020

10:00 A.M to 5:00 P.M.

Carroll County is in the central part of the state, located between Baltimore and Frederick counties. It was created in 1837 out of the western part of Baltimore County and the eastern part of Frederick County. The County was named after Charles Carroll, one of Maryland’s signers of the Declaration of Independence and the longest-lived of all the signers. Westminster, near the geographic center, was chosen as the seat of government for the county. William Winchester laid out the town of Westminster in 1764 on part of his tract called “White’s Level.” Winchester’s home still stands, one the oldest surviving structures in the county.

The county has a diverse heritage. The northern part of the county was settled by Germans moving south from Pennsylvania. These settlers created small family farms clustered around small towns. The southern part of the county was settled by those of English background who were moving inland from the tidewater in search of farmland. These families tended to own larger tracts of land. These differences are reflected in the architecture and towns of the county. From its earliest days the county was primarily agricultural. Rich land attracted farming families. Mills sprang up along the creeks and streams to process the produce. The arrival of the railroad and construction of turnpikes boosted the county’s economy. Improved roads led to Baltimore, Frederick, Hanover, Washington and other major markets. Tanneries, paper mills, canneries, and quarries appeared and began to diversify the county’s economy. As in many places, the Civil War divided Carroll County’s citizens. Approximately 750 men joined the Union army while about 250 of their neighbors fought for the Confederacy. The county saw Confederate troops on its soil three times during the war.

Co-Chair: Beckie Herrick and Dort Mollett

Committee Chairs: House Selection: Dort Mollett, Peggy Hoffman Steers, Beckie Herrick. Uniontown Coordinator: Liz Arthur. Advertising: Janet Paulsen. Photography: Pam Zappardino. Marketing: Janice Hobart. Maps: Heather and Jonathan Gibson. Lunch:Brenda Sebastion. Treasurer: Joan Spear. Script: Beckie Herrick.

Special Project: Proceeds from the Tour are designated for the continued restoration of the Uniontown Academy, Historic Uniontown Inc., (Ron Arthur, President), and specifically for the construction of a non-water restroom on the premises.

1. ANTRIM 1844

30 Trevanion Road, Taneytown 21787.

Antrim was originally an elegant 450 acre estate built in 1844 by Col. Andrew Ege from County Antrim, Ireland. This impressive brick mansion is a classic example of Greek Revival architecture and truly an American treasure. Most of the original outbuildings that supported the lifestyle of a mid-nineteenth century agrarian estate are miraculously still standing. The Ice House, The Post House, The Spring House, The Summer Kitchen, the Carriage House, and The Barn, have all been restored. The current owners purchased the property 30 years ago with the intention of bringing it back to its original grandeur. The gracious Entrance Hall and Drawing Rooms with the cantilevered Staircase that spirals up 3 stories to the glass enclosed Cupola are breathtaking. The white marble mantels were carved by famous local sculptor William Henry Rinehart, and the plaster medallions, interior shutters and Monticello windows are noteworthy. The mansion is tastefully appointed with antiques and paintings from around the world. Stroll the formal rose gardens enhanced by matching bronze fountains with over 100 varieties of English Tea Roses. Antrim is presently a boutique hotel with 40 guest-rooms and an award winning Dirona Restaurant and Wine Cellar. Antrim is a proud member of the Historic Hotels of America, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Owners: Richard and Dort Mollett.

2. ST. JOSEPH CHURCH

44 Frederick Road, Taneytown 21787. St. Joseph Church is the second oldest parish in the archdiocese of Baltimore. It was established in 1797 however, its colonial roots can be traced to the 1720s when English and Irish Catholics migrated north and west from southern Maryland, and German Catholics migrated south from Philadelphia. Catholic worship was suppressed in the colonies when the Calvert administration was replaced by royal government in 1692. Worship in private residences in the area became the practice until after the Revolutionary War when John Carroll became the first Bishop of Baltimore in 1789. At this time the entire United States was his Diocese from Florida to Canada to the Mississippi River. The original brick church was built by a private citizen, Mr. Brooke, at his own expense in 1776 and operated by trustees. The first pastor appointed by Bishop Carroll to the Taneytown parish was Father Dimitri Gallitzen (Prince Demetrius Gallitzen) the son of Prince Dimitri Alexeivitch Gallitzin, envoy of Catherine the Great of Russia and his wife Amelia, the daughter of Field Marshal Von Schmetlau who served under Frederick the Great of Russia. In 1876 the original church was torn down and the present church erected. Its notable tracker action organ was built in 1804 by Henry Pike England, and rebuilt in 1875 by Henry Neiman. It is one of the oldest H.P. England organs in Maryland. Sunday Mass is at 10:00 a.m. Please respect the parishioners by entering after the conclusion of services. Fr. John Lesnick, Pastor. Walk diagonally across Frederick Street to The Tannery Barn. Please be cautious of automobile traffic.

3. THE TANNERY BARN

The Tannery Barn sits on land that was originally owned by Ludwick Rudisel. The house on the original sixteen-acre property was built in 1807 and it is assumed the barn soon followed. The original Brick Switzer style barn burned down around the turn of the 20th century and a new barn was erected in the early 1900s. The new post and beam barn housed Percheron horses that would have helped to farm the land. The Tannery Barn is a part of the Taneytown Historic District. The barn was turned into a residential home about 30 years ago, but has not lost its historic charm. The Tannery Barn was bought and developed in 2018 as an events venue. Even though the barn has been totally remodeled inside, the original 1900s rustic timbers remain to be admired by all.

4. THE LUDWICK RUDISEL TANNERY HOUSE

The Ludwick Rudisel Tannery House is an excellent example of an early 19th century Carroll County farmhouse. The brick house was built in 1807 and included a successful tannery business. It has been added onto over the years to become the spacious and inviting residence it is today. The home has multiple living areas including a large formal living room and a spacious, light filled family room with vaulted ceilings, and exposed brick and log walls. There is a finished lower level with kitchen, bar area and a second large family room. There is a tall case clock in the living room made by noted clockmaker Eli Bentley. The back porches overlook the pool, koi pond, and landscaping and are a wonderful area for relaxing and entertaining. The Ludwick Rudisel Tannery House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places for Carroll County.

5. TERRA RUBRA

Terra Rubra is a historic home located near Keysville in Carroll County. It was the birth place of Francis Scott Key in 1779. The present Federal-style house was built in the 1850s after the Key residence had become badly deteriorated. The original house was built in the 1770s by Francis Key for his son John Ross Key, father to Francis Scott Key. The property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. The current owners have maintained the historical integrity of the property. The 158 acre property includes a working farm. The rolling pastures are home to a herd of registered American British White Park cattle. The old bank barn built in 1920 houses Berkshire hogs. The large pond provides a peaceful setting as well as an opportunity to fish. Children delight in dangling a line in the water and pulling out a big “sunny!”

The rural village of Uniontown. Site 6 is on your LEFT. Sites 6-14 consist of a walking tour of Historic Uniontown. Parking is available along the street, at the Maryland Mobile Veterinary Clinic, 3462 Uniontown Road, and at the Uniontown United Methodist Church. Box lunches and portable toilets are also available at the Methodist Church. Don’t forget to visit the Church bake sale for delicious homemade treats! HISTORIC UNIONTOWN, INC. Historic Uniontown, Inc. was formed in 1971 to protect the quaint village character of this eighteenth century town from encroaching development and to promote historic preservation within the village. The district is representative of most of the early settlements in the region and portrays a townscape virtually unchanged from the turn of the century. A well-preserved collection of houses dating from 1802 through the 1930s and other domestic and commercial buildings including stables, barns, washhouses, stores, smokehouses, churches, and schools, reflect the development of this agricultural village. The bucolic view from the town to the farms and adjoining countryside is preserved without the imposition of suburban sprawl. Settlement of the area began in the 1730s with the establishment of selfsufficient farms by German settlers from Pennsylvania, and English settlers moving west from tidewater Maryland. The town became a social and commercial center for the surrounding farms and experienced steady growth through the 19th century. The village was bypassed by the Western Maryland Railroad in 1862 which contributed to a lack of substantial development thereafter. The town’s many beautiful and quaint homes represent fine examples of rural architecture fashionable at the time of their construction. Federal, Victorian, Italianate, Queen Anne, and bungalow styles were employed. Please enjoy a stroll down memory lane!

6. THE VINCENT HOUSE

This house was one of the first built in Uniontown. The original was of log construction built between 1807-1810. A tavern operated in the original portion of the house from 1816-1842. The addition of a general store that operated until 1942 was added in 1848. The last addition occurred in 1910 and consisted of two rooms, one downstairs and one upstairs. A portion of the second floor above the general store was used as a meeting place for The Improved Order of the Red Men, a fraternal organization. The house is furnished with a blend of antiques and contemporary crafts purchased from artisans across the country. The owner, a blacksmith, forged many of the varied pieces of ironwork in the house.

Many community members have fond memories of Mr. Tom Devilbiss, his daughter Caroline (Toots), and her younger brother Bob who served as storekeepers and Caroline as Postmaster. She was the third generation postmaster as her mother and grandmother also served in this position. Penny candies and ice-cream made it a favorite haunt for children as well as the mouthwatering slices of cheddar cheese Mr. Tom would shave off the big cheese wheel which stood on the counter under a tall glass dome.

7. THE ROSENBERGER HOUSE

The Rosenberger House is an excellent example of early twentieth century domestic architecture. The carry-over of elements from the late Victorian period, such as projecting bays, pedimented gables and the wraparound porch provide the overall visual character of the house. A brand new material in the form of rusticated concrete block was introduced to Uniontown with the construction of this house. The concrete blocks were made from pre-cast molds. The blocks were used in a variety of ways for ornamental effects in this house, including the cast designed blocks used as a frieze beneath the eaves. Behind the main house is a large carriage house which was built first. This is where the workmen formed the blocks from which the house was built. It is rumored that Dr. Kemp drove his automobile through the backside of the carriage house on an occasion when he was a bit “tipsy!”

8. OLD TOWN COTTAGE, GARDEN ONLY

This 1938 Sears kit home was built by a local farmer. It was originally white and the landscaping was sparse, except for the large maple tree at the rear of the house. In the summer of 1994 the design and creation of extensive gardens was undertaken by the current owner, an avid gardener whose interest was piqued by the beautiful flowers, shrubs and trees she remembers as a child in her mother’s Baltimore County nursery business. Although many of the perennials will not be flowering until June, visitors will see a variety of bulbs, and the early establishment of annual flowerbeds.

Pansies were the favorite of the owner’s late mother and are among the many spring flowers that flourish in the shade of the maple tree. These include New Guinea impatiens, columbine, bleeding heart and tubers such as caladiums. Various groundcovers such as rock cress, pachysandra and sedums are well established. In sunnier locations lantana and dianthus provide color and attract bees. Hummingbirds are attracted to the lavender, common bee balm, and day lilies. Across the back lawn which consists of about ¾ of an acre, forsythia blooms in April along with viburnum, Japanese andromeda, Lenten roses, snow ball bushes, and closer to the house, cherry laurel. Traditional azaleas and peonies in pink, white and red surround the house. A Korean lilac by the side door, and another closer to the vegetable garden emit a delightful fragrance in spring. In mid to late summer, smoke bush, pink and white hydrangeas, and coneflowers give color to the front of the house. To the rear of the house, crepe myrtles, four o’clocks, gloriosa daisies and begonias come back year after year. In the fall, pyracantha and red burning bush provide color in the lawn. The love of gardening and flowers is showcased in this charming cottage residence.

9. THE ACADEMY

3351 Uniontown Road, Westminster 21158. The Academy was established in 1810 with the stipulation that only Englishspeaking learning take place in this primarily Germanic rural community. The present one room schoolhouse was constructed in 1851. Carroll County Public Schools took over the operation until 1880. The building was then sold to Emanuel Formwalt who used it for storage. In 1971 Maude Haines donated it to the town. Historic Uniontown, Inc. was formed to oversee the property. The building is currently used for historical education and community purposes. In the last 2 years, the entire back wall has been rebuilt and the roof returned to standing seam tin. Owner: Historic Uniontown, Inc.

10. UNIONTOWN UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

3405 Uniontown Road, Westminster 21158. Carroll County is known as the birthplace of Methodism in America. Robert Strawbridge, who emigrated here from Ireland in the 1760s, established the first Methodist congregation in his log cabin home located in New Windsor, Carroll County, (Strawbridge Shrine). He quickly organized Methodist Societies throughout the area such that every major town in Carroll County had a Methodist congregation during the nineteenth century. The first Methodist congregation in Uniontown met in a log meeting house provided by the Cover family on the north side of Uniontown Road adjoining the current Methodist Cemetery. In 1857, the congregation constructed a brick church on this new site that is now the United Methodist Church. The building cost $3,200. Dr. James J. Weaver, Jr. pointed out the unusual aspect that, “All the monies subscribed for its erection had been collected, and all expenses settled previous to the day of dedication, and there was no collection taken up on the aforesaid day.” The gable-front design and facade arrangement was popular during the mid-nineteenth century. There are two front entrances with paneled double doors, colored glass transoms, and molded frames with a bracket cornice. Between the two entrances is a large colored glass window. The stained-glass windows were added in 1912. Above this window is a half-circle window and above that is a small marble date stone. The bell-tower was added in the 1880s. Pastor Darrell Davis.

11. WEAVER-FOX HOUSE

The Weaver Fox House was built during the years 1874-1875 by Dr. Jacob J. Weaver, Jr., a country physician. It is a wonderful example of rural Victorian Italianate architecture. A few of its many qualifying features include large bay windows, wood siding that imitates stonework, modillion hoods over the door and windows, and an elaborate cupola, which Dr. Weaver dubbed “The Lookout.” The wide front porch is embellished with ornate woodwork. The front door retains its original knocker and bell. Upon entering the house, one will immediately notice the graining of the interior, and the beautiful hand-carved wooden and wrought iron rail staircase, all constructed by local craftsmen hired by Dr. Weaver. Born in Uniontown in 1848, Dr. Weaver joined his father in the practice of medicine after graduating from the University of Maryland Medical School in 1870. Their practice was located just across the road at Dr. Jacob Weaver, Sr.’s house at 3406 Uniontown Road. Dr. Grace Fox, one of Dr. Weaver’s granddaughters and a previous owner donated a facade easement to the Maryland Historical Trust to protect the house against any exterior alterations that would tarnish the character of the building. The Weaver-Fox House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The original boxwood garden, which was destroyed over the years by numerous ice storms, has been meticulously replaced and cared for by the current owner. She has been instrumental in preserving the home’s traditional structure and historic significance, while maintaining its gracious and welcoming charm.

12. THE WELSH/FERRANTO HOUSE

This home was built in several sections spanning 200 years. The original house dates from the 1790s, including kitchen with walk-in fireplace. Jonas Crumbacker, shopkeeper, built the front Federal-style section creating this regionally typical L-shaped home (circa 1809). Crumbacker may have run his store out of this house, but he owned other properties, so the records are unclear. The fanlight window over the front door, corbeled cornice, Flemish bond facade, and segmental brick lentils are notable Federal features. In 1993-94, the addition to the back was built and the house renovated. The out-building beside the driveway operated as Dr. Shreeve’s office (1890s). The barn beyond the house was formerly used for livestock that grazed on the property. Today the property has a vegetable garden, small orchard and beehives. .

13. THE PETRIE HOUSE

John Kurtz built this home as a residence and store between 1783 and 1805. The early log house had a store selling dry goods and groceries. The home was sold four times and was then purchased by Reuben Matthias in 1884. Matthias was a shoemaker and had a cobbler’s shop behind the house. The exterior of the structure shows several later alterations such as the stone chimney, the tall first story windows, and the exterior siding. The current owners purchased the home in 1991 and began an extensive restoration of the interior. Original pine floors, log cabin walls, and ceiling beams were exposed. A 1950s kitchen/bathroom addition was reconfigured with wide pine floorboards and cabinetry. A large fireplace was constructed and several interior architectural features were designed authentic to the period. The house is decorated with period antiques. Of special interest are the original paintings throughout the house. These were done by the owner’s father and represent scenes from Williamsburg, Virginia, and the Civil War. The painting over the large fireplace is of the residence as it would have looked when the Union solders passed through Uniontown on the way to Gettysburg in July 1863.

14. THE WILLIAM G. SEGAFOOS HOUSE

3481 Uniontown Road, Westminster 21158. The Segafoos house was built in 1879 by Mrs. Luther Hiteshew and purchased shortly afterwards by William Guy Segafoos. The house remained in the family for almost 120 years until 1997. Many generations of the Segafoos family ran a huckstering business delivering eggs, produce and meats to Baltimore. Two of the large wagons used by the family for the three-day trip each way, now reside at the Carroll County Farm Museum. The substantial brick home features five bay by three bay construction relying on large overhanging eaves with molded cornice for its visual mass and appeal. The elaborate Victorian style full-width front porch was added in the early 20th century and is adorned with brackets, pendants and saw tooth ornamentation. Interior features include an original cast iron coal burning stove manufactured in Baltimore, original fireplace mantles and dark faux painted front door and wood work throughout the foyer. You will also see the artwork and studio of William Meyers, a native Maryland artist and Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) graduate who works with reclaimed barn wood and acrylic paint to create authentic looking 18th and 19th century tavern and trade signs. Throughout the home and gardens, you will find an eclectic mix of antiques, primitives and artwork. As with most historic homes, owners consider it a work-in-progress!

15. GLENBURN

Situated along the banks of Bear Branch, Glenburn was built in 1840 by Rogers Birnie, son of the prominent Taneytown physician Clotworthy Birnie. Rodgers operated a boys boarding school from 1847-1877 while his sisters operated a girls school nearby, Thorndale. Some of the names and dates of the pupils can still be seen carved into the side of the old wagon shed. In 1937, Glenburn was purchased by Chester and Gippie Neal of Kentucky. Gippie loved the wraparound porch where she could watch the deer and the foxes cross the stream before disappearing into the woods around the bucolic grounds. Their son Robert and wife Elizabeth raised their five children there until Dort and Richard Mollett, owners of Antrim 1844 Country House Hotel in Taneytown purchased Glenburn in 2007. They began an extensive five year restoration including the grounds, guesthouse, springhouse, and barns as well as the magnificent main house. Please feel free to wander about the lawn and gardens, and don’t miss the Mollett’s friendly menagerie of furry and feathered friends at the petting zoo by the barn!