Homewood Museum facts for kids
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Homewood
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| Location | 3400 N. Charles St. Baltimore, Maryland |
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| Built | 1801 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 71001033 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | September 10, 1971 |
| Designated NHL | November 11, 1971 |
The Homewood Museum is a historic house museum located on the Johns Hopkins University campus in Baltimore, Maryland. It was once a grand family home for the famous Carroll family of Maryland. Today, it's a National Historic Landmark, recognized for its important history and beautiful design. It's one of the two museums run by Johns Hopkins University, the other being the Evergreen Museum & Library.
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History of Homewood
A Special Wedding Gift
The Homewood Estate was given as a wedding gift in 1800. The giver was Charles Carroll of Carrollton, who lived from 1737 to 1832. He was a very important person because he was the last living signer of the Declaration of Independence. He gave the land to his son, also named Charles Carroll Jr..
The land was about 140 acres in northern Baltimore. It was first known as "Merryman's Lott." Charles Carroll of Carrollton had bought this land in 1794.
Building a Dream Home
Charles Carroll Jr. started building his own grand country home in 1801. He designed it himself. Most of the house was finished by 1808. It cost a lot of money, about $40,000. This was four times more than he had planned to spend!
Because of the high cost and other reasons, building "Homewood" caused a big disagreement between father and son. In 1824, Charles Carroll (the father) bought the house from his son. He managed the property until his son passed away the next year.
New Owners and Uses
After Charles Carroll Jr. died, the house went to his son, Charles Carroll III. He lived there until he inherited another family estate called Doughoregan Manor.
In 1830, John Lee Carroll was born at Homewood. He was the second son of Charles Carroll III. John Lee Carroll later became the Governor of Maryland.
In 1839, Charles Carroll III sold Homewood to Samuel Wyman. He was a merchant from Baltimore. Samuel Wyman and his family lived there until 1865. During this time, Wyman's son, William, hired an architect named Richard Upjohn. He built another large house on the grounds called "Homewood Villa." This villa was torn down by Johns Hopkins University in 1954. However, the gatehouse to the estate still stands. It shows what the villa's design looked like.
After Samuel Wyman passed away, his sons divided the property. In 1897, Homewood House became the first location for the Gilman School. It was first known as The Country School for Boys. In 1902, the property was put back together and given to Johns Hopkins University.
Homewood Today
In 1916, the mansion became the University Faculty Club. This was a place for professors and staff to gather. In 1936, Homewood was changed into offices for the university president and deans.
Today, Johns Hopkins University runs the Homewood Museum. It opened to the public in 1987. The museum's Federal-style architecture, with its red brick and white marble, inspired the design for the entire university campus.
Architecture of Homewood
Homewood's design is inspired by a style called Palladian architecture. It has a special five-part plan. This plan makes the building look balanced and beautiful. The five-part plan means there's a main central part. Then, there are two smaller buildings or "pavilions" on each side. These smaller parts are connected to the main house by short hallways called "hyphens."
The house was planned in the Georgian style. But it uses details from the Federal style. This style was influenced by English architect Robert Adam. Georgian buildings often have many raised decorations. The Federal style, seen at Homewood, is flatter. It has smaller, more delicate details. The front of the house has a grand porch with four columns.
The main central part of the house is one and a half stories tall. This area was used for formal parties and gatherings. It had a reception room, a dining room, and a drawing room. The west wing was for service areas, like kitchens. The east wing was for the family's private use. Unlike many five-part houses, the central part of Homewood did not have a full second floor. This meant that bedrooms and family areas were located in the wings.
Today, Homewood Museum is filled with furniture and decorations from the 19th century. This helps visitors imagine what life was like when the Carroll family lived there.
See also
