Tulip Hill
Encyclopedia
Tulip Hill is a plantation house
that was built between 1755 and 1756 one mile from Galesville
in Anne Arundel County in the Province of Maryland
. Tulip Hill was built before the American War of Independence.
The house sits atop a ridge and overlooks the West River
. The house was built by Samuel Galloway for his wife, Ann (Chew) Galloway. They married in 1742.
to Richard Talbot in 1659 as "Poplar Knowl." The house sits on a ridge from which terraces paralleling the river lead down to the meadow.
plantation house was expanded with end pavilions to become a five-part house. The site retains its tree-lined entrance lane and terraced garden . The curious gambrel or double-hipped roof is set off by a pediment with a bull's-eye window and dormers on the rear. A well defined cornice and a small white pedimented porch with four columns shading the front door add dignity to the facade. The central block is two stories high and 52 feet (15.8 m) wide by 42 feet (12.8 m) deep. Windows are nine-over-nine sashes, with the second floor windows somehwat smaller than the first. The brickwork is laid in Flemish bond. Two unusual fire places brick chimneys, with multiple flues, project through either end of the central portion of the house and tower over the one story wings. The two-story end pavilions and one story hyphens
have brickwork in running bond.
A spacious hall runs the depth of the house with a large double arch dividing it equally. The front half has a chair rail and corner cupboard while the other half contains the staircase. The hall, while in the middle of the house, is not centered, being offset to the right and lit by the window to the right of the entrance door. The hall narrows at the stair hall, which contains an unusually fine curved walnut staircase. To the right of the hall, in front, is a small reception room with a larger dining room behind, connected by a narrow hall with a service stair. On the left side of the hall are two paneled drawing rooms. The second floor is similarly arranged, except that a small chamber occupies the end of the hall opposite the stairs. The two large eastern bedrooms are paneled.
The west wing contained a kitchen, while the east wing contained plantation offices.
, built by Galloway's friend James Logan. Samuel's son John enlarged the house in 1787-90 by adding the end wings, hyphens and portico. The house remained in the Galloway family until 1866.
In 1771, a thirty-nine-year old George Washington
"dined and supped" at Tulip Hill twice.
One of the young Galloway children is reputed to have ridden his horse up the central staircase.
, the Minister to Belgium
under President Martin Van Buren
. Mary Maxcy left Tulip Hill to her only daughter, Ann Sarah Hughes. In 1886, Hughes sold the house to Henry M. Murray. Murray's wife, Mary H. (Morris) Murray, was a descendent of the builder of the house. The Murrays lived in Tulip Hill for thirty years before selling it to A. du Pont Parker, of Denver, Colorado
. Ultimately the house passed on to Mr. and Mrs. Henry H. Flather of Washington, DC, and it was the Flathers who spent a great deal of time and money restoring Tulip Hill and the surrounding grounds to the former level of magnificence. The home is still privately owned. As of March 2010, the house was for sale.
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
that was built between 1755 and 1756 one mile from Galesville
Galesville, Maryland
Galesville, Maryland is an unincorporated town in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. It is located at 38°50'35" North 076°32'37" West.-History:...
in Anne Arundel County in the Province of Maryland
Province of Maryland
The Province of Maryland was an English and later British colony in North America that existed from 1632 until 1776, when it joined the other twelve of the Thirteen Colonies in rebellion against Great Britain and became the U.S...
. Tulip Hill was built before the American War of Independence.
The house sits atop a ridge and overlooks the West River
West River
-Rivers:Canada*West River in Antigonish County, Nova Scotia*West River in Pictou County, Nova Scotia*West River in Sheet Harbour, Nova Scotia...
. The house was built by Samuel Galloway for his wife, Ann (Chew) Galloway. They married in 1742.
The land
The land for Tulip Hill originally was patentedLand patent
A land patent is a land grant made patent by the sovereign lord over the land in question. To make a such a grant “patent”, such a sovereign lord must document the land grant, securely sign and seal the document and openly publish the same to the public for all to see...
to Richard Talbot in 1659 as "Poplar Knowl." The house sits on a ridge from which terraces paralleling the river lead down to the meadow.
The house
According to an entry in the builder's account book, all of the bricks used to build the house were made on the site. Between 1787 and 1790, the Georgian styleGeorgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
plantation house was expanded with end pavilions to become a five-part house. The site retains its tree-lined entrance lane and terraced garden . The curious gambrel or double-hipped roof is set off by a pediment with a bull's-eye window and dormers on the rear. A well defined cornice and a small white pedimented porch with four columns shading the front door add dignity to the facade. The central block is two stories high and 52 feet (15.8 m) wide by 42 feet (12.8 m) deep. Windows are nine-over-nine sashes, with the second floor windows somehwat smaller than the first. The brickwork is laid in Flemish bond. Two unusual fire places brick chimneys, with multiple flues, project through either end of the central portion of the house and tower over the one story wings. The two-story end pavilions and one story hyphens
Hyphen (architecture)
In architecture, a hyphen is a connecting link between two larger building elements. It is typically found in Georgian style architecture, where the hyphens form connections between a large central house and end pavilions in the Georgian five-part house, which was in turn derived from Palladian...
have brickwork in running bond.
A spacious hall runs the depth of the house with a large double arch dividing it equally. The front half has a chair rail and corner cupboard while the other half contains the staircase. The hall, while in the middle of the house, is not centered, being offset to the right and lit by the window to the right of the entrance door. The hall narrows at the stair hall, which contains an unusually fine curved walnut staircase. To the right of the hall, in front, is a small reception room with a larger dining room behind, connected by a narrow hall with a service stair. On the left side of the hall are two paneled drawing rooms. The second floor is similarly arranged, except that a small chamber occupies the end of the hall opposite the stairs. The two large eastern bedrooms are paneled.
The west wing contained a kitchen, while the east wing contained plantation offices.
History
Samuel Galloway bought Poplar Knowle in 1755, renaming it "Tulip Hill" after a grove of tulip poplars. The central portion of the house was built in 1755-56, supervised by John Devour. The house resembles "Stenton" in Germantown, PennsylvaniaGermantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Germantown is a neighborhood in the northwest section of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, about 7–8 miles northwest from the center of the city...
, built by Galloway's friend James Logan. Samuel's son John enlarged the house in 1787-90 by adding the end wings, hyphens and portico. The house remained in the Galloway family until 1866.
In 1771, a thirty-nine-year old George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
"dined and supped" at Tulip Hill twice.
One of the young Galloway children is reputed to have ridden his horse up the central staircase.
Inheritance
In 1786, Samual Galloway died and left Tulip Hill to his son, John Galloway. Upon John's death, the house passed to his only child, Mary (Galloway) Maxcy. Her husband was Virgil MaxcyVirgil Maxcy
Virgil Maxcy was an American political figure. He was born in Massachusetts, and spent his adult years in Maryland. He was killed in 1844 in a shipboard accident, when a cannon exploded aboard the USS Princeton.-Early life:...
, the Minister to Belgium
United States Ambassador to Belgium
In 1832, shortly after the creation of the Kingdom of Belgium, the United States established diplomatic relations. Since that time, a long line of distinguished envoys have represented American interests in Belgium. These diplomats included men and women whose career paths would lead them to...
under President Martin Van Buren
Martin Van Buren
Martin Van Buren was the eighth President of the United States . Before his presidency, he was the eighth Vice President and the tenth Secretary of State, under Andrew Jackson ....
. Mary Maxcy left Tulip Hill to her only daughter, Ann Sarah Hughes. In 1886, Hughes sold the house to Henry M. Murray. Murray's wife, Mary H. (Morris) Murray, was a descendent of the builder of the house. The Murrays lived in Tulip Hill for thirty years before selling it to A. du Pont Parker, of Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
. Ultimately the house passed on to Mr. and Mrs. Henry H. Flather of Washington, DC, and it was the Flathers who spent a great deal of time and money restoring Tulip Hill and the surrounding grounds to the former level of magnificence. The home is still privately owned. As of March 2010, the house was for sale.
See also
- DodonDodonDodon, is a farm and former tobacco plantation in Maryland, located near the South River about south west of Annapolis. Purchased in around 1744 by the planter and politician Dr George H. Steuart, it remains the home of Steuart's descendants to this day...
- Grassland (Annapolis Junction, Maryland)Grassland (Annapolis Junction, Maryland)Grassland is a historic home at Annapolis Junction, Anne Arundel County, Maryland. It was built in 1853, and is a three-part brick structure constructed in a telescoping manner...
- Holly Hill (Friendship, Maryland)Holly Hill (Friendship, Maryland)Holly Hill, also known as Holland's Hills or Rose Valley, is a historic home at Friendship, Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. It was originally a primitive, two-room, -story frame dwelling constructed in the fall or winter of 1698. An addition was made in 1713, and about 1730 the entire...
- Oakwood (Harwood, Maryland)Oakwood (Harwood, Maryland)Oakwood is a historic home at Harwood, Anne Arundel County, Maryland. It was built in the 1850s and is a -story, frame vernacular farmhouse with Greek Revival influenced details...
- Twin Oaks (Linthicum Heights, Maryland)Twin Oaks (Linthicum Heights, Maryland)Twin Oaks is a historic home at Linthicum Heights, Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The house is a -story brick Greek Revival–influenced dwelling constructed in 1857, with additions and Neo-Classical embellishments made in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The final composition...
- Whitehall (Annapolis, Maryland)
External links
- Tulip Hill, Anne Arundel County, including photo in 1997, at Maryland Historical Trust
- Tulip Hill, Cumberstone Road, Galesville vicinity, Anne Arundel County, MD: 8 photos, 1 data page, at Historic American Building Survey