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In 1800, Charles Carroll of Carrollton, a Maryland signer of the Declaration of Independence, offered his son and his son's bride, Harriet Chew, the funds to design and build a country retreat.

Although the elder Carroll suggested renovating an existing farmhouse, his advice went unheeded. Homewood's final $40,000 price tag — an absolute fortune in today's money — became a source of much disagreement between father and son.

For the young Carroll, Homewood served both as a country villa and a public expression of the political, social, and financial stature of one of the nation's wealthiest heirs. Nothing was left to chance and no expense was spared in its design and construction.

The 130-acre farm was located far from the hustle and bustle of downtown Baltimore when it was constructed. This idyllic summer retreat, its architecture and furnishings reflecting the lifestyle of a wealthy and cosmopolitan young couple, was a place where the Carrolls could entertain and impress others.

Built on a Palladian-inspired five-part plan, Homewood is renowned for its elegant proportions, fine workmanship and materials, and the extravagant detail in all aspects of its construction — from the intricately carved wooden fireplace surrounds, doorways, and chair rails, to the marble painted baseboards and mahogany grained doors and the ornate plaster ceiling ornaments.

Carefully sited on a gentle knoll a few miles north of Baltimore's center, Homewood's symmetrical five-part plan expresses the ideals of Federal architecture. The main block of the house is flanked by two hyphens and two wings — the west wing devoted to service activities and the east wing for family use and for entertaining close friends.

The house's main block is principally designed for entertaining. The three south-facing rooms (Reception Hall, Dining Room, and Drawing Room) are the most elaborately finished in the house. Guests could move from room to room through doors on the south side. Doors at the north end of the rooms could be closed to conceal service activity along the central passage.

Homewood is furnished as it would have been when the Carrolls resided there. Its elegant interior spaces and brightly colored rooms are filled with objects associated with the Carroll family and others representative of the period, including many superb examples of Baltimore furniture and highlights from many local museum collections.

Acquired by The Johns Hopkins University in 1902, Homewood stands today as one of the nation's best surviving examples of Federal Period architecture. It is a widely-copied prototype and is the source for both the architectural vocabulary and the name of The Johns Hopkins University's Homewood campus. Restored by the University and opened as a museum in 1987, Homewood provides a year-round calendar of tours, exhibitions, lectures, and educational programs.

HOMEWOOD MUSEUM | The Johns Hopkins University | 3400 North Charles Street | Baltimore, MD 21218 | Phone 410-516-5589 | Email homewoodmuseum@jhu.edu
The Johns Hopkins University Museums :: Homewood Museum :: Evergreen Museum & Library
© 2007 The Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD. Updated 05Jun07 by dgips@jhu.edu