2010 Endangered Maryland Sites Designated

The annual Endangered Maryland list of threatened historic properties in Maryland is featured in the March/April edition of Maryland Life. This list brings attention to some of the state's oldest threatened historic sites.

As with prior years, a statewide panel created the list by evaluating nominated properties and assessing the level of threat, historic and architectural significance and community commitment. The program's purpose is to generate public awareness of Maryland's significant threatened properties, generate possible solutions and serve as a call for action.

"Endangered Maryland" is modeled after the nationwide list created each year by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as well as other successful statewide endangered lists. Statewide lists have proven to be highly effective tools for historic preservation.

For more information or to obtain contact information for representatives from the individual sites, please call Jessica Feldt at 410-685-2886 x302 or jfeldt@preservationmaryland.org.

Click here for an online version of the 2010 Endangered Maryland article. (Courtesy of Maryland Life Magazine)

The 2010 Endangered Maryland Sites are: (in alphabetical order)

1. The Almshouse: Rare building looking for a new purpose (Washington County)
The Almshouse in Hagerstown is a rare surviving example of a purpose-built Almshouse from the turn of the 19th century in Maryland. By 1880, with the opening of the Bellevue Asylum, the property no longer served its original use and became residences and offices. In 1994, the vacant Almshouse was purchased by the City of Hagerstown.

2. The Arabber Community: A cultural tradition under threat of extinction (Baltimore City)
The Arabbers, horse-cart vendors who are famous for their distinctive wagons and harnesses, are part of a folk tradition unique to Baltimore. Baltimore is one of the last cities to have horse-cart vendors. The Arabber population is in decline and faces a wide variety of complex issues from the cost of humanely caring for their horses, to the cost of their wares and limits on the places and hours Arabbers are allowed to work.

3.Ellicott City Historic District: The struggle to maintain a historic district's integrity (Howard County)
The Ellicott City National Register Historic District contains almost 200 buildings constructed before 1900. The district's architecture remains largely intact and unaltered and serves as a lasting reminder of Ellicott City's history as Howard County's oldest mill town. Lately, the district has come under increasing development pressure. These pressures are shared by many historic districts across the state.

4. Fells Point Recreation Pier: Saving Baltimore's "Ellis Island" (Baltimore City)
Baltimore was a busy point of entry for immigrants, and most of these new arrivals would make the Recreation Pier one of their first stops. This 1914 building has served many functions over the years. The site hosted language classes, dances, community events, sports and eventually became the setting for the police station for the NBC series Homicide: Life on the Streets. The building has sat vacant for many years and is in need of extensive repair.

5. Fox's Tavern: Preserving a battlefield landscape (Frederick County)
This 18th century tavern has a long history in the surrounding community. The side is near the location of the Civil War battle of South Mountain. The battlefield was listed as one of the Ten Most Endangered Civil War Battlefields by the Civil War Preservation Trust. The owners of the site have proposed the construction of a $55 million gas-compression station near the tavern. The surrounding lands are also part of a Maryland Priority Preservation Area.

6. Harmony Hall: Bringing a showpiece back to life (Prince George's County)
The National Register-listed Harmony hall was home for many families and now serves as the key landmark for the Broad Creek historic District. The house was originally part of the area's tobacco farming community and is the last example of a Potomac plantation structure. It was eventually given to the federal government by the owners and put under the administration of the National Park Service (NPS). The house is currently unoccupied and in need of repair, but the NPS and local groups have joined forces to save this important piece of history.

7. Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Cultural Landscape: Preservation of a historic landscape (Caroline and Dorchester Counties)
This landscape retains much of the character of the time when Harriet Tubman navigated the land in the 19th century. The landscape contains 32 significant sites that are directly relevant to Harriet Tubman's life and the Underground Railroad. A proposal is currently moving through the U.S. Congress to create a Harriet Tubman National Historical Park. While many growth-related threats exist, the main threat comes from the Mid-Atlantic Power Pathway (MAPP). The project would construct 150-foot utility poles across 27 miles of Dorchester County's rural landscape.

8. Lakefront Promenade: Preserving a community's center (Howard County)
The lakefront promenade was Howard County's first central public place and features two buildings designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry. Columbia is a new city and the Lakefront Promenade represents the start of its history. With redevelopment plans underway, concerned citizens are working to make sure these significant buildings and the overall character of the promenade are preserved.

9. Millbrook Grist Mill: Saving a testament to an area's past way of life (Charles County)
The Millbrook Grist Mill is part of a 151-acre property and is the last surviving water-powered grist mill in Charles County. In 1923 it was extensively remodeled, and a second story was added. The mill was used until the late 1940s to serve the local community. The mill has been damaged by several hurricanes over the past decades. This damage has undermined its foundation and destroyed much of the mill race. Stabilization is ongoing, but additional funds and assistance are needed to ensure the building's future.

10. Newtowne Manor: The fight to save part of Maryland's religious history (St. Mary's County)
The Newtowne Manor was constructed in the mid-18th century with a change in roof style in 1816. The site is part of a local historic district and is 100 yards from St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church. The mission is the oldest standing Catholic Church in English-speaking America. The site has been owned by the Jesuits since the 17th century. After the site was no longer occupied, it fell into a state of disrepair with broken windows, leaks and lost porches. Adjacent lands have been purchased in hopes of creating a state park that may bring more attention to the site.

11. Providence Farm: Preserving an early rural residence (Queen Anne's County)
The house knows as Providence Farm was built in 1746 by a local miller and features some of the finest woodwork to survive from the era. The land is protected under existing land use plans from further development. The house has been abandoned since the 1970s and has been facing increasing damage. Since the selection of Providence Farm as one of 2010's Most Endangered, ownership has been transferred to the Queen Anne's County Historical Society which has begun work to stabilize the building.

Maryland Life, published by Great State Publishing, LLC, celebrates life and living across all of Maryland, through full-color photo essays, in-depth stories, travel, dining, home and garden, décor and more. For more information on each site visit www.MarylandLife.com.

2009 Endangered Maryland Sites
2008 Endangered Maryland Sites
2007 Endangered Maryland Sites

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