Perry Hall Mansion, constructed c. 1775 as the country estate of Harry Dorsey and Prudence Carnan Gough, has long been considered one of the most historic structures in Baltimore County, Maryland. Nestled on a ridge overlooking the lush forest of the Gunpowder River Valley, the mansion has played host to a number of crucial events in both local history and the emergence of Methodism in the United States. Since its completion, the house has claimed 14 different principal owners, culminating with its transfer to public ownership in 2001. Each of the families who lived there left behind unique legacies. Materials contained in Perry Hall Mansion depict the evolving use of the building and grounds and demonstrate how this progression reflected changing conditions within Maryland generally.
GET WEIRD! “Best Travel Series of The Year 2006”—Booklist What’s weird around here? Mark Moran and Mark Sceurman asked themselves this question for years. And it’s precisely this offbeat sense of curiosity that led the duo to create Weird N.J. and the successful series that followed. The NOT shockingly result? EveryWeirdbook has become a best seller in its region! ((Series Sales Points)) This best-selling series has sold more than one million copies…and counting Thirty volumes of the Weird series have been published to great success since Weird New Jersey's 2003 debut
The extraordinary characters who lived at Perry Hall, Staffordshire, come alive in this profusely illustrated account of the Stamfords and the Goughs. Amongst others, we are told of : Sir WILLIAM STAMFORD -- an intellectually brilliant judge in Tudor Queen Mary's reign. YOUNG HARRY GOUGH -- who sailed to China at the age of eleven and went on to become a wealthy merchant and director of the East India Company. His sister married a governor of St. Helena; his little brothers were pages to Queen Anne. RICHARD GOUGH -- a prolific author and the pre-eminent antiquarian of the eighteenth century. JANE GOUGH -- a spirited young bride who kept a revealing diary. Squire JOHN GOUGH -- a surly character, often in conflict with neighbours and relatives, and litigious in the extreme. Mercilessly vilified as "a Wretch born in Despite of Nature fostered by the blackest Demons of Malignity, and permitted by Providence to exist as a Libel upon Mankind." One chapter forensically explores the origins of the Maryland Goughs, who purported a descent from the Staffordshire Goughs. The inescapable conclusion is that the founder of Perry Hall Mansion (and his father) deliberately deceived their contemporaries by avowing a much more distinguished ancestry than is revealed by the facts. A high-definition photographic supplement closes this book. It reproduces, with full commentary, the rare Edwardian postcards of the Perry Hall Estate published by Frank Nightingale, an outstanding local photographer. The 144 pages of this book are enlivened with paintings, engravings, lithographs, maps and photographs--many illustrations are in full colour. This particularly fine local history publication, fully referenced by the author and meticulously edited by Peter Allen, Chair of Barr & Aston Local History Society, also records the rise and fall of the grand Elizabethan mansion in which they lived and loved. The moat in Perry Hall Park, now a municipal leisure area, is almost all that remains of an extensive landed estate, whose distinguished occupants made their mark far and wide. The FOREWORD by Professor Tony Seaton signs off : "This is a beautifully designed book that I have much enjoyed reading. It is a labour of love by the author and his editor friend, both new to publishing, but clearly masters of the art."
"An updated version of a guide to (Maryland) . . . prepared by the Works Progress Administration . . . (last updated in 1976). Detailed historical information accompanies driving and walking tours throughout the state".--"Baltimore Magazine". 192 illustrations, including archival and new photos.
In its beginnings, Baltimore County was covered with dense ancient forests of deciduous trees and so little undergrowth that it was said a man could gallop horses within them. Today horses gallop over bucolic pastures of renowned Thoroughbred farms amidst quaint historic towns seen dotting the rolling landscape. Named for the Lords Baltimore, Baltimore County was originally an expansive area extending well beyond today's boundaries. Founded in 1659, the county has evolved from tobacco farming to diverse industries ranging from steel manufacturing to picturesque vineyards. Both then and now, nearby Baltimore Harbor on the Chesapeake Bay provides lucrative opportunities for merchants to trade their crops and commodities. The county offers endless recreational pursuits on over 175 miles of shoreline. Baltimore County is proud to claim among its residents the noted neurosurgeon Dr. Benjamin Carson; baseball's all-time iron man, Cal Ripken; and famous author Tom Clancy.
During the 1930s in the United States, the Works Progress Administration developed the Federal Writers’ Project to support writers and artists while making a national effort to document the country’s shared history and culture. The American Guide series consists of individual guides to each of the states. Little-known authors—many of whom would later become celebrated literary figures—were commissioned to write these important books. John Steinbeck, Saul Bellow, Zora Neale Hurston, and Ralph Ellison are among the more than 6,000 writers, editors, historians, and researchers who documented this celebration of local histories. Photographs, drawings, driving tours, detailed descriptions of towns, and rich cultural details exhibit each state’s unique flavor. The WPA Guide to Maryland has some of the most thorough driving tours in the series. From the Allegheny Plateau to the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Coast, the guide details Maryland’s diverse geography. The essays on the state’s two major cities—Baltimore and Annapolis—are especially engaging. Known as the Old Line State for its pivotal role in the American Revolution, Maryland’s rich history is also extensively detailed in the guide.
