Mount Clare

Carriage Entrance, May 2019
 
I recently visited Mount Clare mansion in Carroll Park, after living in Baltimore for almost 17 years, this was my first visit. The home of Charles Carroll, Barrister, member of the Second Continental Congress, it was built between 1756 and 1763 on Carroll family's 800-acre plantation "Georgia".  

Baltimore City Landmark plaque, May 2019

The house originally had wings on each side of the house connected by hyphens. On the western side of the house was an orangery and greenhouse, and on the eastern side a kitchen, ice house, and a wash house. These structures apparently were demolished sometime after the house was sold by the Carroll family in 1840. The current wings were constructed in 1910 and originally held bathrooms. The Baltimore City Landmark plaque on the side of the building has a drawing of what the house would have appeared in ca. 1768.
View of the front of the house from where the terraced gardens would have been, May 2019

The house sits on a hill at the back side of the park, and when built would have had an unobstructed view of the Patapsco River. On the night of August 25, 1814 the Carrolls would have been able to see the glow on the horizon from the burning of Washington, and on September 13th they would have had a front row seat to the British bombardment of Fort McHenry.  In the front of the house are several raised terraces which originally featured elaborate gardens. In 1828 the Carroll family gave a 10 acre parcel on the Northeast side of the plantation to the B&O Railroad on which the current Mount Clare shops were constructed. the B&O also constructed the first mile of their trackage through the northern edge of the property.
 
Camp Carroll Marker, May 2019

What remained of the estate was used by the Union Army as one of the many camps and forts that ringed Baltimore to protect the vital rail lines that passed through the city during the Civil War. The house and a 70 acre surrounding portion of the estate was purchased in 1890 by the city for use as a park and was designed by Frederick Law Olmstead. An additional 47 acres to the west was added later for the Carroll Park Golf Course. 

 Know Before You Go:

1500 Washington Blvd, Baltimore, MD 21230 
https://www.mountclare.org/index.html 

Currently the house is closed except for private functions and scheduled tours, but is generally open to the public. 

 Carroll Park Info: 
Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks
Location: 1500 Washington Blvd, Baltimore, MD 21230, USA

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