Blandair

Last updated
Blandair Regional Park
North (front) elevation of main block - Blandair, 6651 Highway 175, Columbia, Howard County, MD HABS MD-1149-1.tif
Blandair
TypeCounty
Location Columbia, Maryland
Area300-acre (1.2 km2)
Created2014
Operated by Howard County
StatusOpen
Ongoing Construction Official website

Blandair, also known as Blandair Farm, Blandair Park, and Blandair Regional Park, is 300 acres of former slave plantation located in Columbia, Maryland. [1] [2] [3] The Blandair Foundation estate of Mrs. Smith was purchased by Howard County, Maryland in the late 1990s and is in the process of being developed as a regional park. [2] [3]

Contents

History

In 1689, 1087 acres on Elk Ridge, in what was then colonial Maryland's Anne Arundel County, was surveyed for Edward Talbott. [4] Known as "Talbott's Resolution Manor", Talbott bequeathed the property to his children, John and Elizabeth, who each received half of the property after his death in 1689. [4] The land was patented to John and Elizabeth Talbott in 1714, and by 1716 they had quickly sold off 800 acres of the property. [4] By 1753, four different owners were in possession of the original plot: William Hall (500 acres), Nicholas Gassaway (300 acres), Edward Dorsey (200 acres), and Rachel Norwood (87 acres). [4]

In 1804, John Crompton Weems purchased a portion named "La Grange", which he eventually sold to his daughter-in-law, Martha P. Weems. [5] [nb 1] Between 1828 and 1845, Theodorick Bland purchased the farm from the Weems family and under his ownership, the property became known as "Blandair". [3] [5] [6] [7] [nb 2] Sarah Bland Mayo inherited the property upon her father's death and eventually gave the property to her daughter, Sarah Mayo Gaither, as a wedding present in 1857. [3] [nb 3] Bland's descendants owned the property until the Gaithers sold the property in 1867. [2] [5] Another series of owners held the land until it was sold to Baltimore developer Henry E. Smith and his wife, Lillie, in 1937. [5] After Lillie Smith died in 1979, Blandair was inherited by her daughter, Elizabeth, who resided on the property until her death in 1997. [5] In 1997 or August 1998, Blandair was purchased from the Smith family by Howard County, Maryland using State Rural Legacy funds. [2] [3] [8]

Legal challenges delayed planning efforts, but the courts eventually affirmed Howard County's ownership of the property. [2] In 2010 initial construction began on a regional park. The phase I program is part of a series of Howard County projects purchasing historical preservation estates and converting them into a complex of income producing sports fields and facilities such as Troy Hill, and the James and Anne Robinson Nature Center. In 2014, the fields at Blandair were named after Frank S. Turner who helped secure initial open space funding for the $50 million project. [9]

Structures

Blandair Slave Quarters Blandair, Slave Quarters, 6651 Highway 175, Columbia, Howard County, MD HABS MD-1149-A-2.tif
Blandair Slave Quarters

The estate was documented by the National Park Service's Historic American Buildings Survey in 2003. [3] The main house, known as Blandair Mansion, was built by Bland's descendants in the mid-nineteenth century. [3] As of 2011, the mansion is being restored by the Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks with assistance from the NPS's Historic Preservation Training Center and is slated to become the "historical centerpiece" of Blandair Regional Park. [10] Built around 1845, a small slave quarter stands next to the main dwelling. [3]

Blandair Barn Blandair, Barn, 6651 Highway 175, Columbia, Howard County, MD HABS MD-1149-C-1.tif
Blandair Barn

The lawsuit, Blandair Foundation, Inc. et al. v Jane P. Nes et al., against the title of Blandair Farm and the personal estate of Elizabeth C. Smith was filed on June 29, 1998 in the Circuit Court for Howard County, Maryland. The legal theory behind the suit was that of contract law: Elizabeth C. Smith had promised Byron C. Hall, Jr. that she would form the Blandair Foundation to preserve Blandair Farm, convey the title of Blandair Farm and her entire personal estate to the Blandair Foundation, and to appoint Mr. Hall as a trustee of the Blandair Foundation. In return, Mr. Hall accepted appointment as a trustee of the Blandair Foundation and promised Miss Smith that he would faithfully carry out her wishes for the preservation of Blandair Farm. This voluntary exchange of promises constituted a contract that was broken inadvertently by Miss Smith when she died. The plaintiffs sought specific performance of that contract.

The plaintiffs had two hurdles to overcome: the statute of limitations regarding suits against an estate and the statute of frauds regarding the title of Blandair Farm. They argued that the nature of the suit did not fit the accepted criteria of claims against an estate and that partial performance of the contract met the requirements of the statute of frauds.

Hearings were held on November 13, 1998, December 17, 1998, and December 7, 1999. The court ruled against the plaintiffs on all counts, with the final opinion issued on June 23, 2000. The plaintiffs decided to appeal the rulings to the Maryland Court of Special Appeals.

In their briefs, the appellants alleged that the court had erred 1) by misinterpreting Miss Smith's promise as one to make a gift to a charity rather than as one to create a trust, 2) by misapplying standards to judge partial performance of a contract, and 3) by ignoring the distinction between a claim to part of an estate that could have been enforced before Miss Smith's death and a claim to the entirety of an estate that only could have been enforced after her death. A hearing was held before a panel of the Court of Special Appeals on March 5, 2001. On July 31, 2001, the court issued its opinion, rejecting the appeal.

The Appellants filed a petition for a Writ of Certiorari with the Court of Appeals (this is the process in Maryland to obtain a discretionary appeal with that court). On October 12, 2001, the court issued an Order denying the petition. [11]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Two references suggest that the property was already named "La Grange" when procured by John Crompton Weems, [6] [7] however, one states that Weems was responsible for naming the property "Lagrange". [5]
  2. ↑ Sources differ and state that Bland acquired Blandair in "1828 or thereabout", [7] 1836, [6] 1843, [5] or 1845. [2] [3]
  3. ↑ Another account states that Thomas Gaither and Sarah Mayo Gaither inherited the property after Isaac Mayo's death. [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Theodorick Bland (judge)</span> American judge

Theodorick Bland was a Maryland attorney, statesman, a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Maryland and Chancellor of Maryland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rockefeller State Park Preserve</span> State park in New York state, United States

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oakland Mills, Columbia, Maryland</span> Village in Maryland, United States

Oakland Mills is one of the 10 villages in Columbia, Maryland, United States. It is located immediately east of Town Center, across U.S. Route 29.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doughoregan Manor</span> Historic house in Maryland, United States

Doughoregan Manor is a plantation house and estate located on Manor Lane west of Ellicott City, Maryland, United States. Established in the early 18th century as the seat of Maryland's prominent Carroll family, it was home to Founding Father Charles Carroll, a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence, during the late 18th century. A portion of the estate, including the main house, was designated a National Historic Landmark on November 11, 1971. It remains in the Carroll family and is not open to the public.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dorsey's Search, Columbia, Maryland</span> Village in Maryland, United States

Dorsey's Search is a parcel of land patented by John Dorsey of Hockley-in-the-hole (1645–1714) in Baltimore County. The 479-acre (194 ha) property adjacent to the north branch of the Patuxent river was surveyed by Richard Beard in December 1684, and granted to Dorsey in March 1696. The property lying between "Long Reach" and "Elk Ridge" was resurveyed in March 1723 to include 750 acres (300 ha). After several generations of inheritance, a series of legal disputes were held over the land by Rezin Hammond and Richard Ridgley in 1820. In 1827 the property exchanged hands to Robert Oliver, builder of Oakland Mill, who combined it with multiple properties totaling 2,300 acres (930 ha). George Gaither acquired the property in 1838. John Dorsey's grandson, "Patuxent" John Dorsey of "Dorsey's Search" built Dorsey Hall at the site.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dorsey Hall</span> Historic house in Maryland, United States

Dorsey Hall is a historic home in Columbia, Maryland, United States. It is a six-by-one-bay, 2+1⁄2-story stucco structure with a gable roof covered with asphalt shingles. It is a well-preserved and detailed example of the vernacular dwellings of the early 19th century in Howard County and associated with the Dorsey family, one of the "first families" of the county.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Woodlawn (Columbia, Maryland)</span> Historic house in Maryland, United States

Woodlawn, is a historic slave plantation located at Columbia, Howard County, Maryland. It is a two-story, stuccoed stone house built in 1840 with wood frame portions constructed about 1785. It was part of a 200-acre farm divided from larger parcels patented by the Dorsey family. The design reflects the transition between the Greek Revival and Italianate architecture styles. The home is associated with Henry Howard Owings, a prominent Howard County landowner and farmer, who also served as a judge of the Orphan's Court for Howard County. Owings purchased the property in 1858 and died at Woodlawn in 1869. The former tobacco farm produced corn, oats, hay, and pork. The majority of the property surrounding Woodland and its slave quarters were subdivided by 1966 and purchased by Howard Research and Development for the planned community development Columbia, Maryland, leaving only 5 acres surrounded by multiple lots intended for development of an Oakland Ridge industrial center and equestrian center. The summer kitchen, smokehouse, corn crib and stable built about 1830 have been replaced by a parking lot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Troy (Dorsey, Maryland)</span> Historic house in Maryland, United States

Troy, also known as Troy Hill Farm, is a historic slave plantation home located at Elkridge, Howard County, Maryland, United States. It is associated with the prominent Dorsey family of Howard County, who also built Dorsey Hall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waverly (Marriottsville, Maryland)</span> Historic house in Maryland, United States

Waverly Mansion is a historic home located at Marriottsville in Howard County, Maryland, USA. It was built circa 1756, and is a 2+1⁄2-story Federal style stone house, covered with stucco, with a hyphen and addition that date to circa 1811. Also on the property are a small 1+1⁄2-story stone overseer's cottage and a 2-story frame-and-stone barn, and the ruins of a log slave quarter.

The Middle Patuxent Environmental Area (MPEA) is a 1,021-acre (4.13 km2) wildlife area in Clarksville, Maryland and operated by the Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks. It is located next to the River Hill village in the town of Columbia, Maryland, in the United States. The MPEA was created in 1996 for educational, research, and recreational purposes.

Commodore Isaac Mayo was a United States naval officer who served in the War of 1812, Second Seminole War, and Mexican War. Mayo is credited with influencing the location of the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis and is noted for his controversial resignation and Presidential dismissal from the service at the start of the Civil War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Belmont Estate</span> Historic estate located at Elkridge, Howard County, Maryland, United States

The Belmont Estate, now Belmont Manor and Historic Park, is a former plantation located at Elkridge, Howard County, Maryland, United States. Founded in the 1730s and known in the Colonial period as "Moore's Morning Choice", it was one of the earliest forced-labor farms in Howard County, Maryland. Its 1738 plantation house is one of the finest examples of Colonial Georgian architectural style in Maryland.

Dr. Charles Alexander Warfield (1751–1813) was a prominent American in the Howard District of Anne Arundel County Maryland. He was president of the board of regents of the Maryland Agriculture College from 1812 to 1813.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oakland Manor</span> Historic house in Maryland, United States

Oakland or Oakland Manor is a Federal style stone manor house commissioned in 1810 by Charles Sterrett Ridgely in the Howard District of Anne Arundel County Maryland. The lands that became Oakland Manor were patented by John Dorsey as "Dorsey's Adventure" in 1688 which was willed to his grandson Edward Dorsey. In 1785, Luther Martin purchased properties named "Dorsey's Adventure", "Dorsey's Inheritance", "Good for Little", "Chew's Vineyard", and "Adam the First" to make the 2300 acre "Luther Martin's Elkridge Farm".

Arlington is a historic slave plantation located in Columbia, Howard County, Maryland, now part of the Fairway Hills Golf Course.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mountjoy Farm</span> Historic site in Ellicott City, Maryland

Mount Joy is a historic slave plantation in Ellicott City, Howard County, Maryland, which has a current address of 5000 Executive Park Drive.

Bushy Park is a historic slave plantation located at Glenwood, Howard County, Maryland, United States. It is located on a 3,940 acre land patent named "Ridgley's Great Park".

Edgewood Farm is a historic farm located at Ellicott City next to Clarksville and Columbia, Howard County, Maryland, United States.

Troy Park is a regional park comprising 101 acres in Elkridge, Maryland. The park is located at 6500 Mansion Lane off Washington Boulevard, near the intersection of Maryland Route 100 and I-95.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rockburn Branch Park</span>

Rockburn Branch Park is a local park in Elkridge, Maryland that follows the Rockburn Branch, a tributary of the Patapsco River. The park features 7.4 miles of trails, 10 ball diamonds, 2 turf fields, 4 smaller fields, along with tennis and basketball courts. The park is also home to the Pfeiffers Corner Schoolhouse, Clover Hill Historic House, and Rockburn Elementary School.

References

  1. ↑ Seeking Freedom The History of the Underground Railroad in Howard County. p. 57.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks. "Blandair Park (Capital Project N3102)". Howard County, Maryland: Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks. Archived from the original on 2011-07-01. Retrieved June 29, 2011.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Reinhart, Thomas (June 2004). Joyner, Brian D. (ed.). "A Gem on the Farm: The Slave Quarter at Blandair Farm" (PDF). Heritage Matters. National Park Service: 6–7. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-07-15. Retrieved June 29, 2011.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Shirk, Ida M. (2009). Descendants of Richard & Elizabeth (Ewen) Talbott of Popular Knowle, West River, Anne Arundel County, Maryland. Genealogical Publishing Com. pp. 22–23, 33, 36, 40. ISBN   978-0-8063-4584-0 . Retrieved June 29, 2011.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 National Park Service. "Blandair, 6651 Highway 175, Columbia, Howard, MD". Historic American Buildings Survey. Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. Retrieved June 29, 2011.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Blandair: The Past". www.preservationhowardcounty.org/. Ellicott City, Maryland: Preservation Howard County. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved June 29, 2011.
  7. 1 2 3 Holland, Celia M. (1987). Old homes and families of Howard County, Maryland: With Consideration of Various Additional Points of Interest. Catonsville, Maryland: C.M. Holland. pp. 16–17. Retrieved June 29, 2011.
  8. ↑ SUNY series in Urban Public Policy : Sprawl and Politics : The Inside Story of Smart Growth in Maryland. p. 116.
  9. ↑ Yeager, Amanda (November 19, 2014). "Blandair fields named after Turner". Columbia Flier . Retrieved April 26, 2019.
  10. ↑ Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks. "Capital Projects and Park Planning". Howard County, Maryland: Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks. Archived from the original on May 7, 2004. Retrieved June 29, 2011.
  11. ↑ Byron Hall (2004). To Save Her Dream: A Mission of Duty, Friendship, and Justice. ISBN   1413734782.

Further reading

39°12′44″N76°50′11″W / 39.21222°N 76.83639°W / 39.21222; -76.83639

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.