Whitehall, Maryland
Encyclopedia
Whitehall is a plantation house
that was built about 1760 near Annapolis
in Anne Arundel County in the Province of Maryland
. When Whitehall was built, Maryland was a colony
of the Kingdom of Great Britain
.
Tradition has it that the house was built by Provincial Governor Horatio Sharpe
for his intended bride, Mary Ogle. Unfortunately for Sharpe, the daughter of Samuel Ogle
shattered his plans and married his secretary and close friend, John Ridout.
, is one of two in the American colonies
built prior to the American Revolutionary War
(the other being the “Jumel Mansion
” built by Roger Morris
in New York
). The house is representative of the high achievement in Georgian
architectural design.
The original pavilion, gardens, parks, and entrance court of this 1000 acres (404.7 ha) estate were designed and built under Sharpe's supervision.
in 1773.
prevented Sharpe's return and so he instructed his friend John Ridout to sell Whitehall. Benjamin Ogle
purchased the house from Ridout and two days later resold the house to Ridout for the same sum. Whitehall remained in the Ridout family for one-hundred-and-sixteen years.
In 1895, the widow of General William G. Story acquired Whitehall. Upon her death in 1912, the house passed to her son, John P. Story. He sold Whitehall to St. John's College of Annapolis. From St. John's, ownership of the house passed to the Henderson family. The home is still privately owned.
in 1960. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1966.
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 about 1760 near Annapolis
Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
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...
. When Whitehall was built, Maryland was a colony
Colony
In politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....
of the Kingdom of Great Britain
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
.
Tradition has it that the house was built by Provincial Governor Horatio Sharpe
Horatio Sharpe
Horatio Sharpe was the 22nd Proprietary Governor of Maryland from 1753 to 1768 under the Restored Proprietary Government.-Biography:...
for his intended bride, Mary Ogle. Unfortunately for Sharpe, the daughter of Samuel Ogle
Samuel Ogle
Samuel Ogle was the 16th, 18th and 20th Proprietary Governor of Maryland from 1731 to 1732, 1733 to 1742, and 1746/1747 to 1752.-Background:...
shattered his plans and married his secretary and close friend, John Ridout.
The house
Whitehall is a two-story five-part Flemish bond brick building of unusual length, about 200 feet (61 m). The “full temple portico” on the central portion of the house, with its Corinthian columnsCorinthian order
The Corinthian order is one of the three principal classical orders of ancient Greek and Roman architecture. The other two are the Doric and Ionic. When classical architecture was revived during the Renaissance, two more orders were added to the canon, the Tuscan order and the Composite order...
, is one of two in the American colonies
Thirteen Colonies
The Thirteen Colonies were English and later British colonies established on the Atlantic coast of North America between 1607 and 1733. They declared their independence in the American Revolution and formed the United States of America...
built prior to the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
(the other being the “Jumel Mansion
Morris-Jumel Mansion
The Morris-Jumel Mansion , located in Washington Heights, is the oldest house in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. It served as a headquarters for both sides in the American Revolution....
” built by Roger Morris
Roger Morris
Roger Morris may refer to:*Roger Morris , 2000s novelist*Roger Morris *Roger Morris *Robert Morris , signer to the United States Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the United States Constitution*Roger Morris , British architect*Roger Morris , historian and author of...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
). The house is representative of the high achievement in Georgian
Georgian 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...
architectural design.
The original pavilion, gardens, parks, and entrance court of this 1000 acres (404.7 ha) estate were designed and built under Sharpe's supervision.
History
Whitehall was restored in the early 20th century down to its 1787 appearance. While the home was built originally by provincial Governor Sharpe as a retreat and entertainment pavilion; it was later enlarged and became his residence from his retirement in 1769 until his return to EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1773.
Inheritance
The American RevolutionAmerican Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
prevented Sharpe's return and so he instructed his friend John Ridout to sell Whitehall. Benjamin Ogle
Benjamin Ogle
Benjamin Ogle was the ninth Governor of Maryland from 1798 to 1801.-Early life:The Ogle family was quite prominent for many centuries in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, England, dating from the medieval period. Born in Annapolis, Maryland, Benjamin Ogle was the son of former Provincial...
purchased the house from Ridout and two days later resold the house to Ridout for the same sum. Whitehall remained in the Ridout family for one-hundred-and-sixteen years.
In 1895, the widow of General William G. Story acquired Whitehall. Upon her death in 1912, the house passed to her son, John P. Story. He sold Whitehall to St. John's College of Annapolis. From St. John's, ownership of the house passed to the Henderson family. The home is still privately owned.
National Historic Landmark
It was designated a National Historic LandmarkNational Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1960. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1966.
External links
- Whitehall, Anne Arundel County, including photo in 1979, at Maryland Historical Trust
- Whitehall, Saint Margarets Road, Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, MD: 6 photos, 6 data pages and supplemental material, at Historic American Building Survey