Dorchester County is the focus of the annual Maryland House & Garden Pilgrimage (MHGP) on Saturday, May 9, 10am-5pm (rain or shine) with 12 stops on the tour. A longstanding Maryland tradition, the Pilgrimage provides access to some of Dorchester’s most noteworthy private properties and enables residents to see their home state with fresh eyes. Advance tickets for each tour are $30 per person ($35 if purchasing day-of). Catered lunches will be available on all tours. Purchase tickets and get more information at mhgp.org or 410-821-6933.
“I look forward to introducing guests to the rich longstanding heritage of Dorchester County,” said Midge Ingersoll, County Chair of MHGP, “and to providing special access to historic sites like Chicone Village and lovely private homes like the Edward Lloyd Jr House. Our special project this year is especially worthy; we hope to see Handsell restored and open to the public shortly!” Every year, proceeds from the tour support designated preservation projects in each host community. Dorchester’s special project is the restoration of an 1800s plantation house, known as the Handsell house, with plans to make it available for public tours and special education events in celebration of Native American, Colonial American, and African American connections to the area.
John Smith may be strongly associated with Jamestown, but he left that settlement in 1608 to find food in and around the Chesapeake Bay, stumbling across the Nanticoke tribes now represented by Chicone Village. Past the “wattle” fence (a moveable woven pen) and inside the thatch and reed lodge home is the living history interpreter Daniel Firehawk Abbott, ready to answer questions and demonstrate aspects of daily life in the 1500s. Another notable stop is the two-story “Buckland” saltbox home, owned by town Mayor Caroline Cline, in historic East New Market. The parlor features ornately carved plasterwork and the house is entirely furnished in authentic period style. Both the home and the entire village are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These are just two of the ten total stops in this tour, which also includes the only lighthouse this season – the Choptank River Lighthouse.
The 2015 tour includes 44 private homes, gardens, farms, wineries, churches and historic sites in five counties. They are St. Mary’s County (Sunday, May 3); Dorchester County (Saturday, May 9); Anne Arundel County (Saturday, May 16); Baltimore City/Roland Park (Sunday, May 17) and Washington County (Saturday, May 30). The annual spring tours are a central component of MHGP’s efforts to cultivate awareness of Maryland’s rich architectural and cultural heritage. To date, the Pilgrimage has raised more than $1 million for the preservation and restoration of architecturally significant properties throughout the State of Maryland while entertaining and educating thousands of attendees.
“We eagerly look forward to beautiful spring days spent exploring the gardens and landmarks of Maryland,” said Meredith Boren, Chairman, Maryland House and Garden Pilgrimage. “Since 1937, our group has dedicated itself to preserving and lauding our heritage and this year we have an extraordinary schedule of sites. Guests on the tours will get the chance to explore an Indian Village, a Plantation house on the Patuxent River, gorgeous Federal and Colonial style homes, and gardens featuring 100-year-old boxwoods, flowering trees, irises. There’s even a wagon ride! Not only that, but guests will also get to sample local fare, such as the brisket plate from Fax Maxine’s Barbecue in Anne Arundel County.”
To reach a county chair or for specific county tour details, please contact Kathy Smith, MHGP Executive Director, at 410-821-6933. For more information, tour details and tickets, please visit www.mhgp.org or call 410-821-6933, Monday – Thursday, 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., or send an email to [email protected].
Maryland House and Garden Pilgrimage (MHGP), a nonprofit organization, is dedicated to the preservation and restoration of architecturally significant properties in the State of Maryland. The Pilgrimage has remained constant with this purpose since its formation in 1937. It is the only statewide house and garden tour organization and the oldest tour in the State of Maryland, raising and distributing well over $1 million dollars in its 78-year history to support preservation projects in each host community.
Write a Letter to the Editor on this Article
We encourage readers to offer their point of view on this article by submitting the following form. Editing is sometimes necessary and is done at the discretion of the editorial staff.