Paca House and Garden Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Significant dates

Paca House and Garden
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark

William Paca House, July 2009
Location in Maryland Show map of Maryland Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Annapolis, Maryland
Built	1763
Architect	William Paca
Architectural style	Georgian
NRHP reference No.	71000364
Added to NRHP	November 11, 1971
Designated NHL	November 11, 1971

The William Paca House is an old mansion in Annapolis, Maryland. It was built in the 1760s. A very important person named William Paca designed it. He was one of America's Founding Fathers. He signed the United States Declaration of Independence. He was also the Governor of Maryland three times.

The house has a beautiful 2-acre garden. It even has a two-story summer house. This garden has been brought back to look just like it did when William Paca lived there. The William Paca House and Garden was named a National Historic Landmark in 1971.

The house originally had smaller buildings attached. These were an office and a kitchen. They were connected by short hallways. In the 1800s, the house became a hotel. Some parts were changed, like adding a second floor to the hallways. But these changes have since been undone. The house now looks much like it did when Paca lived there.

History of the Paca House
- The Carvel Hall Hotel Era
- Saving and Restoring the House
What the Paca House Looks Like
More Historic Homes to Explore
Images for kids
See also

History of the Paca House

In 1780, William Paca sold his house. He sold it to Thomas Jenings. Mr. Jenings was the attorney general of Maryland.

The Carvel Hall Hotel Era

Over time, the house and its land were bought by a hotel company. The house itself became the lobby and meeting rooms for a new hotel. This hotel was called the Carvel Hall Hotel. It was built right behind the house, in the garden area.

The Carvel Hall Hotel opened in 1901. It had 200 guest rooms. But by 1964, there were plans to tear down the house and the hotel. The idea was to build tall buildings in their place.

Saving and Restoring the House

When people heard about the plans to tear down Carvel Hall, they took action. A group called Historic Annapolis, Inc. bought the house. This happened in 1965. The State of Maryland bought the garden area.

Workers then removed the parts that had been added to the house. This happened in 1966 and 1967. The house was made to look like its original design. Ownership of the property was then given to the Maryland Historical Trust.

Today, the Historic Annapolis Foundation manages the property. You can visit the house for guided tours. The beautiful garden is open for you to explore on your own all year round.

What the Paca House Looks Like

The Paca House is a special kind of house. It is called a Georgian five-part house. It is made of brick. The main part of the house is two and a half stories tall. It sits on a raised basement.

On each side of the main house are smaller, one-and-a-half-story buildings. These are connected to the main house by short, one-and-a-half-story hallways. Inside, the house has a central hallway. There are two rooms on each side of this hall.

Some of the original wooden details are still there. You can see them in the main hall and the west parlor. The staircase still has its original railing. It has a unique design called Chinese Chippendale.