Day 352 - Carrollton Manor

(Click any photo to enlarge.)

Please join me on the last day, September 2, for a celebration photo walk!  Registration details are here.

Beautiful Views

My friend Gary is fascinated with the Charles Carroll family.  When he suggested we get together for a walk today, I told him to pick a place I had not yet been, so he saw his chance to introduce me to Carrollton Manor.

Tuscarora

According to Wikipedia, "Charles Carroll of Annapolis granted the entire estate to his son, Charles Carroll of Carrollton. It is from this tract of land that he took his title, 'Charles Carroll of Carrollton.' While Charles Carroll of Carrollton never lived on Carrollton Manor, he erected a manor house there, Tuscarora, where he spent a few days or weeks at a time." 

The house and the land have undergone many changes throughout the years, with the original 14 room home having been built in 1764.  Seven more rooms were added on, much of the land was sold off, and today, the house is used as a guest retreat for the Alcoa Company.

St. Joseph's Steeple

St. Joseph's

We parked at the house, then walked around the grounds.  It is a working farm, with soybeans in the rear and corn in other fields.  Modern improvements have clearly been made to the house, and although one car was there, we did not see anyone around.  There was a picnic table in the back, as well as a stacked woodpile.  The view of another farm across the soybean fields was beautiful.  Tall oak trees graced the front and side yards.

We returned to the car, and Gary said that wherever there was a Carroll home, there was a Catholic church nearby.  This manor home was no exception. 

Church Gate Shadow

Overgrown Graves

Charles Carroll of Carrollton was the only Catholic signer of the Declaration of Independence.  His father, Charles Carroll of Annapolis, was denied participation in Maryland politics because of his religion.  Charles Carroll of Carrollton donated the land in 1819 for St. Joseph's on Carrollton Manor to be built.  The church we visited today was built in 1871 on the remains of the original 1820 church.

We walked the grounds of St. Joseph's, spending a lot of time in the graveyard.  It is a very old graveyard, with lots of massive trees and overgrown bushes.  The ground is quite uneven, and some of the old headstones that had fallen flat were practically covered by soil and grass.  There were a few wrought iron enclosures around family plots.

Church Interior

Eternal Flame

Luckily, the church was open, and we were able to take some photographs inside.  The old wooden pews had low backs, with double wooden doors to allow entry into each pew.  The stained glass windows let beautiful light into the dark interior.

Thank you, Gary, for taking me to see an historic place in Frederick County that I had not been before.  I really didn't think that was possible!

Click on any photo to enlarge it.

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

Forward me by email any receipt for an online donation made to the Red Cross for disaster relief, and I will send you a 5x7 print of your choice from any of my daily photo walks or from my website.  Offer good until September 2, 2013.

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