Day 212 - Ceresville Mansion

(Click any photo to enlarge.)

Ceresville Mansion

Two watchful doves

The brown road sign indicating a Maryland historic site pointed to the right, to Ceresville Mansion, so naturally, it was a place I had to check out.

If you talk to Fredericktonians about Ceresville, they will probably tell you that it is a wedding site, which is true.  The current owners have turned the mansion into a great place to get married, with beautiful rooms, original period details from 1888, and outdoor venues with an arbor, reflecting pool, and even a picnic pavilion by the creek.

The terrace

The mansion sits on 25 acres along Israel Creek, and even though the trees along the creek were subject to the same winter storms as the rest of the region, it appears as though a lot of work on cutting and clearing and raking have been done to clear the area of debris.  After all, the wedding season is bearing down on us, and the grounds need to be ready!

The arbor

Only a few workers were about the place this afternoon, so I walked around the mansion, admiring the garden and the side terrace with the reflecting pool and the arbor.  Only the lenten roses were in bloom today, but later in the season, the vines over the arbor will cover it in green.  Unfortunately, the junction of Rts. 194 and 26 take up most of the original front lawn, so it is not possible to get a good front shot of the mansion.  Back in its glory days, I am sure it was something to behold from a distance.

Who wants to buy this mill?

Next to the mansion is an old, historic stone mill.  Built in 1818, it now sits abandoned and for sale.  Many of the windows are missing.  At one time, this old mill was the most productive in Maryland, producing 60 barrels of flour a day.  Now, it is for sale, waiting for a new owner to restore it for a modern use.

I walked to the mill, and each time I walked by the front, which was three, I heard the sound of a door slamming.  However, I could see no door swinging in the breeze; everything seemed secure.  So my theories are a) it is haunted, b) something was reacting to the wind at the rear of the mill, causing the sound to amplify to the front, or c) there was someone inside who wanted to dissuade any potential buyers.  I will go with the haunted theory.

Spring was in the air at Ceresville today.  Trees were in bloom, yellow flowers were abundant by the river, the grass was green, and birds were in the nesting boxes.  Weddings will be underway at Ceresville very soon, I'm sure.

 ******************

Visit my photography show, "My Maryland," at the public library in Urbana, Maryland, on the lower level of the building.  It is there until the end of April.

Hurricane Sandy Relief: Donate to the Red Cross, and I will mail you a 5 x 7 print from any of the photos I have posted on my blog OR any photo on my website.

Forward to me via email a receipt for donating to the Red Cross. Tell me whether the photo is from the blog or the website, and Include its title along with a mailing address. The name on the receipt to the Red Cross must match the name of the mailing recipient. Send the receipt and the photo request to camscamerashots@gmail.com.

Click on any photo to enlarge it.

*************************************************

Visit my web site: camscamerashots.zenfolio.com
Follow me on Twitter: @camscamerashots
Email:  cam.miller@comcast.net

Cam's rules for the Daily Photo Walk:

1. walk every day
2. the walk must be in addition to any other planned activity for the day
3. post a photo every day
4. use whatever camera is easy and convenient for walking comfortably; always have a backup camera at the ready in case of mishaps (I use the Nikon Coolpix P7700)
5. no weather excuses
6. walk only where it is safe to do so